Friday, May 2, 08
This is a catch-up day. All I have to do is buy a train ticket. I have decided to split the travel back to Bangkok into two days. Tomorrow will be a ride from Chiang Mai to Lopburi. Then, Sunday, I'll continue into Bangkok reconnecting with John Peatman who is coming up from Phuket in the south. With no reason why not, I am walking the distance to the train station - 1 hour each way. At the station I buy the ticket, 8:45 departure, with a 6:03 arrival. My ticket says Car 1, Seat 4. Cost, 566 B. Feeling hot, I sit at a small roadside stall and order a drink. A man sits across from me and engages me in conversation. His name is Nop. He works as a tour consultant and instantly goes into work mode - Where do I want to go? Where am I staying? Do I want a trek? Finally, after he realizes there is nothing to sell, we can start a conversation.
The return home doesn't seem as long as the going, Why is that?
There is a fierce storm, coming in from Myanmar (Burma), which is to hit us late afternoon.
Observations:
-There is an odd custom of serving a bottle of beer with a glass filled with ice. Most Westerners simply pour out the ice and that's that. Seems like a waste of good ice.
-Reverence and respect for the royal family is everywhere. Even passing a picture of the King can cause a tuk tuk driver to bring both hands together, this while driving. It's refreshing to see.
-I have four cuts and scrapes; a cut on my finger, a scrape on my arm, and a scrape and scratch on my right foot. None of them appear to be any problem. I have taken specific care to clean and anoint each of them.
-The zippers on my daypack, purchased in Sentani, have finally given out. I'll find a new one today.
Back in Bangkok, I am hoping to spend an evening with Robert Charter. But, that may not happen due to conflicting schedules.
These pictures were taken as I walked to and from the train station. This is what Chiang Mai looks like as a city.
Walking pics: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/musungi/WalkingChiangMai
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2 comments:
Respect seems to be a big part of Thai culture, for King, for monuments etc.
Keep up the writing! I've read all of it and enjoyed all your pics. Hope others are as well.
Yes, it is a deep part of the culture. And yes, I'm reading and enjoying too. I have the same picture of the dragon stairs on Doi Suthep from the back of their heads. I visited the jade factory and saw that same guy back in December too.
Thailand didn't have all of those temple and palace monuments restored 30 and 40 years ago -- they were just ruins then. So I'm not surprised that they don't have all of the state park-type restrictions in place.
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