A Local Perspective & a German Institution

Yet again, I am finding myself way behind on my updates, so I will need to try and cram in a few days with this update....

Chiang Mai, Day 79

Well, hello again, dear readers! What did we get up to today, I hear you ask? Well, we planned an easy and relaxing day today, and our 'mission' was to walk around the local community areas that we fondly observed from our apartment balcony.

The little community below our towering apartment block is a thriving ecosystem. Although it looks quite simple and poor, it seems to be rich in many ways. In a recent post, R captured a snapshot of the activities well (I think he should write a book as he's so much more eloquent and creative in his writing than the drivelling musings that I put down here!).

However, we are going to visit our neighbours today! So off we set and needless to say, we stick out like the farang tourists that we are, so we do get some inquisitive looks from the locals, but a smile and a "swadeeka" and "swadeekap" greeting goes a long way and we get a smile and response from the lovely gentle Thais that we meet.

There is a little plot of land to the right of the community that has several goats in it, and as we are passing, they all make a beeline to the fence to meet us - perhaps they sense these unusual tourists too, or maybe they are just inquisitive, but they are very cute. The land looks like it was once a community food garden, but is no longer. There is a community board with details of the garden and the people who had various responsibilities, but the paperwork is faded and all in Thai. We can't help but wonder what happened to this, as the photos show a thriving vegetable garden, but now it is all just dry and barren land that the goats roam around in. Was it the pandemic? Was it bad flooding? Whatever it was, we are a little sad that something happened, and it is no longer there for the local community.

We continue on and around the road. Some of the roads we have walked previously when coming back from the ancient city area, but this time we (or more usually me) are not as exhausted with the heat, so we can take it in more. We marvel at all the little food stalls and house fronts that are selling fruits, vegetables, and various other items. Again, it is so strange to see lots of people just selling from their houses. I mean, can you imagine this happening in the UK? But here in Thailand, it is very much the norm.

Wat Hua Fai

We pass yet another temple - and yes, Chiang Mai is full of temples (over 300 in fact, so you have many to choose from!). This one was a little quiet and slightly run-down looking. I guess that some temples may be affected by the congregation numbers just as churches are. We had a little look around and then we were on our way again, passing various food stalls just outside the temple and also some sort of lottery ticket sellers.

As we headed closer to the apartment, it was nearing dinnertime, so we stopped at our favourite little restaurant. This time I had their tofu and pork noodle soup, which was amazing, and R had another pork or beef rice dish.

Then it was back to the apartment for a shower and a rest.

6th Feb - a local area - walking route

Chiang Mai, Day 80

We're getting close to the end of our stay in Chiang Mai now. We have enjoyed the city and the fact that it is very different from bustling Bangkok and the chaotic cities of Vietnam. I can certainly see why it attracts a lot of retirees. It has quite a laid-back and chilled vibe about it. The number of temples and the ease of walking to so much within the city walls is very appealing, and I guess if you have your own transport in the form of a motorcycle or car, then you can explore the mountain areas even more.

We feel we have seen and experienced quite a lot of Chiang Mai now, so we're about ready to move on. So today, we are continuing with another little walking area loop that we have not fully covered. We decide to walk south and then over the bridge to the other side of the river and then follow this back up north to the iron bridge that we have crossed before and then loop back to the apartment.

Again, we find some interesting buildings, which I guess are more like the 'suburbs' of Chiang Mai. The riverside properties are pretty looking, but I think these can get flooded quite easily during the heavy rainy season (Chiang Mai suffered a lot of flooding last November). Though for now, it is very picturesque.

As usual, we come across some funny 'safety-related' items that make us laugh, like the tiny warning signs on the trees. I mean, why? For a city where you spend much of your time watching where you are walking, for fear of tripping over or falling, this seems just ludicrous.

Note: I have taken many safety related photos and we have seen many strange and unbelievable sights, but I need to trawl through all my photos (as we have loads of photos) to be able to do a separate post on this alone, as I would be doing an injustice not to cover this a topic on it's own.

After we crossed over the bridge, we continued on the road for a bit until we saw a sign for the nearby temple of Wat Muang Kai.

By now, you know the score, and we end up heading to have a look at it.

Wat Muang Kai

According to the original story, Phra Chaiyawut lived in Muang Kai and brought 2 to 3 brothers and sisters who immigrated from Chiang Tung.

In front of the eastern gate to the temple, there is a very tall rubber tree on a wide dirt field. The temple in the centre is beautiful with a three-tiered cascading roof and intricate patterns. The pagoda is enshrined behind the temple. The chapel was built in 1956, and is on the north side of the pagoda...

It was a very quiet and relaxing temple, but we did not stay too long as we had spotted a fairly large bakery at the entrance and we were itching to see what they had in there. Dang Bakery (https://www.facebook.com/dangbakery2/?locale=th_TH) seemed like a really odd place for this shop as it was sort of out of the way. That said, it did have a fantastic selection of bakery goodies and we bought a few little treat items.

Then we continued on our way, and we happened to come across the German Buffet place (https://aufderaubistro.com/). Now I have to confess we had seen this place mentioned before, and I was curious to see what sort of food they served, as they get great reviews. It does say that you often need to make a reservation, but we just chanced our luck and managed to get a table right away. So for less than £6 each (240 baht), we had an all-you-can-eat German buffet.

It was amazing and such good value. I don't understand how they can do this for the price. I think what we really enjoyed was the fact that we had a number of our 'home comfort' type foods which we haven't eaten since we have been away. So for example, creamy mashed potato, cauliflower cheese, sausages in gravy etc. The selection was huge, the meats were all cooked perfectly and the restaurant was full.

We left there completely stuffed (yes, eyes bigger than our bellies!) and R actually suggested that we could just order a Grab back to the apartment instead of walking back! It was the usual hot weather, but I said it would probably be better if we walked as it would give us a chance to digest our big lunch and help us walk off a few calories...

As we were heading back to the apartment, we came across the King Kawila Monument, so I think I made the right call.

King Kawila Monument

The King Kawila Monument is an iconic symbol of Chiang Mai's rich cultural history, dedicated to the 18th-century king who was instrumental in restoring the city after a period of turmoil. This stunning monument stands proudly in a tranquil setting, surrounded by well-maintained gardens that invite visitors to take a stroll and reflect on the significance of the site.

As you approach the monument, you are greeted by the impressive statue of King Kawila, adorned with traditional Thai attire, exuding an aura of dignity and pride. The surrounding area offers ample opportunities for exploration and relaxation. The gardens are meticulously landscaped, featuring native flora and colourful flowers that bloom throughout the year. This serene environment makes it an ideal spot for photography enthusiasts, families, and those looking to unwind in nature.

The King Kawila Monument not only serves as a historical landmark but also as a gathering place for community events and celebrations. It is a popular destination for both tourists and locals who come to honor the legacy of a king who shaped the region's identity.

We stopped here for a short time, taking some respite in the shade of an enormous tree as we enjoyed the view. The park was quiet, serene, and quite lovely to just relax in.

Then it was back home for a shower and a nap and that was yet another day almost gone. Note: it's also worth pointing out that we did not have anything else to eat for the rest of the day after our lunch!

7th February - A walking loop across the river

Chiang Mai, Thailand

6th & 7th February 2025