We arrive in Chiang mai in the evening time (I don't know what day it is anymore so I couldn't even begin to work out what day we arrived there)(well that's a lie- I'm on the internet so I could look it up and work it out but that's not going to happen- OK?!) Anyways we grab a taxi into the city centre and look around for a guesthouse. Its very hot here- around the 40 degree mark we go into an internet cafe to look up places to stay. The sweltering heat coupled with the crappiest slowest computers in all of Thailand mean it doesn't take us to long to get very frustrated. In a way this is good because we are dying to have showers and be rid of our backpacks, so we pick out a guesthouse at random and ask a tuk tuk driver to take us there. This is our first go on a tuk tuk! They are mad little things and feel bit like being on a bockety old ride at Funderland! We are pretty sure the guy probably ripped us off but our negotiation skills aren't the best and we figure everything's so cheap here anyway it doesn't really matter.
When we get to Chiang Mai Thai house in the Thae pae gate area of the city and have a look at a room the place seems decent enough so we decided to take it. Unfortunately they don't have any air-con rooms available so we have our first experience of a fan only room that night. Wow- we definitely haven't acclimatised because neither of us get more than bout 30 minutes sleep- However its about 9 euro for the room so we cant really complain too much!
The guy who runs the place is hilarious - and tells us his name is Mun but we can just call him "Sexy Mun". He checks us in and gives us maps/advice on what to go see all the while being hilarious and tries out his "conas a ta tu" (no fadas on Lao keyboards) and "cad is ainm duit" on us!
On our first night we go visit the night markets. Lots of beautiful local handicrafts/clothes/ silver jewellery etc along with all the usual tourist t shirts and pretty convincing knock offs of brand name clothes/watches. So many beautiful colours from all the lovely lanterns and lights and the smells of Pad Thai being cooked on the street are so enticing. We both agree that we would probably buy everything if we were just here on holidays so perhaps it is a god thing that our backpacks are already crammed full!
We are hungry so we wander down one street looking for a place- it has a bit of a tacky Benidorm feel to it with English and German bars and we are about to turn around and look for somewhere else when we remember everything we've eaten in Thailand has been delicious, the worst meal I've had was still fairly OK! So partly for the hilarity of seeing little thai women dressed in the traditional German clothes (with the little hats and everything!)we opt for the German Hoff-Brau Haus restaurant and are not disappointed. To the backdrop of German clap handys music I tuck into my pepper steak and it is delicious. It was nice too to eat European food for a change. I think the fact that the Thai people really understand about seasoning and making things flavorful is what makes the food so tasty- and all the herbs and spices are so fresh- right down to the mint leaves in our cocktails :)
Afterward Ellie and I move outside for few more beers (Chang and Erdinger respectively!) There is a sign on the wall that reads "smoking allowed but no cigar" This being a German place in the middle of Thailand we are not really sure if this a joke or not!! There are lots of dogs here in Chiang Mai - I again feel conscious about the fact that I opted not to get the rabies shot and look each dog in the eye wondering which of them might have it! On the walk home we see dog chase cat up tree and for some reason (Erdinger) I find this stereotype in action hilarious!
We settle in for what will be an unbearably hot first night in Chiang Mai- and pretty promptly decided we will be paying the extra 300BHT for the air-con room the next night!
When we get to Chiang Mai Thai house in the Thae pae gate area of the city and have a look at a room the place seems decent enough so we decided to take it. Unfortunately they don't have any air-con rooms available so we have our first experience of a fan only room that night. Wow- we definitely haven't acclimatised because neither of us get more than bout 30 minutes sleep- However its about 9 euro for the room so we cant really complain too much!
The guy who runs the place is hilarious - and tells us his name is Mun but we can just call him "Sexy Mun". He checks us in and gives us maps/advice on what to go see all the while being hilarious and tries out his "conas a ta tu" (no fadas on Lao keyboards) and "cad is ainm duit" on us!
On our first night we go visit the night markets. Lots of beautiful local handicrafts/clothes/ silver jewellery etc along with all the usual tourist t shirts and pretty convincing knock offs of brand name clothes/watches. So many beautiful colours from all the lovely lanterns and lights and the smells of Pad Thai being cooked on the street are so enticing. We both agree that we would probably buy everything if we were just here on holidays so perhaps it is a god thing that our backpacks are already crammed full!
We are hungry so we wander down one street looking for a place- it has a bit of a tacky Benidorm feel to it with English and German bars and we are about to turn around and look for somewhere else when we remember everything we've eaten in Thailand has been delicious, the worst meal I've had was still fairly OK! So partly for the hilarity of seeing little thai women dressed in the traditional German clothes (with the little hats and everything!)we opt for the German Hoff-Brau Haus restaurant and are not disappointed. To the backdrop of German clap handys music I tuck into my pepper steak and it is delicious. It was nice too to eat European food for a change. I think the fact that the Thai people really understand about seasoning and making things flavorful is what makes the food so tasty- and all the herbs and spices are so fresh- right down to the mint leaves in our cocktails :)
Afterward Ellie and I move outside for few more beers (Chang and Erdinger respectively!) There is a sign on the wall that reads "smoking allowed but no cigar" This being a German place in the middle of Thailand we are not really sure if this a joke or not!! There are lots of dogs here in Chiang Mai - I again feel conscious about the fact that I opted not to get the rabies shot and look each dog in the eye wondering which of them might have it! On the walk home we see dog chase cat up tree and for some reason (Erdinger) I find this stereotype in action hilarious!
We settle in for what will be an unbearably hot first night in Chiang Mai- and pretty promptly decided we will be paying the extra 300BHT for the air-con room the next night!
Post a Comment