Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a really beautiful city full of culture and temples and pagodas and stupas and all sorts.

Its pretty different here to other parts of Thailand, it's not as commercial and its really pretty, it's dotted with cafe's and nice restaurants and attractive streets. 

We are staying in the old city, which is surrounded by a moat. 

This is the street we are staying in. 

Very quaint - they make the most divine home made yogurt and what not. 

Walking the streets of the old city.

 This is one of the many stupas in the city. Just in case you don't know what a stupa is, here is a bit of background. It is the oldest Buddhist religious monument. They are said to house relics and things and even sometimes are tombs of Buddha and his Saints. You get 5 different kinds of stupas and all of them have very symbolic meanings. One of the most important elements of a stupa is the tree of life which is usually a wooden pole covered with gems and hundreds of mantras. A stupa is created so that people can reach enlightenment, which is the goal of Buddhism. 

Temple...many many many in this place!

The city wall, separating the old city from the newer part...such a pity that the Starbucks is on the other side of the wall, across the moat...

Close up of the wall.

The gates of the old city leading to heaven (Starbucks).

Walking back along the streets of the new city. 

So cute how they decorate their trees!

A typical tuk tuk in Chiang Mai.

Walking the streets some more...we went to watch a movie the other day and when you are in the theatre, before the movie starts, they make you stand up while they play this weird memorial thing and you have to pay respects to the Thai King and Queen. Sometimes when you are in a public place, they just start playing the national anthem, everyone stops dead in their tracks and pays their respect...totally odd!  

Looks real hey???? I thought it was, but its not. Its made of wood!

Another stupa...there must be a lot of enlightened people in Chiang Mai!

The temples are breath takingly beautiful.  

Pretty picture of the moat on one the bridges joining the new and old city. 

The Sunday Street Market...so sweet. They name streets after the markets! There is a Saturday Street and Sunday Street! This was taken from the Sunday Street Market.

These things are made out of rope...pretty incredible.  

The street market.  

Loads of jadeite bracelets....I absolutely love them!

Jadeite Buddhas. Very very very VERY good luck!

Gorgeous lights you can buy.

More lights...they are flowers in cases and the centre of the flower is a light bulb.

Funny things...

Paintings made from buffalo skin.  

There is the stencil on the buffalo skin.

Ya, those are real. A bat for crying in a bucket...who is going to buy that?????

Delish fresh fruit juice. The purple one is dragon fruit and beetroot...maybe that one is not sooooo delish....

Chiang Mai is pretty famous for it's leather shoes...they are everywhere. You can also get beautiful cotton scarves and T-shirts...cotton is their other specialty. 

Match boxes...very cool.  

Paintings in a art gallery. 

What a cool peacock, I had to take a pic. 

More of the market...

Then it time for a little dinner...joking...been there done that....anyway these are the things we ate in Hanoi.

And these are what we ate in Dalat...

Beautiful temples along the road of the market. 

This is the ceiling - amazing!

During the day, these seats are occupied by meditating monks.  

Dragon eating another dragon...

Some more of the paintings in the market.

Leaving the market...there were a bunch of kids doing some weird dance to music....got a video clip of it, but it's not too exciting!