Today we hang out on the balcony in the AM, catching some rays, finishing some books (I think I’ve read 5 books since we left HHI). Then we strike out into town to go to the Flower Festival markets. This year they have expanded the festival to two sites, adding the Tha Pae Gate to the traditional market area at Nong Buak Haad Public Park. Tha Pae is closer to us, and easy walk, so we head there for the advertised food and local craft vendor market and floral displays.
Since the activity is at the Gate, in the middle of the moat, we get to walk along the moat instead of crossing the crazy traffic. It’s a nice walk, and not so hot out yet. We get to the flower displays – they’ve added to them since we were here earlier in the week -
And wander around the craft stalls – which all have the normal crafts – but wait! Not at the normal prices! OMG – my knock off Ray Bans we can get anywhere for 49b, start out at 350b! I just laughed at the vendor, so she immediately comes down to 200b. I’m still laughing as we walk away with her voice trailing behind us – how much do you want to pay? 100b? Nope. Sorry! The same is true with the spice vendor – packages of spices we are buying at 100b at the market are priced at 250b. Ok – this is going nowhere!
Most of the food stalls aren’t open yet – but I manage to snag a banana spring roll (which I adore!) and Ed grabs a grilled corn cob. Appetizers done! We meander through the floats on display here -
- which are all wrapped in lights. It’s probably gorgeous at night – but that’s not happening. Remember it is Sunday – which means Sunday walking street day which means crazy, busy, packed with tourists. Once we are back on “our side” of town, we’ll be staying there!
But, for now, we make the decision to trek over to the park to see if there is more food or activities there.
It’s a trek – that’s for sure. We go straight through the center of town, down Rachadamnoen (the Sunday walking street), which is much easier to traverse without the Sunday walking street! Then we head south on Sam Lan, a road we’ve not been on much at all. As we hike, we see the new Green Tulip house (the original location was where we stayed our first time in Chiang Mai) – it’s lovely! And Nine (the house mother!) is there – but we know she won’t remember us – so we don’t bother going in.
On we go, finally reaching the moat and the festival location. Good move coming down here even if it was a walk! OMG – this is a festival on steroids! There are literally miles of vendors – food, craft, floral, landscape – stretching down the moat road (which is of course closed) and winding through the park. People are all over the place, stretched out on bamboo mats you can rent for 10b. It’s great! And its way more local than Tha Pae, the percentage of Thai to Farang is probably 90/10.
We wander through the floats – taking pictures in the sunlight of the incredible detail - and of my favorite float – including me pretending to be one of the girls riding on it!
After the floats, we wander through the flower competition, such gorgeous flowers! All different types and varieties, lovely.
Finally, its time for lunch. We peruse all our options and settle on BBQ pork that is sold by weight (so it’s pricey for street food – ok – yeah, it is all relative, it is only $2US in the end!) and our little fried chicken drumettes in a bag.
Yummy!
So, now we need to walk our meal off – and walk we do. We stroll through the vendors – and it really does stretch a mile! They’ve set up bamboo-store like structures on one side of the road, and other vendors bring their tables and tents to the middle of the road. Fabulous!
We just window shop – until we get to the end and buy some cute little flowers to put in our new vase (from Bor Sang all those weeks ago – remember?). Then we Tuk Tuk home – because we’ve already walked about 3 miles and decide the mile and a half home isn’t worth it for a 100b Tuk Tuk ride!
Later for dinner, we head back to Only Khao Soy. It’s a great place – quiet – not busy (not good for them, but nice for us). Tonight we have the Artist Paintbox – a yummy array of appetizers, all beautifully arranged -
- then of course Khao Soy. Quite delicious as usual. We end our night at Bamboo – Roadside has salsa dancing or something, we’d rather hear a singer – so Bamboo and big, tall glasses of Draught Chang end our evening.
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