Saturday - Feb 6 - Through Mid-Day - Lunch, The White Wat and Depart Thailand

Breakfast and off we go at 8:30 AM heading toward the Laotian border in 2 minivans. We stop at 10:30 AM to buy snacks for the down river Mekong river boat trip that starts tomorrow...this trip is listed as one of the top 1000 events one should do before dying. At 12:30 PM we stop for lunch. We are in the province of Chiang Rai. Across the road is this impress the all white Wat Rong Khun...the pictures are spectacular.

After lunch we board a small long tail boat which will carries us from Thailand to Laos......we see the Laotian village of Huay Xai which is our overnight stopover before heading down the Mekong River. We have filled out all necessary forms for departing Thailand and entering Laos. One must be alert to ensure that their passport/visas have been stamped properly when entering and exiting a country......a missing stamp can cause delays and extra costs.

Leaving Thailand for Laos...here we go.......

Friday Evening - Feb 5 - Doi Suthep Monastary and Dinner at Chiang Mai's Night Market

We leave the hotel to visit the Buddhist Monastery Doi Suptep located on the mountaintop adjacent to Chiang Mai . The site for Doi Suptep was chosen by placing a relic of the Lord Buddha on a white elephant's back and letting the elephant roam until it came across a place where it trumpeted and circled before laying down. It was at this location, that the monastery was built in 1383. You can either walk up the 300 + steps to the monastery entrance or take an elevator; I opted for the stairs. Notice the large Nagas, sea serpents, that guard the entrance. The entire temple area is beautiful and we saw monks chanting, had our fortune predicted with sticks and finally we were blessed by a monk. Our guide was great and very knowledgeable about the Buddhist faith.

After our return to Chiang Mai, we had dinner at a restaurant located within the Chiang Mai night market area-- squid with red curry sauce and whole fried fish plus beer...520B. After dinner had a 1 hour foot massage for 180 B plus tip....feeling good. Went back to hotel, showered and slept well.

Friday - Feb 5 - Tour the Old City of Chiang Mai

We have about 6 hours to tour the old central city of Chiang Mai. The old city is located within fortress walls that re surrounded by a moat. Pictures tell the story...you will see remnants of the old wall with a picture of the current King... the Wat ChediLuang and its beautiful Buddha statues and royal throne, and a huge chedi located on the grounds that was damaged and closed due to an earthquake. Next stop is Wat Phra Singh where I receive a monk's blessing. After a nice lunch of sum tam and lab gai, I head back to the hotel. Hey, wait a minute ...what's this... a fish spa that cleans your feet.. I think that I will have a go at it...nibble, nibble, nibble...boy those fish were full after cleaning my feet...$3 for 15 minutes...tickles...see ya later

Friday - AM - Arrive Chiang Mai

Awoke at 6 and viewed a beautiful sun rise. When we got off the train, we noticed the difference...temperature was about 70 F and less humid...nice. Hopped in a pick-up truck coverted into a passenger van and off we went to our hotel, People Place Hotel. Each room was large with 2 single beds a nice bathroom with walk-in shower and a TV. After getting a shower, it was off to explore Chiang Mai until 3:30 PM when we are to visit a Buddhist monastery on top of the mountain.

Thursday Evening - Depart from Bangkok's Train Station for Overnight Train Trip to Chiang Mai

Off to the railroad station...all 11 of us. The train station is quite large and busy. While our guide watched our luggage we had a bite to eat. Seven of us ate together and I had the best panang red Currie + shrimp that I have ever had..yuum. Caught the train at 6 PM and off we went heading for Chiang Mai. The train car was roomy, clean and air conditioned. Each seat converted into a double sleeping bunk...quite roomy and ingenious in it design. We talked, read, sang and hit the hay at 10 PM. The smartest thing I did was to bring my NASCAR ear plugs and sleeping mask with me... I slept soundly about 7 hours being rocked like a baby by the train...:-}...

Thursday - Feb 4 - Klong Tour,Visit to Wat Pho, Thai Massage

We are having our 1st group activity...a klong (canal) boat trip and a visit to the Wat Po. Here we go!!!

Klongs are canals that are small tributaries of the Cho Prya river which is Bangkok's main water way. We traveled via a "long ail boat"...huge engine with extremely long shaft that provides power and mobility to the boatman (see picture). We traveled the backwaters via 2 locks and saw how people live along the klongs, they have water-side property!!

Next we visit the famous Wat Po which is a Buddhist seminary and is the home of the "HUGE" reclining Buddha. The reclining Buddha is 150 feet in length and is covered in gold...real gold. The Wat Po is also famous for training people to administer Thai massages. Since there is a one hour wait, I decide to get a massage elsewhere.

After the tour, the group broke up. I needed to be back at the hotel by 3:00 PM to shower, collect my $$ from the safety deposit box, and complete packing. The adventure begins. After the Wat Po I had a nice lunch at a side-walk eatery. Heading to the river, I decided to have a Thai massage...it was 100% pure heaven. The massage therapist was trained at the Wat Po and I felt like a wet noodle...great. I went to the river to catch a water taxi and discovered that I left my camera back at the massage parlor. Ran back and collected my camera. It was getting late...2:45 PM. I caught an express water taxi but it was an "express, express" water taxi and it didn't stop at my stop. Anyway to make a long story short I arrived back at the hotel t 3:30 PM sweating like a stuck pig and rushed to get ready to leave for the train station. Made it..