Hi Karen,

Carolyn has emailed bob the link to her food map for Hanoi ( beta version!). Had a few techical issues!
Your right, let's not leave it so long next!

Hi Bob and karen-I'm following along and enjoying your TR. I'm particularly interested in your restaurant recommendations for CM, as well as for the Vietnamese towns you are going to visit, as we will be there in Jan. Sorry you are not liking CM. We did, especially walking in the old section and observing the Lanna architecture of some of the wats. Safe travels. Looking forward to more.

Great day today. We went across the street to Starbucks for breakfast...k liked the coffe and I liked the pastry.

Came back to the hotel and thru the concierge we hired a driver and huge van for the day--1800B. Driver was fantastic and spoke excellent English. Van was exceptionally comfortable and driver was better than excellent. Give him a try: Mr Seart, mobile 66 (0) 9874 78845... [email protected]

We left the hotel about 9:30 after K dropped off more laundry across the street.

First stop was Fabric street located down the soi next to Nantuna store on Tha Phae St. Gayle Carson made this suggestion to us. The most rewarding stop was at Lana Nature, 132 Tapae Rd-- address may be different-- shop is about 10-15 shops down the soi on the left. K bought 3 Japanese inspired dresses in patchwork cotton for 2200 B. All very unique. After an hour and 1/2 we left for Baan Tawai town about 30 minutes outside town. We visited a number of large furniture shops--mostly reproductions, but how would you know. We did not find exactly what we wanted-- a small chest or table in a painted Chinese style for our new house's front hall-- has to be narrow.

Seart took us a small group of restaurants at the rear of a gas station-- I thought K would die... But one of the restaurants was making a single dish, freshly made for each customer-- a curry with chicken, rice and mushrooms and thai eggplant... Absolutely delicious, fresh and only 50B each --$ 1.50.

We continued along to another furniture shop-- no interest there. Changed gear and decided to try pottery. First stop was Siam celedon, but we moved along to our preferred shop, Baan Celedon. We bought a small table lamp and a couple of small other pieces... All being shipped, incl. a very nice shade.

We stopped at another new traditional furniture shop. We did see 3 items we are interested in. Will revisit on Monday...

Back to the hotel by 5:30.

Wanted a simple dinner so chose a thai meal at Burger King-- bacon burger and chicken burger, FF.


A visit to Starbucks yielded tomorrow's breakfast and some cookies for tonight.

We checked out OP Place next to the hotel. It looks like it is failing, except for a beautiful silk store--think modernized Jim Thompson... Fabulous products and prices to match, but still affordable. Small chain of 3 Chiang Mai stores, locally owned.

Tomorrow K has a cooking class all day. I will hang out at the hotel.

Oooh Baan Celadon, we bought our set from there and had it shipped, it's really lovely.
So, liking CM any more? I think Muffin and I may revisit next year. I've decided next years trip is going to be low maintenance....

10 years ago, my wife and I bought a bunch of things at Baan Celadon and shlepped it with us through the rest of our stops on that trip! They packed it very securly, and nothing was damaged - even the very delicate hand painted elephant tea set (which I still love, to this day)

We actually enjoyed their stuff so much that a couple years later wrote to them, and purchased some more plates and had them ship it.

If you're in CM on Sunday, I'd recommend the Sunday walking market - much better than the crap sold at the daily night markets...

Ban Tawai is home to one of our good friends in the wooden frog business. We visit her whenever we are in CM. She also sells some furniture pieces... maybe you saw her shop... The name is Min Min.

Will you get to go to Doi Inthanon? Or have you maybe already been there in the past. It's the highest point in Thailand. Lovely area. Meticulously manicured King's gardens.

Carol ...we have been to Doi Inthanon. It was beautiful and so much cooler I remember. I have the cooking school today..all day , Sunday the walking market, and Monday may back to one of the furniture places. Then on to Khao Lak..

MinMin might be one of the places that had a chest we liked. Some interesting things out there if you have the space and money..

Enjoying CM more this trip.

Glad you are enjoying CM more this time. Wish we'do have time to go back there in December, but not this time.

This meridien is well located for a visit to CM. Hotel is not thai lux, but decent--nice bed, very nice bathroom... About 4 years old.

Carol, we visited the mint about 15 years ago, just after the king/queen bldgs were built on the top.

S/b mountain, not mint above

Bob and Karen...hadn't seen any posts from you in Europe or SA, but I knew for sure I'd find you in BKK. Happy to hear you're both well..and good luck in your NH digs...hard to leave Needham?? They're ripping down old neighborhoods all over California, and in come the Mac Mansions. Ugly!

Where in NH? My son and his wife went on a cross country auto trip for 6 weeks and loved NE...hit it at peak foliage on the NH Kangamagus (sp.) Hwy!

Keep on truckin', kids! I enjoy living in little Ojai, near all my grandchildren and family. I have a handsome little first floor condo with fenced in backyard, rock garden and nearby pool in the small complex (only 20 units).

Still driving, but have avoided night driving for the most part. For any night-time speaking engagements, one of my grandchildren or my son drive me....but I try to book mostly for daytimes.

My traveling days are all but over. I've lost the desire since both my wives had passed. I tried one solo trip and enjoyed it, but nearing 87, I'll settle for some SoCal auto trips, etc. I get my vicarious kicks from helping others on Fodors. I mapped out that trip for son and his wife, having been to all 50 states.

Happy travels, guys!! Good health!
Stu

p.s. I was so happy to hear about Kathy!

Spent the yesterday at the Chang Mai Cookery school. There were only 4 of us in the class...all Amaericans. We did what they call course number 4. After being picked up in a van, we were taken to an office in town to pay and receive our little cook book. Back in the van and off to the market to learn about coconut and how the many products are made. Then we were each given a shopping list of food to buy using a certain vender,so no money was exchanged.

Off for a 20 min. ride to the school facility. The class room had AC , but the cooking and dinning area was out side. It was a very comfortable setting. The cooking was demonstrated in the class room, then we made our own portion of it. The first dish was phad siewe..noodles in sweet soy sauce. We sat and ate that as an appetizer. The next 3 were fish steamed in banana leaf, yellow curry chicken,and chicken and cashews. This was considered lunch, served with rice. After lunch two more dishes. Bananas in coconut milk, and a spiced fish salad. By 3 pm we were very full, tired, hot and ready to go home. Lots of traffic going back into the city. Great day and I learned how to make some of our favorite Thai dishes. K

FYI, the cost of the course was 1450 B. Well worth the BBBB.

I stayed all day at the hotel just laying about-- that makes me a "lay-about"...

Walked out for a hamby about 1:30 but that was all.

Shopped on line for Chinese decorative furniture and found a possibility near home in Cambridge, Massachusetts ... So much for coming all the way to Asia...

Today we plan to swim a bit... The hotel's pool is lovely, located outside on the 4th floor.

Tonight we plan to visit the often discussed Chiang Mai Sunday market which starts about 4PM.

Tomorrow we plan to return to the furniture showroom, the sales clerk will come for us, and purchase at least one piece to be shipped.

OMG, what a huge market, and oh so many tourists.

Not our cup of tea anymore as it is largely the same items: carved soaps, jewelry/cheap jewelry, textiles of every sort, T-shirts, hats, sunglasses and almost every other item you have ever dreamed about.... Oh, did I mention people...

So when we got to Tamarind Village, we decided it was time to escape... We entered their lovely compound and made our way to their restaurant... We decided that we would have dinner. Two large Singha's hit the spot. The menu is a nice one offering a great variety of dishes. K ordered a yellow chicken curry and I ordered about the best Phad Thai that I have ever had with several very fresh shrimp in it. We shared a mango pudding for dessert--the mango sticky rice was all gone. 1377 B.

Tuk tuk to market, 100 B, taxi return to hotel 160 B in heavy traffic. Both flat fees.

That's my tuk tuk ride for this decade!!!

Perfect thai day. Last day in CM is tomorrow and then we fly Air Asia to Phuket and take a car service from there to the JW Marriott in Khao Lak. For the first time we are going to be at KL w/o a car-- we'll see how that works out. We will be there 11 days.

BTW, $1. = 33.5-35 B.

Thanks for the exchange rate info. I was wondering what it might be now.

Eleven days at Khao Lak without a car... wow! Are you SURE you can do that? I remember we drove to restaurants when we were there during the big floods a few years ago. I guess you can get taxis.

So is CM more to your liking?

I stayed at Tamarind Village a few years back.mreally loved the place ( beds solo uncomfortable though) loved having dinner in their courtyard.

I think he is warming to CM a bit. There is a Jehova witness convention in town. Something like 2400 of them from all over the world. Every where you go you see their purple lanyards and name tags. Shuttle buses run back and forth from all the hotels to the convention center. Even in the night market and last night in the Sunday market they were tons of convention goers. Our hotel was full for the weekend. Bob saw walk ins being turned away..

I have warmed slightly to CM, but only slightly. At this point I see no reason to return here, ever. The shopping is fantastic however-- some very nice shops.

It seems waaaaayyyy more crowded than BKK to me.

Off to purchase some furniture this AM.

RHKKMK....sorry I hijacked your thread..just wanted to say hello after all this time. Happy you're well, and on the road again!
stu

Still in Taiwan for me. I've had a terrific time despite some weather challenges. It's either dripping wet hot and humid or it rains. I am spending the night in a hotel in Hualien on the East Coast preparing to explore Taroko Canyon tomorrow. Off to Chiang Mai on Nov 15th for my apartment stay. I'll be glad to have my own place as hospitality exchanges can sometimes wear on the nerves--and you certainly have less privacy. That being said, I've had an excellent location in Taipei and have seen everything I've set out to see--and then some.

Blog for Taipei can be found here:

http://altecockertravels.weebly.com/...mber-2015.html

Glad to see anyone who wants to meet while I'm in Chiang Mai. I'll be staying at the Smith Residence (near the night market) on a 3 month rental.