all begins with L

Possibly all that has ever been written about; of an underlying tone that differentiates itself from the other two tourist city hotspots in Thailand.

Chiang Mai thrives in the war for the farang dollars in everything else, except price.

If pace was the theme for this escapade, it was as if the day was always an hour earlier than that reflected off my wrist. The pace of life seems somewhat in sync with the flow of the river that glaze across the city. Seven days, six nights seem like a few more when another day begins. An oxy moron for someone whose first meal of the day would be at an ‘all day breakfast’ cafe. By then lunch or maybe the tea menu would have already been served.

What amazes me in Chiang Mai is, despite it being a small city, it possesses superior quality of almost everything that caters to the shameful needs of a traveller. Carrying a nonwheeled-luggage does not a hippie-budget-anything-goes-backpacker makes.

Toilet paper, hot shower, a 24hr working fan are the least of expected. And for baht450 (that’s about sgd23), Pagoda Inn was more than a good bargain for the nightly escapades. A boutique-like guesthouse (for backpackers) which has a small restaurant sprouting up in the backyard that is also incidentally a gorgeous garden hideout. Oh, did I mentioned, our room was air-conditioned. If you’re planning to backpack with class, call us. We have somewhat succumbed to that.

Chiang Mai’s restaurant scene is worth a weekend getaway. It’s not just about fullfrontalflavor, they have got it all fully comprehended of what a restaurant package is. Nope, it was not the menu, and least to say neither were they competing on prices.

It was to me, a phenomenon which one could only wish for every other tourist mecca for a travel addict with a budget. Food is served on chic ceramic plates, and ambience is of pride rather than a neccesity for that restaurant owner. Mind you, for such a standard, the price tags were embarassingly affordable for us who were still after all, travelling on a shoe string.

I truly fell in love with this one, this time around. A departure less a heavy heart; knowing that I am definitely returning, as if it is a few miles away from here and from now.

If mango is the national fruit and papaya is key ingredient of the world famous som tum, passion fruit is in the heart of Chiang Mai and its people.

Once again, good to be back, dying to return. With you.

… now that i’m back from the mountains, and once again as broke.

Next stop, Mount Bromo in coming fall.

Dear C,

We’ve decided to appoint you as our fairy godmother to commerate a rather significant event.
All you have to do is to present us a certificate of monogamy for one wholesome year. We will confirm with you the date very soon.

p.s. : monogamous in action (thoughts aside), wipe off that smirk. We love you, despite it all

Beautiful Sky Coffee Shop

I had a rotating coffee shop jutting out on a hill side in mind, somewhat an exotica amidst the equatorial setting, knowing little that Chiang Dao translates to city of the stars.

So after a mountain effort of waking up before noon, and a couple of hrs ride in Nikom’s mini truck we got to a small village of the Lisu Tribe, one of the few existing tribal community in Thailand. I was half expecting the women to be in their gear/robe, that of which you’d find in Kao San Road (a backpackers’ thrashole in Bangkok) selling gaybands and beaded necklace.

One should know better that such picturesque settings only appear when tourists are in sets of twenty and uniformly dressed. Or if you’re on a gigg for National Geographic.

Otherwise, a humble signboard greets the eager backpacker who seconds before was half expecting a garland ceremony along with the head of the tribe.

With two bottles of mineral water and a thai-smile, Nato our guide for the day woke his partner up to walk us into a cave. No fuss, no frills. Just like how it is suppose to be when one travels by a budget airline, nest in a hut listed in Lonely Planet, and scrounge for everything else except food.

ps: I miss you back at home. I’m all fat and well fed. Tell Mom.

Like I said to your girlfriend,

It has been amazing
Laughing, wailing, teasing, kissing, lashing all at one sitting
Too many never too much
Of lust and love in a writer’s tears
An epic’s worth we’ve had
This year’s love had better last

Thank you~

“Monogamy is of action never mind the thought.”
And this is why I loveyou so…