Note: I have a backlog of pictures to upload, but the internet is just too slow to get them all up.
Chiang Rai isn’t so big, that I figured I’d be fine sleeping in. Tried to check my email, but the wireless connection I was once getting for free had vanished. Made it till 8:30 or so, then got some breakfast at the guesthouse. Not the best muesli and fruit and yogurt I’ve had, but it did the job. An older gentleman by the name of William asked if he could join me, as tables were limited, so we chatted for quite a while. He’s from Hong Kong, but lives in Thailand most of the time now. He was just visiting Chiang Rai, though.
After breakfast, I headed to the Wats near the day market. The original wat that held the Emerald Buddha now in Bangkok,Wat Phra Kaew, was my first destination. There’s a new Buddha in its place now (made from Canadian Jade, no less), which is pretty nice as well. There was a turtle pond there too, and some nice grounds, but the newer style wats get a little repetitive after a while. Checked out Wat Phra Singha as well, but it wasn’t as nice. Most importantly, all the waterfighters seemed to be off visiting family or something.
Had a wander through Chiang Rai, and then headed back to the guesthouse – happy to still be dry. Took a nap, as I was a tad tired, then wanted to hit the internet cafe. Unfortunately, the waterfighters had returned from wherever they were, so getting to the cafe dry was going to be tough. I opted for some lunch instead, and on the way back to the guesthouse got a tad wet again. William was eating lunch, so I sat with him for a bit.
Made a second attempt at the internet after, and managed ok. A little slower than I would have liked, but I got a few photos up. I was going to stay a little longer, but the weather turned for the worse, and the cafe owner essentially kicked me out before the storm started.
I had told William I’d meet him at 8 to check out the night festival for dinner, but with the rain we decided to check out another spot closer to the guesthouse, as the night festival would most likely be closed. A Thai guy William knew, Kenui, joined us as well.
Patpong is the red light district in Bangkok. Chiang Rai has “Little Patpong”, which seemed pretty tame as we walked through it on the way back to the guesthouse after dinner. I watched a movie (The Heartbreak Kid – not recommended) before finally getting to bed. In the morning I creep a little closer to Laos.