A walk on the sidestreets of Chiang Mai

Thailand - as I see it.

A walk through the back streets - a city of contrasts Chiang Mai

Today we went to a fancy restaurant which is a farang, foreigner, style restaurant.  It had lovely gardens, fountains, beautiful trees with misting on each tree to keep it blooming.  The sides of the property had nice high bamboo.  There were outside and inside seating areas as well as a nice outdoor patio by the fountains.  The restaurant cost 1100 baht for lunch for the four of us.  I had a salad, Willi had a bowl of chicken soup and rice, On had a curry and rice dish and Rob had chicken satay.  We had three small waters .5 of a liter which each cost 36 baht.  The lunch was $33 which was quite pricy.  On our way back to the hotel we stopped and had massages and a pedicure.  The massages and pedicure cost a total of 600 baht for an hour treatment each.  The treatments were a total of $18.  We then walked through the bazaar and looked at all the things for sale.  We stopped for a scoop of  Haagen Das ice cream and the cost was 286 baht or almost $9. We went by an ice cream stand where we could get ice cream for less than a $1 for 2 people. We walked by a lovely boutique hotel on our way back and the rooms were quaint and cost from $250 to $500 a night, with a small swimming pool.  As we left the boutique hotel, we walked down a tiny walking street and saw vacant lots, beautiful trees and plants.  We walked past a Wat, beautiful on the inside and outside the walls needed power washing.  Motor cycles sped past, a Tuk Tuk stopped to ask if we wanted a ride.  We walked past others walking and even a motorcycle with three people and a huge sack of rice.  In comparison to our hotel which cost $500 a month with no swimming pool.  Our hotel is not elegant but pleasant with a nice spa and restaurant.  Tonight for dinner we are having Pad Thai  and fresh fruit from a vendor and it costs 120 baht or $4 for four people and is tastier than our lunch. We bought a bottle of water 6 liters for 30 baht or $1 to have in the room. 

Thailand is a land of contrasts where you can get whatever you want for almost any price you want.  The reasonable food and massages can be even better than the ones priced 5 or 6 times more.  It is important to investigate a bit and checking into shops or restaurants before you go.  Or if you are happy with a place, they are so pleased to have you back that they treat you as a friend.  The other places, one visit is enough.