A taste of Thai.

[drron]

Interesting sign in the shuttle-

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Unfortunately it was raining.At first only light so still OK to walk around.Nothing special and the food didn't look great-All pre cooked and sitting out in the open in individual serves.How would yo like your grubs?

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The rain got very much heavier so we retreated to the streets.Still not pleasant getting around.We decided to have dinner.Only one restaurant was busy so we went their-The Pizza Company.Not what we would ordinarily have picked but turned out all right.Some chicken wings that mrsdrron thought a little spicy.She had the ribs and fries-surprisingly good.I had the spicy bacon pasta and again very nice.The wings and pasta cost $5 each,the ribs $12.So pretty good value.

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Back to the hotel on the shuttle and an early night.

 

[drron]

Sunday and planned as a day of rest.We have been to Chiang Rai though 20 years ago.No need to see all the temples etc again as the major difference would probably be just more tourists.We will one day probably visit Doi Tung again.
Today started off with breakfast in the café.Not a bad buffet but crowded and lots of very noisy kids.Parents on their phones all the time paying absolutely no attention to their kids.I have always felt meals should be family time for bonding and conversation.Guess I am really a dinosaur now.
After breakfast turned out to be the only time it wasn't raining so it was the right choice to walk around the grounds then.A couple of magnificent old trees.Here is one-

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That is the LM lagoon looking towards the pool and specialty restaurant Favola.Now back to the main buildings.

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And across the river to a ? new resort-

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The block where we are staying.Third floor,the top being the fourth floor-

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A dredge on the river-

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And finishing with the other magnificent tree-

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[drron]

This trip is also letting me try out the new Sony.these are on the automatic program.First a flower-

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Now with my old Sony zooming in on a bird in flight was hard.A butterfly impossible-

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We were here on the weekend of Buddhist lent which meant no alcohol.It signals the beginning of the rainy season when farm workers having little to do went off to the monastery for 3 months.We celebrated whilst looking out on the river-

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A little later we got room service.Prices very reasonable.Pad Thai,Khao soi and chicken in pandan leaves-

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We both finished with a delicious lemongrass crème brulee-

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[drron]

Now a few night shots using the hand held twilight function-

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[drron]

Monday and we have breakfast in their Italian restaurant Favola.This is all A La Carte and complimentary for plats.Start with a plate of fruit then mrsdrron has the poached eggs and I the mixed sausage dish-

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I would have liked more Chiang Mai sausage and less of the others.You can also have cereals,pastries and a cheese plate but we felt this was enough with a cappuccino.
Raining again so decided to go to the shopping mall.The hotel shuttle goes there.First thing was to look at sheets etc as when we get home our new bed is being delivered.Nothing for us but I did discover the perfect bed for Professor Hancock-

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After walking all around it was time for lunch.There is a branch of Fuji so Japanese it was.We started with some enoki mushrooms with a garlic sauce then mrsdrron had a pork suikiyaki set which included a green tea milk drink.I had something healthier-

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Mine was an ethnic spicy pork set.Presumably the ethnic was Thai style.
Now one thing that can be irritating is that you order everything then dishes come out in random order.We ended with Eringhi mushrooms in oyster sauce which were meant to come out first-

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The food though is good and all this was ~ $30.

 

[drron]

Last store was the supermarket to get some mangosteens.Some old fashioned medicine on display-

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Then out to get the shuttle back to the LM.This is the bus stop where the shuttle is meant to stop and it is a no parking zone-

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On the highway this fellow stopped to unload stuff for a store-

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We were out on the road early and the shuttle arrived 7 minutes before scheduled time.We were the only ones booked so it took off-learnt you should always book.Interesting signs up on the highway-

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Alcohol is back on so down to the bar by the river.weren't really hungry so shared a pizza-

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[JohnK]

Loving the trip report drron.

Apologies we didn't catch up in Chiang Rai. We were there for 3 days and rained every day and also rained today in Chiang Mai today with no end in sight for days. We headed off to night bazaar on Saturday evening and got ~200 metres from hotel and pulled the plug at 7 Eleven as rain was too heavy. Same Sunday night. We went to night bazaar in Chiang Mai last night and still raining.

Played golf at Happy City on Sunday at 11:30am and missed all the rain. Interesting course of 3 nines with 10 holes, 10 holes and 9 holes. Then played golf at Santiburi Country Club yesterday and teed off at 7:55am. Started raining at ~9:00am and I was soaked by the time I finished at 10:30am. Santiburi is one of the best golf courses I have played. Went past Le Meridien both days.

Rushed off to bus station before midday and the first available bus to Chiang Mai was 5 hours later so we continued on with the meter taxi to Chiang Mai. He wanted 2,200 baht and I gave him 2,500 baht. The trip was 3 hours in mainly heavy rain. Must remember to pre-book bus tickets in Thailand if wanting to travel at specific time.

Hope you and mrs.dr.ron enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[drron]

We had about 15 minutes at the night market before it began to pour and we too pulled the pin.The last couple of days hasn't rained quite so much but mostly at the wrong time.
So Tuesday.Back to the café for breakfast and as it wasn't raining we walked around the property.Watched the birds and looked at flowers.

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Then down to the river where you got views of the final approach to CEI-

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And to the large tree-

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It was not far from our balcony.Not long after we got back to the room a dead branch broke off and came crashing down.We were going to walk the local are with a couple of reasonable looking restaurants for lunch.The rain put an end to that so it was happy hour drinks and dinner at Favola.They serve you an Amusee bouche-
A cheese ravioli with a chilli sauce.Mrsdrron said she couldn't eat chilli so I had the 2 but they then came out with an alternative for her-stuffed tomato and pesto-

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We shared a salmon tartare,very nice-

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Mrsdrron had a penne carbonara whilst I had a Putanesca sauce.Both nice but not worth a picture.

 

[drron]

Unfortunately sunsets here in Chiang Rai in the wet season are poor.tuesday night the best so far-

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But going back to our room we noticed a fellow setting up lights in the pool.The only time this has happened.Possibly because it was the only night it was not raining.Beautiful reflections-

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[drron]

So the last of the lights-

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Wednesday and the day we had decided to visit Doi Tung and the Princess Mother's Garden.But first breakfast in the café.Quiet this morning.A comfortable 1000 start.Mrsdrron had researched TA and found it should cost between 1800-2500 baht to be taken to Doi Tung and back.1800 just for a driver.2500 four a tour agency and someone who could speak English.The 2 most recommended fellows didn't answer their phones or emails.The third answered but said he was a long way from Chiang Rai.So we went with the only other one on the TA list with a TAT licence Mrs Suda who advertised fluent in French and English.Her quote 2500 but an extra 1200 baht if we wanted a guide.A little hesitant but went with driver only.
Started off well and the driver did have enough English to converse.We headed off in the direction I thought Doi Tung should be and we talked about the Princess Mother's garden and how we last visited 20 years ago.He said a lot has changed even the roads.It certainly was nice country we drove through-

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How many can you fit in a van?

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However when we turned off they went straight ahead but now I was really uneasy.Up a narrow winding road-

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It was interesting.That is mountain rice.

 

[drron]

Soon after passing this village we came to a coffee "factory".

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A nondescript café with a few old buildings.I asked how far was the Princess Mother's garden."Not far".A few hundred metres up the road we came to a pair of restaurants with a small garden between them.This is not a Royal garden!.Yes it is says the driver pointing to a large picture of the old King across the road.So we said just take us back to the hotel.The driver insisted we talk to the boss.He rang her and handed me the phone.
I said hello and immediately she yelled at me saying I had asked to go to Doi Chiang.Sorry I asked to go to Doi Tung-I probably mis pronounce it saying Tung as tongue.You said you would go to such and such village.Sorry I said I am a tourist but knew there are some tourist villages near Doi tung and I thought you meant one of those.No she sceamed you said you wanted to go to the coffee factory.Now this I knew was untrue because when it was suggested I said we just wanted to go to the Princess Mother's Garden.She was now at full voice-No you didn't.So I just said sorry I am not going to argue and handed the phone back to the driver.He then offered to take us to Doi Tung the next day for 2000 baht.I then was convinced it was a scam.
On TA the locals are defending her saying it was obviously a misunderstanding.If it was then 1-she isn't fluent in English as advertised and 2-a licenced Travel Agent in Chiang Rai would know the Princess Mother's Garden was not at Doi Chiang.
So either way avoid Suda Travel agency.

Interestingly the trip back was a lot shorter and we came into Chiang Rai from the opposite side of town to that we left.The driver tried to get us onside by suggesting we went to the White Temple.Now this had not been built when we were there last so we agreed.But as suited the day this isn't actually a temple but more appropriately described as a Tourist trap though it is lovely to look at.We decided not to pay to go in or eat at our driver's recommended restaurant.

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[drron]

More of the White Temple-

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And an example of the commercial development around the site-

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And maybe this misspelt dish summed up the day-

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[drron]

So that night we needed a few drinks.You got a better pour at the bar outside Favola so that is where we ate as well.Even if you just shared a pizza they would serve you an amuse bouche as well as focaccia with olive tapenade-

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Mrsdrron had the salmon-over cooked.I had the pork belly which was quite nice.served on polenta-

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So it came to Thursday and we decided we would try again for Doi Tung.We went with the hotel.More expensive but then figured out that being on a triple points bonus plus the Amex points I got back in value a third of the cost.The day however wasn't as pleasant as Wednesday with more constant rain.Not as unpleasant for us as these guys-

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When we passed them we counted 20 including the driver.
At Doi Tung it was only very light rain but we were in the clouds-

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We visited here some 20 years ago and this garden had only been open a couple of years.It has changed.Get ready for lots of flowers.

 

[drron]

They have a tree top walk now.Not really for me now but it was closed because of the conditions-

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Even the ducks didn't think it was their sort of weather-

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But we still enjoyed the gardens-

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Intersting lawn with pavers and grass planted between-

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Certainly very good on days like this.

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[drron]

More flowers-

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An orchid house with slipper orchids-

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[drron]

I love orchids-

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Back to the flowers-

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[drron]

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[drron]

The tour continues-

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[drron]

A truly beautiful garden.most flowers are in pots so display can change quickly-

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[drron]

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Lovely colours with the bromeliads-

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