I wrote this about five or so years ago.  Even though I no longer live in Chiang Rai it does bring back some pleasant memories of my years there. Maybe one or two of them might brighten a few spirits during the year of the virus.

 

walking along chiang rai beach on a cool december morning

 

watching the rice harvest in mid november from my deck

 

watching the morning "rush hour" with Thais bundled up on their motorcys like they are going to the arctic

 

watching the afternoon market being set up

 

buying fruits and veggies at some of the lowest prices on earth from roadside pickup truck markets

 

watching the gem boat guys sifting through gravel in the mae kok

 

watching thai kids ride their bikes with their dog following along

 

watching the young monks doing their morning rounds

 

riding my motorbike along the mae kok with no traffic in sight

 

watching the total chaos of saturday shopping at big C

 

eating fantastic food at give away prices at many CR restaurants

 

attending the annual chiang rai flower festival

 

planting a variety of plants/trees in my yard and being amazed at how fast they grow

 

watching the neighbors get all excited about killing and cooking a snake

 

walking around downtown chiang rai on a cool clear december morning

 

having a cold beer in the garden area of peace bar

 

taking visitors for a tour of the Red Rose Hotel

 

watching the light show at the clock tower

 

watching the hustle and bustle of the night market and the mix of thais and tourists

 

riding the "refugee bus" from chiang rai to mae sai and seeing what kind of characters show up

 

buying exotic plants at nurseries that would cost a fortune in the west for a few baht

 

watching the thai high schools students hanging out and goofing around after classes

 

having a pretty thai girl give me a big smile for no particular reason

 

having thai kids practice their limited "i am fine" english out on me

 

practicing my limited thai with thai kids and having them stare wide eyed at the farang before breaking into giggles

 

watching the beautiful orange blossoms appear throughtout chiang rai

 

hearing massage parlor girls ask "massage sir?" in a sing song voice

 

sitting on a bench at wat mengrai enjoying the solitude

 

climbing the steps to the top of wat doi kong khao

 

wading in the mae kok river on a hot day

 

getting a cup of water thrown on me by a giggling  6 year old girl during song kran

 

having the neighbors dogs bark and growl until they realize it's just the farang coming home

 

having my laundry picked up, cleaned and delivered back to my home for 100 baht

 

having the water man deliver big jugs of water for 12 baht and refuse a tip

 

watching office workers drink whiskey with their lunch at dancing shrimp

 

having my motorbike oil changed for less than the cost of a cup of coffee

 

watching workers climb and trim my trees with no ladders no shoes and  only a machete

 

having workers show up ready to work but without a tool to their name

 

paying my electric and internet phone bill at 7/11 with no hassles

 

taking in the sights and smells on saturday night at the walking street market

 

visiting an ear doctor and having my total bill be 100 baht

 

buying eggs that haven't been refrigerated and not worrying about it

 

cooking up big pots of vegetable stew with many vegetables that i don't even recognize

 

having TOT guys show up to repair my internet and actually get it fixed and no charge

 

watching thais collect the red tree flowers from the ground and turn them into something tasty

 

watching the ice cream tuk tuks roam all over chiang rai selling 10 baht ice creams

 

watching thai ladies grubbing around in streams and lakes catching who knows what kind of critters

 

having a hill tribe girl in the afternoon market try to line me up with her friend

 

trying to walk for exercise along the river and having various thais try to give me a ride

 

watching the thais build buildings with bamboo scaffolding and not a hard hat in sight

 

watching young thais flirting and drinking whiskey at chiang rai beach

 

having a huge buffett at rimkok hotel for 140 baht

 

eating a big platter of chicken steak, french fries, salad and bread for 69 baht

 

eating a big bowl of noodle soup for a few baht

 

watching a bicycle tuk tuk driver older than methuselah peddle an even older lady around town

 

seeing how many thais can fit on one motorbike

 

seeing how many thais can fit into the back of a pickup truck

 

pulling into a gas station and having 3 uniformed attendants fill my motorbike and clean my rear view mirrors and not expect a tip

 

wandering around in various food markets and having thais offer me free samples of many things i don't recognize

 

holding my nose to cover the smell of the seafood section at big C

 

trying to figure out when and where the baht buses at the afternoon market actually go

 

having a big C employee push my cart to an available cashier for me

 

getting treated like a VIP just for being a farang and showing up

 

having a waitress wai me as thanks for a 5 baht tip

 

the boat trip down the mae kok from tha ton to chiang rai

 

standing in line at 7 11 and having a little lady jump the line on me and i don't even care

 

sitting at the old chiang rai bus station and watching all the action

 

watching a new monk induction ceremony with all his family present and oh so proud

 

watching the sunset from my balcony with an ice cold beer chang

 

going to the public hospital and having a group of poor thai people insist that i go to the front of the line

 

seeing a doctor for less than the parking would cost in the west

 

having thais constantly tell me how good my thai is when i know it's not

 

stopping for directions and having a group of thais gather around to see what the farang wants

 

breakfast at nice kitchen near wat jed yod

 

walking across the mae sai bridge and being back in thailand with a new visa stamp in less than ten minutes

 

going to the CR post office and being assisted efficiently and pleasantly

 

buying an entire thai watermelon for 10 baht

 

having an entire wall at 7 11 featuring snacks for 20 baht or less

 

the first big rainstorm at the end of the cool dry season

 

visiting the 10 baht stores and being amazed at all the items available for 10 baht

 

watching the aerobics and exercisers at the old airport

 

eating a burger at Barrys at the golf course

 

watching the beer garden girls at big C strut their stuff

 

trying to figure out which girls are high school and which ones are college students

 

enjoying how tight a high school girl can have a white blouse

 

watching farang backpackers walk around with massive backpacks that defy all logic

 

being able to sometimes go for days and not hear another person speak English or hassle me

 

watching the frog giggers appear in the rice paddies at night after the first big rain

 

seeing  a bright blue bird with long yellow feathers in the wild

 

seeing a nasty looking snake race across the road in front of my motorbike

 

watching hill tribe people float down the mae kok  on hand made bamboo rafts

 

 

 

 

 

 

A walk down memory lane in Thailand...a kinder gentler nation...had genuine Thai friends not expecting to get paid for their friendship...visas were easy to obtain and maintain...when someone smiled it was not because they had just managed to scam you out of baht...????

5 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

A walk down memory lane in Thailand...a kinder gentler nation...had genuine Thai friends not expecting to get paid for their friendship...visas were easy to obtain and maintain...when someone smiled it was not because they had just managed to scam you out of baht...????

Ever considered that it was you that changed? For me it´s same as it´s always been. Nice people, good friends and smiles as usual.

For those who missed the original.????

 

 

45 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

For those who missed the original.????

 

 

 

wow so it was TEN years ago...time flies.

As the song goes .."those were the days my friends we'd thought they'd end .."