Chiangmai

A stall at the night market.  Truly incredible needleworks!  The large pieces are just mind-blowing. 

Display in front of a shop next to the night market.

The significance of textiles in Thai culture and its religious practice.

Woman selling sparrows to be released for good luck infront of a temple.

I paid 100 baht and she opened one of the little cages.  With a slight struggle, the sparrows flew off.

A little charming old temple along Tapae Road.  I'll have to get a better picture the next time to do it justice.

Some beautiful and intricate details of the temple.

Tea time!

Afternoon tea at Tea House, Tapae Road.  Coffee is good but now at 65 baht.  

The perfect tea strainer for a beautiful tea set.

A Day in Bangkok

The plan was to take the train from Hat Yai to Bangkok after flying in from Kuala Lumpur.   However, tickets for the day and the next were all sold out.  We had no choice but to go for this VIP coach - a 13 hours journey to Bangkok.  Interestingly, fare also includes dinner at a road side restaurant.  As we couldn't understand Thai, we thought we were conned when there was still no sign of dinner by 9pm.  It was probably 10pm when we did stop for dinner.  I also met a lovely Thai woman who was accompanying her niece to Bangkok.  She spoke Mandarin and would help to explain things when we looked lost in a situation.  I later learned that she was married a year ago.  She must be missing her husband terribly during the journey when she asked if I could do a text for her in English, ' no good having eyes if I can't see you '.  How poetic!

Where we stayed - Phra Arthit Mansion, the shower worked like a waterfall.  Good breakfast at the nearby Richy's Cafe.

Soon after checking in at 9am, we decided to waste no time and explored the streets.

I can still smell the fried chicken!

Pancakes - they are really good.

Yes, a tailor operating from the pavement!

No idea !

Where our shoppings began, we later called this area the 199 baht street as that was the price of most clothes and shoes.

The thought of  these local delights is enough to bring me back to Bangkok.

Yam coated in sugar.  Yes, I will have it again.

Chao Phraya River - it was easy to get river taxi from where we stayed.  No, not this one.  It's bigger, longer and more colourful.

Sai Yok Noi

A structure on a hill slope next to our first lunch stop.  We did not do much here other than a bit of shopping from the road side stalls after lunch.

This ready peeled and packed pomelo would become our favourite buy during the 11 days journey.

And we brought back some of this as well, dried bael fruit.  Apparently good for the heart.

We seemed to be always buying mangoes whenever we see one of this fruit vendor.

Banana and yam crisps.