Don't push my bells

Last full day in Chiang Mai yesterday. We hired a bike and got out of town.  A fabulous day reminding ourselves what nature looks like.  Blogger is melting down for a second night in a row as I try to upload too many pics! 

First stop was Monthathan Waterfall.

Then, a lovely garden - it had a sign in Thai, so it looked public, but we weren't sure exactly...

We paid a visit to Wat Fra That Doi Suthep, a very golden place that sits above Chiang Mai - intriguingly beautiful and kitchy at the same time. If it's clear there's a view - we just saw clouds. 

Then, on to Huay Keaw Waterfall in Doi Suthep Pui National Park. As we walked up the waterfall track there were a number of signs warning that drinking in the park was strictly forbidden. So, predictably, at the bottom of one of the waterfalls was a group of beer drinkers. 

We checked out Chiang Mai University, which has a gorgeous campus. We stopped at a coffee bar near the reservoir, a very beautiful spot in the afternoon as the mist came down the mountain. 

After a quick look at Wat Lok Molee, we then continued on to the Ban Ton Pao paper village - one of the many artisan villages that surround Chiang Mai. The paper was beautiful, but even better - I saw the car of my dreams (I still pine for my old VW 1600).

I couldn't make this stuff up

Safely arrived in Penang, after a day’s travel. Just as well we had three hours to get from one side of LCCT to the other -  that’s how long it took us. But apart from the chaos at the luggage carousel and taxi rank in Penang, it was all relatively easy going, if slow.

I went to check out the pool after we arrived at our hotel, and was curious that there seemed to be a lot of young men swimming for a Thursday afternoon in your average 3.5 star hotel. Then, on coming back from dinner tonight, noticed the various banners hung around the lobby – it’s the under 19s Asian Cricket Challenge. Hmm, it's going to busy at the breakfast buffet in the mornings...

Had a wonderful dinner at a local celebrated Nonya restaurant close by. 

My favourite was the dessert, chambol (sp?) which was little blobs of green jelly in coconut milk and (?) served with ice – delicious.

Along with the Cricket Challenge, the Georgetown Arts festival is also on, starting tomorrow. Haven’t read the programme yet but it looks like there are plenty of interesting things on.

raise your awareness

A friend’s recent blog post about a funny sign in a loo inspired me to snap this one. Having seen all sorts of variations on ‘don’t stand on the seat, don’t put paper down the toilet’ signs over the last few months, this one made me laugh. It was the sign - and also the excitement that I was actually allowed to chuck my used loo paper into the loo today, rather than a pedal bin. Wooo hoo!

walking street

We've been making friends with the hotel kitty - who came for a visit on Sunday.

On late Sunday afternoon and evening, the Walking Street (market) happens along Ratchadamnoen and Ratchaphakinai streets. It's an amazing array of handicrafts, food and performers, not to mention a diverse crowd of shoppers, both locals and foreigners. 

One end of the market at Thaphae Gate

Shrine at Wat Chedi Luang (I think)

Services were taking place at the wats along the route. At many of them there were numerous stalls within their grounds selling all the varieties of items in the market, plus religious goods too. No one seemed to mind tourists viewing what was happening in the temples and then continuing to shop.

These guys could really play!

We had a great time walking the length of the market (although we skipped the huge collection of stalls on the other side of Thaphae Gate) and then retired to a restaurant with a good view of the street for a spot of people watching and some nasty South African Chardonnay. (Didn't realise quite how nasty till the next morning). We didn't need any food: while walking we sampled crispy fried squid, spring rolls, pad thai, deep fried and stuffed chillies, dim sims, steamed black bean buns and other sweet things we didn't know the name of. 

M took this pic - jelly and bean sweets - delicious!

I didn't see any of my new favourite dish, khanom khrok (rice cakes cooked with coconut milk, served hot) - but luckily found some tonight, not far from where we are staying.