Chiang Mai Local

I'm taking it easy these days, to a point...
I did very little on the 11th, rememberance day and so nothing to report.
The Flying Club is suffering terribly from the new rules and restrictions imposed on GA here, so I don't go to the office often. Khun Bee is getting quite lonely these days, doing odd bits a work, some crafts, collecting money for her temple, and being there for anyone who visits with a desire to fly.

On Wednesday Mod and I rode out to Wat Doi Kham which is above the Rachapruek floral exhibition of 2006. There are some great views from this temple.

These nights there are millions of paper hot air balloons floating in constellations across the city...
In daytime you can see colourful paper balloons floating in the sky. These do not fly very far, I spotted a few of them from Doi Kham.

Wednesday evening was spent at Tapae Gate and looking around the town,
There's a lot to see and do during Loy Krathong.

A photo montage of the happenings at Tapae follows:

After Tapae we went to the Old House by the Ping River where we launched Krathongs last year.
Somehow I missed out on seeing Thai dancing as I did last year, but I saw different things.

On yer bike...

On Thursday morning I dropped Mod off at the Lai Thai Guest House at just after 06:00, and then went out to meet Ben at 08:00 for a bicycle ride.
It's a good idea to start out early while the air is still cool, but even so the temperature is pleasant this time of the year even at mid day, and cool in the evenings.

We rode for nearly 20 kilometres out to Krisada Doi Resort... We had no particular place in mind... Stopped along the road for a fruit drink and a rest in the shade, then continued.
The road became hilly with some climbing to be done, and my stomach started to rebel, I was running on empty, and needed to gin kao.
So we saw these gates with lanterns above, and went in.
It was a 60 Baht entrance fee, but I was hungry.
I have seen pictures of Krisada Doi before, even in Lanna Thai music videos.
As ever, the food was excellent and plentiful and required a bit of walking off before heading home.
The return was easy, it was mostly down hill.

I rode Mod's motorbike into town, Mod finishes work at 15:00 and I was twenty minutes late to pick her up.
We went to the local market here in Nonghoi to buy bases, banana leaves, and flowers to make Krathongs, all natural components. Candles and incense completed each Krathong.

Wat Chai Mong Kon...

...was where we went to launch our Krathongs in the Ping River sending our troubles, and with our wishes for whatever we might have desired.

Everwhere there were people in Lanna costume or in jeans, whatever they chose. But everywhere there was colour with fireworks.
Millions of paper hot air balloons floated in the sky about the full moon.

We went on to John's place to see everyone there... It was a very good evening followed by home at 00:30 and getting up at 05:30 this morning.