TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

11:48 PM
Posted by jodi rose

blessings from the golden chedi at doi suthep

we finally made it up the mountain today. in a little red taxi (hello minibus! the drivers say - don't call me minibus laughed lisa) up out of the smoggy city along twisty switchback roads to Doi Suthep. Very glad we made the effot, completely stunning temple. Gold Chedi, more Buddha's than you can imagine in one place, and the monk who gave us blessings was very cheeky, he kept throwing water on me when I was communing with the Buddha statues, and grinning mischeivously.
Dropped Mari at the airport on the way back, had a cheap, quick and stylish haircut at the 'best waxing' place - lisa's legs cost 600 baht, and my hair was only 90 - about $3.20 and took 15 minutes max. Just as good as the Slovakian haircut last time.
This evening we wandered along the Ping River, past the flower markets - bought Lotus flowers to offer to Buddha at one of the temples - and had dinner at regina guesthouse, the most modest of many establishments along the upmarket street across the river. Joined by half a dozen white bantam chooks who entertained us by chasing moths and having an impromptu sparring match, then came to investigate our left-over pad thai and frosty drink.
One last time at the night market - found the cute elephant beer t-shirt in a colour I liked - and then suddenly the crowd stopped moving completely. Not like Sunday market 6pm, when everyone stood still and silent for the national anthem - this was the Queen of Thailand going to dinner at the Royal Princess Hotel. We hung out with a man eating crispy fried witchetty grubs (thai version) and kept being pushed back in line by an extraordinary array of thai police (region 5 with speccy red braid through one shoulder), military police and official royal guards. after about ten men fiddled with the red carpet, taping it down so the Queen wouldn't slip, they stopped all the traffic, and the cavalcade arrived - ambulances, fire enginers, military suv-type landrovers, and the white limousine. HRH looked very sweet, and was greeted by 3 formally dressed ladies offering flowers, to offset all the testosterone of the military guard. What a strange world it must be to live in, when you can't go out to dinner without that kind of fuss. Would drive me insane. Lucky I'm not likely to marry royalty ;)
After that thrill, walked along Khamphanding Rd and had strawberry daquiri at the mae ping hotel where a young would-be-funky band were massacaring norah jones and bob dylan songs. Stopped in at the 'super funky' shop on the way home, which I've been admiring for days - very sweet couple run it, chatty and really funky, selling second hand clothes from bangkok and japan customised by 'super funky
prints, with a tiny bar out front at night. Lovely.
Many hours in airports await me now, but refreshed from enforced relaxation by the pool, and spa treatment involving thai herbal steam/sauna, floating in jacuzzi filled with rose petals, orchids and slices of lime (covered myself in them when got bored), facial, oil massage and body scrub. mroe pampering in the last ten days than previous ten years.