Drink at pai, robert lost at cards, so he had to walk to get us lunch
to-go from the night market
Story Worthy:
We negotiated a tuk-tuk to take us to the bus station where we would
get a bus to take us to Chiang Mai. At a stop light on the way to the
bus station, we spotted a bus bound for Chiang Mai. So did our driver.
He asked us where we were going, Chiang Mai, but I didn't mind missing
the bus; they leave every hour or so. Our driver wouldn't have it. We
were getting on that bus. Even the bus driver honked and asked if we
wanted the bus; this is mid-turn mind you. Once we nodded agreement,
our driver swerved to the right and took a turn down some crazy side
streets. I figured there was no way we would be able to catch up to
and intercept the bus, but that is exactly what happened. We beat the
bus around to the corner, fought oncoming traffic to cross the road
and pulled over to meet the bus that didn't even have to change course
to get us. In mere seconds we were happily aboard the bus, no bus
station needed. That's how shit gets done in Thailand. (It is
infinitely puzzling why buses want as many people on them as possible.
Maybe the bus driver gets paid per capita instead of by the route.
Maybe the tuk-tuk gets a commission. I don't know, but we are a hot
commodity when looking for transport.)
Five hour bus trip - two pit stops: chips, Leo, sour mango, more
chips, coffee drink, orange drinking yogurt, pad thai in banana
leaves-- still warm! But no silverware, where are my chopsticks?? This
time though we were prepared for five hours on a bus.
Shared a tuktuk with a guy from the bus, who got us a deal 90 instead
of 150. On the short cramped ride, we learned he was a French chef
traveling the world for a planned four years, just back from Burma for
a month and a tour of Isaan, interesting guy, but we didn't stay at
the same guesthouse, so who knows if we will see him again.
We did our walking and bag shlepping trick to find good lodging,
settling on 250/ night at pakinai guesthouse, with internet and hot
shower. (we know now the internet is worthlessly slow)
Dropped off two piles of laundry at reception for a bargain price (25/kilo)
Dinner? Aum vegetarian restaurant, feast: Tom yum tofu, papaya salad
and khao sawy northern egg noodle curry - incredibly good.
Then we found the Loy krathong parade, don't ask me why they are still
celebrating here, after the full moon and on a monday night, but they
are, in force. (as I write, it is 11:45pm and the sky is still full of
fireworks and hot air balloon krathongs (khom loy). We found a parade
that was at least twice as cool as the sukhothai parade, at night and
more ornate with older university students who cared as opposed to
tired and hot seventh graders.
We wandered the river and surrounds, gawking. Lots of vendors selling
both water and air krathongs, food, clothing, etc. We eventually got a
green milk tea and sat for a while. Also giant condoms were handing
out condoms like the Ted talk we recently watched. Street food here is
a lot more of the same so far: sausages, everything imaginable on
skewers and grilled including pressed dried squid, lots of rotees too.
It will be interesting to see this place tomorrow after the festival
ends, which we think is tomorrow. Walked around a bit more and then
admitted we were bushed.
Loy krathong, I have decided, is like 4th of July, but better.
Fireworks are legal so they are set off by tons of people all over the
place, safely or not, the street is like a war zone. The parades are
four times as long as and way more interesting than the ones at home
full of firemen. There are beautiful handmade boats of all sorts
(tonight we saw ones made of bread!) and floating burning paper
balloons that everyone releases for hours, filling the sky with
millions of mobile stars. Thais really get into it, although the no
alcohol provision was curiously in effect here as well. I like this
festival as well because of the irony of it, honoring the water
goddess and apologizing for polluting her waterways by releasing tons
of floaty things that will inevitably pollute the waterways more.
Oh! Other things being sold: live fish and live birds. Robert pointed
out the fish, but didn't explain, so I asked the woman if they were
for eating, but no. They were for releasing!!! We read about it and
then we saw it in real life. Very cool. Buddhists earn merit for
themselves for doing good deeds: offerings to monks, giving to the
poor, and releasing caged animals. I have a lot more to learn before I
understand this culture.
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