Freedom

What a weekend!

On Friday I went down with some coworkers to see the Umbrella Festival which featured shops covered in bright colored paper parasols and women dressed in traditional outfits carrying similar umbrellas down the street. Cameron and I walked the entire length of the street, then had an iced coffee and watched the umbrellas go by. We moved on to a shopping street where I grabbed a pork sausage stuffed with sticky rice off a street vendor for 10 Baht. It was so good.

On the way back up to the school I suddenly decided that I should take full advantage of my one day off. I had the driver drop me off at Airport Plaza, said goodbye to everyone, then hopped into the back of a pick up truck taxi (songtaew) and headed to Thae Pae Gate in the old city. I called Paula who was in town and we met up with Alila and hung out with a bunch of people at a rasta bar for awhile before getting dinner (25 Baht for a huge bowl of pork and noodle soup). Paula and I split off and went to a Jazz bar and watched some live Jazz performed by some students from Chiang Mai University. It was awesome. Killer guitarist.

Paula graciously let me stay at her apartment in town and then in the morning we got a bomb breakfast at my friend Took's place (40 Baht for 2 eggs, potatos and onions, and beans). We took Paula's moto up to Doi Suthep, the most famous temple at the top of the second highest mountain in Chiang Mai. After enjoying the temple we moto'd around the mountains and valleys for awhile before going to visit the Temple of 999 steps (it was definitely more). It was a great workout and the temple at the top offered a spectacular view.

Ahh. It was so nice to just get off the mountain for a bit, eat food off the street, do some of the touristy stuff, practice my Thai, and take plenty of 15 Baht Banana and coffee smoothies.

I've got to admit it's pretty fun to meet people in Thailand and answer "so how long are you traveling in Thailand?" with "oh, I'm not traveling, I live here". I've got the bank and insurance card to prove it!