Monday, July 18, Chiang Mai, Thailand

We stayed at the Manee Guest House. Just a short walk from the main central area of town, it is located on Soi 7 of Moonmuang Road. The rooms were relatively comfortable and clean, with bottled drinking water and Toilet paper were provided. The advertised free wi-fi didn't work in our room, but we could surf easily from the lobby.

We slept in a bit that morning after a late night cruising the handicrafts of the Sunday street market. We grabbed an excellent, but very inexpensive breakfast down the way. I had a cheese omelette, which was very large and came with onions and tomaton for only 59 Baht.

From there we set out on the Lonely Planet guide's suggested walking tour of the main Wats (Buddhist temples) in central Chiang Mai that includes Wat Lam Chang, Wat Chiang Man, Three Kings Monument, Wat Tan Tao, Wat Chedi Luang, and Wat Phra Singh. Lots of large, golden Buddha's and all had interesting and unique features to them.

We were also going to go to the culture and art museum near the Three Kings Monument, which would have provided a much needed air conditioned break from the startling heat, but it appeared to be closed on Mondays. Perhaps Stray could adjust its starting day so that their tour does not pop travellers out in Chiang Mae on a Monday, as many are missing what is described as a real gem.

Our Lonely Planet travel guide also highlights a program at the Chiang Mai Women's Prison to teach them the skill of Thai massage to assist them with reincorporating back into the community upon release. While walking around town, we found out that Lila Thai Massage works with the Chiang Mai Women's Prison to employ these women after their training and release, as many in the community still will not hire them.

Just near the Three Kings Monument, Lila Thai Massage offers an air conditioned and relaxing environment. We opted for the 1-hour Thai Massage for 180 Baht and were given robes to change into, our feet were hand-washed, and then we were given tea to sip for relaxation before our massages. The massage was one of the best I've ever had, but be prepared for them to test your flexibility. The ambience there is also very lovely with air conditioning, attention to aesthetics in all aspects of the building and treatment areas, from lighting levels and quality of decor to the light, relaxing traditional music playing in the background. It was a real luxury treatment worthy of any high-end spa.

Following our treatments we went for a walk down to the river before returning to our room for a shower and rest before meeting others in our group at 7pm for dinner. Along the way we passed a variety of shops, a mixture of local shops and those filled with handicrafts for tourists. The street along the river holds a flower market, and tucked in-between is a Chinese-style buddhist temple and forecourt - a real contrast from the Thai style.

The river was swollen and brown with mud from the heavy rains of this time of year. Not much to look at, but the journey to and from it was interesting.

That night, we decided to head back towards the river to the night markets to eat dinner in their food courts and then peruse the market stalls. You purchase coupons at the food court and use them to purchase foods. There is quite a variety of asian styles, mostly Thai, but also some indian, Korean, and Japanese. I opted for a green curry with Indian roti bread and rice with a dragon fruit shake for a total of about 100 Baht or $3.30.

Stephen left us to go to an internet cafe, and the gals we spread out through the market. I bought a hat for my brother Alex, and some beaded jewelry. I also found a silk jacket that I really liked, but the stall owner wanted 10,000 Baht for it, or $330. A little too steep for me. I might see if I can find something similar for a cheaper price in Bangkok.

Afterward, we grabbed a Tuk-tuk to our hotel where we dropped off our purchases before a gals night out at the local clubs. There is a collection of clubs of different types from Reggae to techno and pop at the corner of Ratchawiti Road and Ratchapakinai Road. Perfect whatever your style. There wasn't much action there at 9pm, so we headed for drinks at a rooftop bar on Moonmuang Road called THC.

Very Hippy-like, but has a fun, layed-back feel with customers lounging on cushions around small tables. We then returned to the club area for another round where we also brought over some other travellers we met on the way. I headed back to the hotel around 1:30am, but some of the gals were out until 6am!

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