Chiang Mai Street Market

Whether day or night, one would never have a problem buying ‘things’ at Chiang Mai. However, the night markets are a must do for any tourists dropping into the area. Whether you want to sample the huge variety of tasty food, look for goods, trinkets and gifts, or dip your feet in a vessel of fish to remove dead skin (I missed doing this – maybe next time) – the evening street markets have it all!

I mentioned yesterday that business really gets moving once sundown comes. The temperature, still fairly hot, becomes a lot more comfortable in the evening, and even in the crowds of people (in the central market areas) you don’t find yourself craving a drink of water every 5 minutes.

Wandering through you do see a lot of double ups of products on sale, but there is a lot of variety still also (as I found out when buying a gift and had to walk the entire market twice looking for the one and only stall that sold it).

Im not sure what stall owners did a decade or so ago, but one thing I noticed around stalls was the volume of smartphones being used to play games and watch tv shows whilst the vendors waited for customers. Some so engrossed in their shows, one could sift through all their merchandise and not even be given a single sales line. I certainly don’t blame them. Long hours – electronic devices help kill them. Perhaps (to me) it just felt like a odd combination for some reason. Actually, I do have an idea what some did 10+ years ago – a number of stalls brought along their 14″ TV’s plugged into power sockets on the power poles and sat watching them.

Bargaining and bartering of course is common place – many tourists aiming for perhaps too low prices, many stall holders obviously trying to take as much home as they can. The New Zealand Dollar converts pretty well in Thailand. Even with economies of scale, I really don’t see how some Thai survive. On some occasions their asking prices for goods just feels too low!

Being Northern, we also looked to do a bit of a tour out of the city. Some of that tomorrow probably!

April 20, 2014 0

Walking Chiang Mai

Ive sort of thrown together a handful of images from my walking around Chiang Mai today. Not much flow between each of them sorry.

One thing I noticed more in Chiang Mai more than other areas of Thailand was the uneven pathways (if there was a pathway). It appears that each shop has ownership, or is responsible for their bit of pathway to the road. So many areas on my walk had uneven sections, stepping up and down between businesses. Some concrete, some tiled…a few rubbly dirt. Its more of a interesting (or uninteresting) observation than a criticism – unless your in a country where the business might get in trouble if you fell!

I often head out fairly early morning when out on walking treks. In Thailand I learnt that means many shops are still closed. With the night markets, and general heat in the day, so many people do their business in the evening. Heading out early morning, things are not yet open and going. That being said – there is still plenty happening.

There was a bit of working going on in the river/open drain (once was river?). A little amusing to see this weighty digger using a log on the back section to prop it up.

Some more from the Northern region tomorrow!

April 19, 2014 2

Destination Chiang Mai

Our next stop had us heading to Chiang Mai – the “New City” (replacing the old one Chiang Rai). Im sure pilots get used to the view from above the clouds, but I always enjoy looking at the whole ‘new’ world that appears when I’m in a plane. The perspective of mountain ranges, valleys and planes all formed in clouds are a view I can stare at for hours (with a window seat anyway).

Arriving in Chiang Mai is a bit of a shift in perspective for one just coming from Bangkok. Its the largest northern provence city, but pales in comparison.

But as above, thats simply a perspective thing. I think the whole trip, as future posts will show, was from big city to eventual small township/island sort of thing. Driving from the airport I observed both what looked to be new developments in the works, and old unfinished developments – an indication of previous economic ups and downs. The temperature was warmer and more humid.

One thing, amongst many, to do in Chiang Mai as a tourist is to visit the night markets (more on that another day). They also offer numerous tours to the boarder, and animal based tours.

To be continued tomorrow.

Fo all those who recognise Easter – Good Friday to you!

April 18, 2014 0

Farewell Bangkok

Although I have countless more images from Bangkok, today can be the last, so we can move up north a little next time. Something I love to see in cities I have visited is the contrast between old and new. Todays top image is of just as such – a old rundown building (I think still inhabited) contrasting on the more modern cityscape. It reminds me of those movies where someone holds onto their house whilst the world grows up around it. I think here in Auckland (the central city area) land and building value is too high to see something quite like this (but to be fair, there are some old ones off main roads).

Like many cities, Bangkok offers a host of was to get around for the tourist. Walk (the most traditional), Taxi (sooo cheap on the metered ones when traffic flowing), Tuk Tuk(more expensive than taxi’s – I’ll do a feature on them some time) or the train network. I loved how the train (and walking) overpass spread across the city above the roads:

I was also intrigued by the seemingly hazardous mains power system (Bangkok much better than some other districts).

Farewell Bangkok

April 17, 2014 2

Buddha of Bangkok

Part of our time in Bangkok was spent touring around some of the local temples. For those who don’t know, Thailand is pretty much a Buddhist country. For me, it was quite interesting to see these temples pepper potted around the city (and other areas of the country – particularly the northern part). The above feature Buddha being the Fasting Buddha (I only saw the one fasting one on my journey).

We looked at the different styles of Thai Buddha’s – in part different craftsmen, put also specifically Buddha at different stages of social peace or times of war. Some clues had when looking at the arms, bone structure of face and ‘ringlet’ size (for lack of a better term as I write) of the hair. Of the two above, the one on the right shows he is made in tougher times with likely neighbourly wars.

The Golden Buddha (above) was impressive to see. Story has it, during war times, he was covered in concrete to disguise that it was actually made of gold. Years (I’m guessing many) went by, and people forgot about the golden one. Then one day, then moving to a new temple the concrete cracked (imagine the instant ‘oh my god’ as you the mover crack this massive statue), but rather than a disaster, the gold was again revealed.

One of my favourites was the Reclining Buddha. This is one MASSIVE figure. Too big to move, renovations of the building had to happen around it.

Once upon a time temples were the schools or universities of the community. People went to further their learning and studies. One such example was the temple area of the Reclining Buddha. Small building (open sided ones) surrounded the main temple areas, all featuring teachings on the body, herbs, yoga, meditation, and general wellbeing. Some pretty cool stuff.

Probably one more day of Bangkok tomorrow I think!

April 16, 2014 0

Nights in Bangkok part 1

After hours in the air, we set down in Bangkok. Time wise we landed some time after midnight, so the photos came the first day morning looking out over the cityscape. Exploring some of the town, we found ourselves in the World Centre (I think) – a bustling multi story shopping centre.

Some more tomorrow.

April 15, 2014 2

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Fresh off the plane from our trip to Thailand, mind jaded, body tired and camera full of images.

Over the next little while I’ll share a few!

April 14, 2014 4

April 13, 2014 2

Reflections by the Lake

A recent walk down to Lake Pupuke on Auckland’s North Shore welcomed me with cool still waters. After shooting for a little while the morning began to warm and the water lost its mirror, but it was beautiful while it lasted!

April 12, 2014 5

April 11, 2014 1