Sabai House - Chiang Mai

We stayed at Sabai House located in Kumpangdin Road, Chiang Mai.  As usual we walked up and down the road seeking for local food.  With your back to the hotel, turn right and on the opposite side of the road is a lady who sells khao soi that is so delicious.  Her stall is in front of a house.  Khao soi is basically egg noodle in curry sauce with choice of pork or chicken.  I was delighted when she scoop up a chicken drumstick onto my bowl.  The hawker also prepared lots of raw beansprouts and slices of uncooked cabbage soaked in water for the customers to help themselves.  It gave a  refreshing taste to my noodles.  

Opposite to the above stall is a lady that sells pad thai (fried noodles).  She sells grilled meats and sausages as well.  We were delighted to see she has moo ping (grilled pork on skewers).  For one piece of moo ping, it costs 10 baht. Her moo ping is available only on Sundays. Catch her in the morning.

Another pad thai stall (it was open at night) is located near the hotel too.  With your back to the hotel, turn right, go to the end of road, turn right again.  70baht for a large plate of shrimp pad thai. 

There were few massage centres near to the hotel.  We enjoyed the foot massage and Thai massage.  Each cost 200 baht per person per hour.

From Sabai House, within walking distance is Mc Donald's and Tapae Gate.  On Sundays, there will be a night market behind Tapae Gate.  Lots of food and lots of things on sale.  Tshirts going for 50 baht.  Long pants at 100baht. Truly a foodies and shoppers paradise.

Ho Chi Minh

Hubby checked into Trung Son Hotel, which is in district 7, Ho Chi Minh.  The ride from airport to district 7 costs 250,000 Dong by taxi meter.  

Two shopping centers near Trung Son Hotel ie. Crescent Mall which houses Giant supermarket and tourists can find the famous Vietnamese coffee and other local foodstuffs for sale.  The other is Sun Vivocity.

District 7 is filled with Korean restaurants catering to the Korean community.  We found a local Vietnamese eatery named Trang Bang Chanh located at 972 My Toan 3, Dai Lo Nguyen Van Linh, a stone's throw away from Trung Son Hotel.  (with your back to Trung Son, turn right, cross two plots of land and turn left).  The eatery serves good fish noodle and rice paper wrap set that comes with all sorts of herbs.  Reasonable pricing.  

We had banh mi, the baguette, filled with your choice of fillings and toppings at Banh Mi 362 located at S49-1SKY GARDEN. To get to 362, with your back to Trung Son Hotel, turn left, cross the street, and turn right.  Slowly walk till you see the little shop on your left.  I  must say 362 serve one of the best banh mi I have ever tasted.  I chose fromage (cheese) and pate whilst hubby goes for grilled pork filling.  

Another eatery worth mentioned is Vien Dong hotel cum eatery located at Hung Phuoc 3 and is just across Trung Son Hotel.  The french fries is so delicious.  Reasonably priced. 

Went to War Remnant Museum.  Beware it closes for 1.5 hour lunch break and all visitors have to vacate the building.  We had lunch at Mon Hue, a Vietnamese eatery, after our tour of museum.  With your back to the museum, turn right and cross the road.  

Bye Ho Chi Minh ......

Thailand-Chiang Mai

Poinsettia flowers celebrate Christmas

 

Intricate carvings on stool

 



Keeping postman busy

 

Water feature

 

 

Central Airport Plaza

 



Warorot Market

Tuk tuk fits 3-4 paying pax

 

Mid January and signs of Christmas was still evident in Chiang Mai airport and town.  Is it because of the strong presence of Western tourists in Chiang Mai?  In Malaysia, Chinese New Year decorations are up and CNY songs fills the air.   

 

Weather is cool in Chiang Mai and can be cold with blowing winds.  Light jacket a must if one is not so endowed in fat.  Local food is relatively cheap but most of the time, I can't make out what's what (most menu in Thai and conversation can be pretty non going.  Lots of pretty nice things to lay your hands on without breaking the bank.  There were numerous tourist attractions which I had struck off - elephant poo park, monkey/butterfly park, the National Park, Museum being either too far or done something like that before stuff.  The cabbie was disappointed that he would not be seeing me the next day. 

 

Warorot Market is a good place - lots of titbits and clothing minus the crowd.  There's a floor that serves pretty good hawker food but minimal choices.  Walking around the vicinity would be a great something-to-try on next trip.  

 

Central Airport Plaza is a huge shopping mall.  Seek out the Northern Village floor where one can find beautiful clothings done by designers.  On ground floor, you will find scores of locals eating near their favourite stalls.  Really enjoyed the kuay teow, veggie fritters and curry.  The pig trotters rice looks good too.  A gutsy lady sells coffee at a stand - I would say she balances quite well on a narrow platform.  Unable to read the menu, I settled for 'Thai coffee' as the easy way out.  Verdict-quite good coffee!

 

Getting around in either the pickup taxi (everyone can hop in and out, sits about 10 pax, Bhat 20 per trip) and the tuk tuk where you would pay more for privacy.  In and out of the vehicle requires you to mind your head.  Call it a limbering exercise.  Should you feel 'twisted', you can unwind in massage centers  at every street corner for Baht 200-250.  Of course, you would encounter moments of what they would want you to do due to limited English conversations.

 

Should you aspire to open a Thai kitchen, join the various cooking sessions.  For the adventurous, they can scale higher grounds into tribal villages.  For just dining and shopping, a 4 days trip would suffice.

 

The departing plane back to home played Christmas songs.  I was more ready to do CNY .... I need to be 'culturally aligned' again ....

 

 

 

 

Great finds ....

bean bag

 



collapsible aluminium chair

 

 

Bean bag's great...a comfy cradle for your legs-put-up during tv watch or reading time.  Makes a good companion whether vertical or horizontal.   Light enough to shove it anywhere - good for old people lacking in muscle strength.  Get two and they can be stacked on top of each other.

 





Collapsible chair is light (less than 1 kg).  Great to bring for window shopping or long travel where there may not be enough public chairs.  A boon for aged people and easily tired feet.

 

Great finds!





Hush ....

 

Silence. Rare moments nowadays.  Past midnight and you still hear a bike that passes by...the cricket that never sleeps....the city that refuses to rest .... perhaps it is good that there should be a levy on late night drivers on road....we will have good rest.

 

The library where one is not allowed to talk ... the tiny chapel that no one goes .... the far flung graveyard that allows you to think ..... breathing slow to quieten oneself - counting not the minutes and letting the day go by....  In our era that speaks so much of activities and events, we have lost the art of just doing nothing.  Perhaps it is good for our soul to be found in these places.

 

Nothing can be beautiful .....

Black visit .....

I have always associated bats with Dracula - the blood sucking vampire.  Remembered all the vampires movies I had as a child.  The movies were usually shown at one particular cinema which is nearby a grave site.  Poor me would cover my eyes with my hands and peeping through the fingers to watch the show.  My legs would be off the floor - imagination got the better of me thinking the floor would open up and some dead souls would rise from beneath.  

 

It was with amazement then to see this baby bat hanging on to the steps and finding myself being tender towards it.  Perhaps it looks less menacing.  And babies are always cute .....

 

 

 

Roundabout - a merry go round ....

Was upset over the new roundabout where roadworks are currently in progress.  It used to be a traffic light junction and I have purposely,  travelled this route to avoid an earlier roundabout.  I do find it difficult getting into a roundabout.  Cars from your right came fast and the more time taken whilst you are waiting for the right time to move, your 'friends' behind you would be honking.  Can I yell out that in this age of the mega hustle and bustle of a busy city, roundabouts should be made obsolete?   Years ago, I had the fright of my life when I found myself at the most busiest roundabout in town.  It was my second day of driving.  Cars were at a bumper to bumper crawl and thank God, I didn't kiss any bumper.  Not bad for a two day baby on road.  Kissing bumper cost vary from free to few hundreds.  Choose your offender or victim wisely.

Today, at the same new roundabout, I noticed that the traffic lights were on.  A traffic light in front of a roundabout!  It had better be well synchronised for all who follows it have their lives depended on it.  If this traffic light system works well, it would indeed be good that all roundabouts be modified.

Catch roundabout flow for right and left hand driving at link below.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout