Take A Bus (-"-)

My motorbike broke yesterday, I sent it to its service center for repairing. Today, I got to go to get it. At first, I planned to go to the service center by taking a Songteaw (a red local taxi) but, since, the service center was far from my place, most of Songteaw refused to bring me there. Its out of there route and if they admit to go, the fee would high. At the road side, right after the forth Songteaw refused me, I saw a bus...I did not think at first to take a bus but it would not be a bad choice, isn't it? I caught one of them even I did not really know where it went to... "just ask the bus driver how to get there by bus" I thought...

I found that I can get to my aim place buy taking this bus to Kad Luang and then catch another bus, which run the routh heading to the Central Airport Plaza (the Shopping Mall), and stop by my motorbike service center which located at the middle of the way. I took the bus from Jed-yod temple run through Huay Kaew Road to Zoo and turn heading east passed Cantral Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Mall, passed the nort and turned to the east side of the moat then cut to Kad Luang.

View from the bus to the road: the east side of the moat

I took off and waited for another bus. After about fifteen minutes, I caught another bus. the Bus heading through a flower market to Tha Pae road, and heading back to the moat again and turned to the road passing Chiang Mai Gate's market on the south of the moat

then cut to Hai Ya road which heading to the central Airport Plaza. I then stopped at the middle of the way.....and there my motorbike service center.....Since the bus fee is 15 baht entire the routh, I took two routh spent total 30 baht for this trip. I think it's cheaper than a Songteaw when talking about the same distance.

I think it's not bad to take a bus to travel in Chiang Mai, especially during this hazy summer day (the air condition in the bus help a lot to filtrate the air)....However, you got to have time if you would like to travel by bus in Chiang Mai...........My trip.........ate almost half a day.

Inside the bus: clean and comfortable

BUHM (-"-)

The colors of Kad Luang

Kad Luang is a big market with a wide range of goods: Fabrics, curtains, clothes, fruites, vegetables, spices, seafood, meat, shoes, flowers and so much more. The interesting thing about Kad Luang is, goods such as clothes and accessories for example are quite diverse. There are japanese style slippers, Akha slippers and the ugly but functional, every day slipper for sale. There are many different styles of bags and dresses to choose from; traditional Thai, contemporary Thai, funky Thai, cotton Thai and synthetic Thai and fake Farang baggies.

Food, vegetables, fruits and spices are offered in different sections, at the Kad Luang indoor market, the same concept of diversity applies, although it's mainly Thai. Let's say Northern style: pork rinds or in Thai "Kaeb Moo" and other yummy stuff from different regions are offerd in abundance. There is a section where different herbs are sold, some of them are imported from India. Spicy stuff!

One of my favorite spots of Kad Luang is the flower section which is along Wang Sing Kham road, the flower market is open till late at night. There are all kinds of flowers. It is also a photographer's paradise because the vivid colors are just amazing.

Kad Luang is a great place to go shopping, the colors and tastes it has to offer are worth a visit.

Kad Luang or Warrarot market covers the area between Sing Kham road, along the Mae Ping river, and Muang Samut road. For more Information please check www. chiangmai-maps.com.

Kad: means market in northern Thai.

Talad: means market in central Thai.

Kad Luang is the name northern people use and Warrarot market is the central Thai name for the market.

By Swan

Chiang Mai Festivals!

Think of the festivals in Chiang Mai, I’m sure that Songkran Festival and Loy Krathong Festival are the two famous festivals that everyone think of first. Especially, the celebrations of these two festivals in Chiang Mai has become more and more famous each year. So, I can’t stand talking about them, and also would like to invite the tourists to enjoy Songkran Festival and Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai.
For Songkran Festival (13-15 April), the people like to celebrate this festival at the moat which is a popular place and a center of tourists and especially it is a symbolic place of this festival because if we think of Songkarn Festival in Chiang Mai, we will think of the image of people enjoying water throwing at the moat, it’s a wet one! I like to get wet with my friends here too! And also you can enjoy this festival with many traditional events include merit-making at the temples, cultural shows, dancing shows, parade and a beauty contest (เทพีสงกรานต์) which can attract a lot of people. Besides, there is also one significant event which is a sacred event and very famous in Chiang Mai that is the procession of highly revered Phra Phuttha Sihing Buddha image through the streets of Chiang Mai for people to sprinkle water that is a form of worship of Lanna people.
Another famous festival is Loy Krathong Festival which held on the full moon night of November. I think this festival is also said to be the most charming of all in Thailand. Especially in Chiang Mai, you will enjoy a procession of floats with beautiful maidens sitting on goes through the city to the bank of the Mae Ping River where hundreds of people assembling to float their “krathong”, banana-leaf containers, which they decorated with flowers and candles onto the river to worship the Goddess of Water “ Phra Mae Kongkha (พระแม่คงคา) ”. Moreover, you can enjoy launching Lanna-Style hot-air lanterns (โคม) which Lanna people believe that it is a way to get rid of the local troubles (but my friends and I like to launch many lanterns to make a fun!).
Besides, you can enjoy spending time with many other festivals in Chiang Mai such as Flower festival , Bo Sang Umbrella Festival and Chiang Mai Art & Culture festival etc.
Welcome to Chiang Mai jao!!!
By Nanny

Chiangmai Walking Streets

‘Walking Street’ is translated into Thai language ‘Ta-noen-khon-deurn’. There are two walking streets in Chiangmai; Wualai Walking Street and Tha Pae Walking Street. These two streets are closed to motor vehicle on Saturday evenings (for Wualai Walking Street) and on Sunday evenings (for Tha Pae Walking Street). These two events are open at 4 p.m. when the weather is cooling down until midnight to cater both local and foreign tourists to see and enjoy a lot of things. You'll have such a great time while walking along both sides of the road to choose and shop a great variety of indigenous goods at reasonable prices. There are many small shops of silver and lacquer wares, handicrafts, arts, hand-made garments, portrait paintings and a lot of beautiful jewels. Moreover, if you want to try northern foods, there are various kinds of delicious local food; e.g. Thai vermicelli with a green pepper curry or fish soup and noodles in curry soup.

If your legs are getting tired, a foot massage is available in almost every intersection to serve you after your long walk with reasonable prices. Moreover, you can enjoy and relax with local music and many special activities throughout the events such as Lanna dancing shows.

Chiangmai Walking Streets are more than a place to walk and shop. You can touch the atmosphere of Lanna style and the way of local people life. These two walking streets are very interesting and enjoyable. You shouldn't miss an opportunity to stop by once.

By Phornthip Oy

My best experience in Chiang Mai

I am not originally from Chiang Mai but I spent almost six years here, studied work and now study again. Anyway, I love Chiang Mai. It seems my second home. I have many things to say here to introduce Chiang Mai to you………...Amm…………………………

Well, let’s begin with my best experience in Chiang Mai.

That time, I was the second year student. I got an opportunity to go for internship at Chiang Down district. At there, my first difficult hard tough journey has begun. It was a hike to the top of Chiang Down Mountain, the third highest mountain in Thailand (at the end of rainy season, early winter). Since Chiang Down Mountain’s shape likes a crown, it is five peak crowns, 8 students including me with one teacher and two local guides, we spent one day hiked up to the feet of the highest peak of the crown, stayed overnight there and continued hiking to the top in the next morning. While I was hiking, haft way, what really pop up in my head, all the time, was “this is a real hell” “if I survive and get back, I would not even think to come back here the second time” this how difficult the trip was. The trail ate my legs and the height ate my air. However, along the way, there are plenty kind of wild flowers which some of them can only be found there, as well as, through the different height, different kind of trees can be seen. I remembered some parts of the trail were pine forest, airy open and cool. Some was a grass land with sloped up, freshy dry brown and windy. Some were a dense forest with a lot of trees and plants, humid dark green and cold. And after a cold night, we spent our early morning to hike up to the top. At there, it was sooo wonderful. I was standing over the cloud, wind carried fog passed my skin, warm sunshine, fresh air and it seemed I soared in the sky …the moment that all of us lost an ability to speak. We spent an hour, there, to learn about wild flower and biodiversity before hiking back. It was incredible wonderful trip and now I have changed my mine “if I had an opportunity I would definitely go there again”

This is just one example from my experiences. However, there are many places in Chiang Mai that you can enjoy spending time with nature……if you want…….come’ try it…

Thirayut (-"-)

Chaing Mai; my favorite place

Chiang Mai is my most favorite place in Thailand. I like culture, weather and food here. There are many things to do in Chiang Mai such as jungle trekking, bird watching or sight seeing tour. For those who are not adventure type, Chiang Mai is also known as paradise for shopper silk, cotton, silver, celadon and wood craving are very famous here. I would recommend Wua Lai Road for silver ware and accessories, Sankhampaeng Road for silk and celadon and Baan Tawai Craft Village for wood craving products and cotton.

Food in Chiang Mai is very good and cheap. Street food such as noodle soup or fried rice or Pad Thai is cost only 20-30 Baht. But for those who have sensitive stomach, street food is not recommended. However, food in the café and restaurant is not expensive either, but depends on where you are. Dining out at fine restaurant would cost approx. 500 – 1,000 Baht per person including a glass of wine.

Accommodation in Chiang Mai is available from bed & breakfast guesthouse, home stay to five stars hotel depending on your budget.

If you are planning to visit Chiang Mai and if you need any recommendation for accommodation, what to do or where to eat please feel free to let me know by posting a comment. I would love to answer your question.

By Sangwan: Noi

February 12, 2007 7:32 AM

Our Chiang Mai

Sawasdee Jao =)

We are Noi, Buhm, Nan, Oy and Swan we are all graduate students at the Faculty of Humanities English Department, Chiang Mai University. This is our first blog! We like to share our appreciation of Chiang Mai. We are your tour guide and take you around Chiang Mai, the city we love so much jao!!! If you have any questions you can ask us by posting a comment. We'd love to hear from you soon!