March 27, 2002
Chaing Mai
Sipping another Singha as I look out over the Mekong River into Laos from the safety of Thailand. I'm spending the night in this fabulous teak guesthouse in Chaing Khong. Yesterday, Chaing Mai provided a much more pleasant experience when compared to excessive and noisy Bangkok. The highlight in Chaing Mai was a visit to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a beautiful and peaceful hilltop monastery with views of the city . The quiet temples, monastic chanting, and cooler climate provided the recovery I needed after an excessively warm hike around the Chaing Mai markets. A half an hour of meditation in the presence of droning monks and a blessing from the lead monk and it was down the mountain to the city for more excellent Thai cuisine and the hectic Chaing Mai night market.
Today's journey included a public bus from Chaing Mai to Chaing Rai, then a rough ride through mountains and rice terraces to my current location in Chaing Khong. For the record, the term "chaing" is equivalent to the Western term "city". The trip from Chaing Rai was in the back of a pseudo-pickup-truck (called a jumbo). We sat three aside as the wind (and dust) blew in our faces. The destination turned out worthy, the guesthouse is absolutely wonderful as the day's humidity subsides and the cool night approaches with malarial mosquitos and ringing Lao radio propaganda from across the Mekong. Laos beckons as we prepare our papers for tomorrow's border crossing.
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