On Sunday morning we left Bangkok and took a cheapy Air Asia flight one hour to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. We had no pre-booked accommodation so we selected a hostel recommended in our Lonely Planet and got a taxi to drop us off in hope that a room might be available... it was and what a nice little find 
(despite the fact our bed cover is a massive towel!) . We dumped our bags and set out to wander the narrow streets in the old part of Chiang Mai. It is lovely here, so peaceful and quiet, with a very easy-going atmosphere and pace of life.... all so different to the frantic hustle and bustle of Bangkok although there are still zillions of tuk tuk's and mopeds zipping in and around everywhere!! There are many beautiful temples scattered across the town which makes for an interesting combination of ancient and modern.
(despite the fact our bed cover is a massive towel!) . We dumped our bags and set out to wander the narrow streets in the old part of Chiang Mai. It is lovely here, so peaceful and quiet, with a very easy-going atmosphere and pace of life.... all so different to the frantic hustle and bustle of Bangkok although there are still zillions of tuk tuk's and mopeds zipping in and around everywhere!! There are many beautiful temples scattered across the town which makes for an interesting combination of ancient and modern.We had lunch in a local noodle shop (Bi yet again opting for her favourite Pad Thai...while Ash had beef noodles that came topped with a mosquito garnish!) before 
wandering a small handicraft market near the town gates. The market was full of the usual tourist tack with every second stall selling the same thing making you wonder if anyone ever made any money! There was an area with many different food stands selling noodles, pancakes, meat & fish skewers along with many strange, unidentifiable foods that we have become accustomed to seeing in Thailand (there is nothing they don't eat!!). 
We took the safe option and tried the banana pancakes before heading to one of the many massage stands and treating ourselves to an open air foot massage!! We selected a seat from a line of comfy chairs situated under a big tarp cover for shade and sat back and enjoyed a 30 minute Thai foot massage whilst watching the market buzz around us. It was heavenly and cost 1 pound each!
wandering a small handicraft market near the town gates. The market was full of the usual tourist tack with every second stall selling the same thing making you wonder if anyone ever made any money! There was an area with many different food stands selling noodles, pancakes, meat & fish skewers along with many strange, unidentifiable foods that we have become accustomed to seeing in Thailand (there is nothing they don't eat!!). 
We took the safe option and tried the banana pancakes before heading to one of the many massage stands and treating ourselves to an open air foot massage!! We selected a seat from a line of comfy chairs situated under a big tarp cover for shade and sat back and enjoyed a 30 minute Thai foot massage whilst watching the market buzz around us. It was heavenly and cost 1 pound each! We spent the whole evening wandering Chiang Mai's main Sunday market otherwise known as 'Sunday Walking Street'. The main street in town is closed to traffic and literally hundreds of market stalls are erected selling everything and anything from handicrafts to basketware to food. 
It was a great atmosphere and absolutely jam packed and we spent about 4 hours walking around the streets and stuffing ourselves full trying all the different foods on offer! The local street food in Thailand has been of a very high quality, in terms of both food preparation hygiene and taste. It is much better than we were expecting although it has taken us a little bit of time to get daring with our taste buds... especially Bi who still has a few hang ups from her time in South America!
It was a great atmosphere and absolutely jam packed and we spent about 4 hours walking around the streets and stuffing ourselves full trying all the different foods on offer! The local street food in Thailand has been of a very high quality, in terms of both food preparation hygiene and taste. It is much better than we were expecting although it has taken us a little bit of time to get daring with our taste buds... especially Bi who still has a few hang ups from her time in South America!On Monday morning we were up at 7am for an early breakfast before being picked up by the Thai Farm Organic Cooking School for a 1 day cooking course that we signed up for. 
We were driven 17km north of Chiang Mai to a local market where we saw the many different types of rice, spices and herbs used in Thai cuisine and watched the making of coconut milk. From here we were taken further out of the city to an organic farm and after a guided walk around the farm (picking different roots and spices for our recipes) we assembled and spent the rest of the day being taught how to make 6 different dishes each. 
We were each given our own cooking station and the course started with a lesson in making Thai sticky rice and Jasmine rice followed by us making and pounding our own green and yellow curry pastes from the roots and herbs we had picked earlier. We then turned our pastes into a delicious curry (Thai green chicken curry for Ash and yellow Thai vegetable curry by Bi!). Our next lesson was on how to make Tom Yam soup with shrimp and for Bi, Thai Vegetable Soup. This was followed by Tofu Stir Fry with Cashew Nuts for Bi and Tofu with Thai Basil for Ash. At lunch, we all sat outside and ate the dishes we had prepared all morning which were delicious but there was so much to get through. By the end of it we felt we had had our lifetime share of coconut milk!
We were driven 17km north of Chiang Mai to a local market where we saw the many different types of rice, spices and herbs used in Thai cuisine and watched the making of coconut milk. From here we were taken further out of the city to an organic farm and after a guided walk around the farm (picking different roots and spices for our recipes) we assembled and spent the rest of the day being taught how to make 6 different dishes each. 
We were each given our own cooking station and the course started with a lesson in making Thai sticky rice and Jasmine rice followed by us making and pounding our own green and yellow curry pastes from the roots and herbs we had picked earlier. We then turned our pastes into a delicious curry (Thai green chicken curry for Ash and yellow Thai vegetable curry by Bi!). Our next lesson was on how to make Tom Yam soup with shrimp and for Bi, Thai Vegetable Soup. This was followed by Tofu Stir Fry with Cashew Nuts for Bi and Tofu with Thai Basil for Ash. At lunch, we all sat outside and ate the dishes we had prepared all morning which were delicious but there was so much to get through. By the end of it we felt we had had our lifetime share of coconut milk!Our lessons reconvened in the afternoon where Ash cooked Mango with sticky rice and Bi made Bananas in yet more coconut milk. It was delicious but we could not manage more than a mouthful of the stuff! We then finished our day with the most complicated dishes. Ash made Bi's favouite 
Pad Thai (the idea being he will be making it plenty back home) while Bi learnt how to make spring rolls filled with glass noodles, tofu and vegetables and rolled in rice flour paper .... they were great and clearly a favourite for the day! We went home very pleased with our new found knowledge of 12 Thai dishes and our bellies completely stuffed so there was no need for dinner!
Pad Thai (the idea being he will be making it plenty back home) while Bi learnt how to make spring rolls filled with glass noodles, tofu and vegetables and rolled in rice flour paper .... they were great and clearly a favourite for the day! We went home very pleased with our new found knowledge of 12 Thai dishes and our bellies completely stuffed so there was no need for dinner!
On Tuesday we took an easy day in Chiang Mai, following the old city walking tour in our guidebook and visiting the many different Wats (temples) dotted around the city. 
We visited Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phan Tao, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh before stopping for a western lunch as we could not stomach any more Thai food after yesterday's cooking course. In the afternoon we took a Tuk Tuk to Wat Suan Dok
, a pretty temple just outside the city and when we returned to Chiang Mai centre we treated ourselves to a bit of a pamper session with a difference. We headed into a massage parlour operated by ladies who have recently been released from Chiang Mai correctional institute. They are all fully trained whilst still in prison in order to prepare them for making an honest living when they are released. We were a bit dubious at first but breathed a sign of relief when a few more tourists came in soon after us! The girls were actually very friendly and gave a great massage! We both opted for a 2.5 hour Lila Thai Massage which included a full body massage (head, neck, shoulders, back and legs) as well as foot reflexology, a hand massage and finishing with a hot herbal massage. The herbal massage involves large balls of herbs wrapped in muslin cloth which are steamed until they are very hot and then pressed over the body. It was the best part of the whole experience and we walked out very chilled and relaxed.On Wednesday morning we were up at 6.30am and collected from our guesthouse for a 1 day tour to the Golden Triangle
. The Golden Triangle is the very northern tip of Thailand where the three borders of Thailand, Burma (Myanmar) and Laos meet and where the opium trade used to be prevalent. We are normally adverse to organised tourist trips but with limited time and slow transport links we decided that it was the best way to see some of the important sights in this part of the country. We drove two hours north and visited the temple, Wat Chedi Luang in the town of Chiang Saen before continuing on to the area called the golden triangle. We took a boat out onto the Mekong river (that flows 600
miles from China through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam) to the point where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos converge before sailing to the Laos side, opposite, and (illegally) entering Laos... to stop at a small handicraft market. Ash sampled the local delicacy, 
Snake and Scorpion whisky... yes, that's whisky with a whole snake and a whole scorpion inside the bottle for added flavour! He said it was like rocket fuel and Bi was disgusted! 
They also had Tiger Penis Whisky on offer but Ash declined as he thought it was going a step overboard. After a brief stop we returned by boat back to Thailand and made a stop for a 'salmonella bar' buffet lunch which we largely avoided! We then headed to the Burmese border to observe the crossing and wander markets.
We always find border points very interesting as one country blends into another. There was a slightly more indigenous look to the people especially seeing the women with their babies wrapped in cloth and strapped to their backs. From the Burmese border we headed to the Karon hill tribe village to see the Long Neck tribeswomen. These women from a very young age 
seemingly stretch their necks to great lengths by wrapping heavy bronze rings around them. In fact all these rings do is push their rib cage down, giving them the illusion that their necks are long. Still, the illusion is impressive! We had both seen these women in National Geographic so it was interesting to see them in real life although with hordes of tourists around it felt a little voyeuristic and to be honest, it wasn't really our thing. The visit to the Burmese border was the highlight of the day for us!! After the village, it was a long and slow 3.5 hour drive along windy roads back to Chiang Mai and we arrived late.
This morning (Thursday) we negotiated the hire of a sawngthaew red taxi (which is like a tuk tuk) up Doi Suthep, a 1,676m peak 16km out to the northwest of the city. We stopped near the summit and wandered one of the most beautiful and sacred temples called Wat Phra That Doi Suthep 
before getting our driver to return via a small, peaceful forest temple called Wat U Mong. Today is our last day in Chiang Mai and for now, Thailand. Tomorrow we fly to Hanoi in northern Vietnam where we will start two weeks of travel down the length of the country and into Cambodia. 
