Thursday 17 May 2012

Chiang Mai

Sunday 1 April: Arriving in Chiang Mai I hope to take a traditional Thai massage course and a Buddhist meditation course but, foiled again, Songkrom (Thai New Year) is approaching so courses are disrupted. I'll just have to wait until it's all over - there are worse places in the world to chill and enjoy.
Tuesday 3: I book my place for a two-week residential course, levels I and II, in Thai massage at The Old Medicine Hospital south of town, begining on 16th April.
Thursday 12: Songkrom starts today. Originally it involved the sprinkling of water as a cleansing ceremony but now it's a full-blown four-day water festival with buckets, hose pipes and colourful pump-action water guns of all descriptions and sizes. Barrels of water, many containing large blocks of ice to add a chill to the drenchings, line every street and it's great fun - the kids love it, but every time you go outside for four days . . . a bit much.

Malak Guesthouse (200Bt) - a light and airy en-suite with free wifi.

Photos of Chiang Mai and Songkrom video compilation. Also, photos of Chiang Mai from August 2010.

Saturday 5 May 2012

Lamphun

Tuesday 10 April: Today's a shorter day trip out of Chiang Mai to the nearby town of Lamphun and another stunning temple complex of Wat Phathathariphunchai.
Photos of Lamphun.

Friday 4 May 2012

Doi Suthep

Wednesday 4 April: Based in Chiang Mai I'm taking a day out to see the hill-top temple of Doi Suthep, 10 miles east of Chiang Mai. So I climb the 310 steps to join with other Buddhist pilgrims to circulate the main chedi three times clockwise. Beautiful and serene.
Photos of Doi Suthep temple.