July 28, 2017

The morningnstartedbout with a trishaw ride through the streets of Chaing Rai that felt more as thoug we ourselves were the attraction. It never ceases to amaze me the attraction that foreigners have with Americans. We then ended our trishaw ride are the local food markets where we got to see traditional food that the locals eat here. Much of it was filled with exotic fruits, foreign cuts of meet and many dried food for preservation. At one point we qpruchased turtles to set free at the temple for good luck...okay and maybe also with the alterier motive of them not being eaten. Many of the Thai sources of protein encoded but not limited to: catfish, eels, lung, liver, chicken and pig feet, turtle, intestine, shellfish and BUGS. You bet your bottom dollar I ate that damn cricket when it was handed  to me by a stand owner and while then texture was mildly repulsive, the flavor was good. After we went to another temple in which the original emerald Buddha was housed and therefore a replica made by the King's mother sat in the center, surround by jade tiling along the walls. We wandered around the serene ground of the temple amongst the monks. It was probably the most peaceful of the temples we have visited thus far. As we wandered the ground and listened to the messages of the Buddhism philosophy, I began to fall in love with the ideals. They are so simple, yet they touch upon the most basic of human right. The guide then returned us and we went on our merry way to grab redbull and sewers made of mystery meat. We proceeded on to the White Temple. Of all the elaborate temples that we have seen this had to have been the one that stood out the most due to much of the modern influence in its architecture and art work. Some of the temple was still being built which then answered our question of the age of the temple. I love the peaceful nature of this elaborate temple that gave off such a good feel. As we attempted to leave we hopped aboard what was once a pick up truck converted to transport tourists and hoped that it would indeed take us back to Chaing Rai. It did indeed drop of off at the night bazaar that we had been the night before and in passing we stumbled upon a cat cafe where we proceeded to spend the next 2 hours play with cats in bliss. We struck up conversation with an interesting man from Denmark where we struck up conversation of a hefty content such as genetic and development. Through out the conversation it became apparent that we most likely did not necessarily see the world in the same ligh, we continued on our way. We ate dinner and watched traditional Thai dance at a the night bazaar while enjoying a beer. Exhausted from our long day and in light of leaving the next year we headed back to our oasis to settle for the 

night. The world is filled with interesting people and places where ever the world may take you my friends.