Morning market in Chiang Mai

We visited one of the morning market near the hostel. 

It was interesting to see how the local people do business. Plus their market is really clean!

Just look at how packed the place is!

Crossing the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the market.  Can't read thai but I'm guessing that's the name of the market. 

The lower level sells food while the upper levels sells clothes. 

Here are some local food we bought from the market. 

Some local kueh covered with dessicated coconut. 

Mango sticky rice with super sweet mangoes.

Pickled stuffs

More kuehs

Colourful noodles....some sort of salad I suppose.

Bugs anyone? 

Interesting small little sewing machines

 

Temples in the old city

Our guide very nicely brought us around the old city to look at several temples, but they were all actually quite closely located.

I don't think I've seen a place with so many temples at close proximity before.

Below are some pictures of the temples that we visited.

Wat Pra Singh

Wat Chedi Luang 

This temple looks like this now because it was destroyed by earthquake.

These 2 below were located near Wat Chedi Luang, forgotten their names.

I wonder if they are Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin respectively.

Wat Chiang Man

It was actually quite nice to visit the temples because they're mostly Buddhist temples that were beautifully designed. Plus, with a guide around....you get to listen to some historical stories about the temples.

Dinner at Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai

After visiting all the temples, we got hungry and the guide dropped us off at a night market near our hostel, so that can walk back after our dinner.

Just randomly stopped by a place that looks good....

Salad seems to be a must in all my meals in Chiang Mai~

Stir-fried veggies to keep the meal balanced!

 Prawn cakes is a must just because I love them! Pair them with the tangy sweet sauce provided....yummeh~

Tom yum kung was soo delicious that I couldn't stop and hence, no pic of it!

This here is a fried-fish which we hoped would be as good as the one from Tiger Kingdom but sadly no......this was just mediocre!

This we definitely the most expensive meal we've had in Chiang Mai! Paying premium prices for normal dishes just because we were in a very touristy area!! In my opinion, it was totally not worth the money paid, but this is a holiday after all~ :D

sakura chirashi don

Something to cheer me up on a tiring day~

Yummy sakura chirashi don!

Mae Sa Elephant Camp

After lunch, it was elephant time~

The guide brought us to the Mae Sa Elephant Camp!

Here we got to ride on elephants. This is definitely a one in a life time experience because I don't think I ever want to ride on another elephant again. Not that I don't like them.....but because I find the ride scary. Plus I'm not sure if the elephant likes having the huge chair on its back.

These elephants are really smart. When you bring out a camera, they get all excited. The one that I am on was trying to clean itself  from dust by blowing its trunk all around itself and it just keeps flapping its ears. 

Also, the elephant that I'm riding on is sooo naughty. This is him trying to disturb the other elephant.

After the ride, it was time for some elephant show. Many people have commented on how it is not good to support these sort of shows because it is sorta like animal cruelty.

Yea, but from the show you can really see how smart the elephants are.

Whatever you can do, they can do too~

Including painting and they definitely paint better than I do.

Look~ So pretty!

This one here totally stole the entire show!

After that it was a photo session.

I'm not sure if the elephants were badly treated in anyway...hope not! But overall, it was a great experience! Though the ride was scary, I enjoyed it and I love how cute the elephants were during the show.

Tiger Kingdom

I think that Chiang Mai is a really great place for those who love nature as there are many activities that you can do there that are associated with nature and animals.

For lunch, our guide brought us to Tiger Kingdom where we had lunch while looking at the tigers.

One thing not to miss -coconut! Great for a hot day~

Papaya salad~

Fish....one of the best one we had in Chiang Mai. Topped with different sauces on different side.

Seafood pizza~

Definitely not a very Thai meal from the looks of it....but hey, we had Thai tom yum and other Thai dishes too.....just that I was too hungry and had chomped on them before I could snap any pics~ keke....

Overall, it was a good meal if not for all the flies that were flying around us. Expect to pay a higher price for food here as this is a tourist place after all.

First time in Chiang Mai

Family trip to Chiang Mai~! which is a first time destination for all of us.

Landed at their international airport and our guide was no where to be found! Waited for about 30mins and still no sign of him! Plus I couldn't get in touch with him!!

I got fed up and got on a taxi to the hostel.

When we arrived at the hostel, the staff told me that a taxi driver came to look for me ^_^!!

Called him using the hostel phone which I had to pay to use to get him to come to the hostel to pick us up.

We eventually found out that he went to the wrong departure hall.....like seriously? I'm flying into your country, of course I will be in the international arrival hall!

Even though things didn't started out smoothly, the day was still great nonetheless.

First stop was Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, which is a temple located on top of the hill, about 15km from the city of Chiang Mai.

I enjoyed the ride there, thank goodness I was in a car and not those red trucks. On the way up you can see Chiang Mai city, kinds reminds of my trip to Mount Rokko.

Finally we arrive after more that half an hour. 

Taking the angled/ slanted elevator up to the temple which was located on top.

I think there's something like this in Penang that was built not too long ago too.

A popular picture spot!

Behind here are several praying areas. Didn't take much picture as I was praying.

There are even performances.....

This is the staircase to get to the temple if you opt not to take the elevator.

All around the temple area....

Nice view of the city

Sky was clearing as it just drizzled in the morning.