[[ January 11 Thailand - Chiang Mai

My friend Noom loves to visit temples. Each of them has a draw for him, but less so for me. I was a bit reluctant to visit yet another one when he suggested it but told me this one was "special". Wat Phra That Doi Kham is special in that it can give you luck. Many Thais pilgrimage here to buy flowers ... at least 50 with presumably thousands if you want even more luck. Lottery ticket sellers line the route. 

Small flowers on strands for sale ...

Offering bowls ...

Piles and piles of flower offerings...

Monk

A few requisite flower shots

And finally a few shots around Chiang Mai

One half of a dynamic duo of octengenarians selling fried chicken...

Interesting ...

[[ January 10 Thailand - Chiang Mai

Arrived at this northern gateway city in late afternoon. As it is Sunday, they have a weekly market on "Walking Street" packed with locals and tourists. 

Yes...a lime green house!

The market had sellers hawking everything. One interesting thing was an uncommon fruit called Gac which is used throughout Southeast Asia for a tonic and the seller processed it into a drink. 

Laquerware ....

Local musicians 

Local cuisine ... Fish and coconut chicken soup (Tom Kha Gai)

Yes, it's me enjoying a swinging seat at the restaurant ...

[[ January 10th - Thailand - Bangkok

My second day here and its a trip to Central World mall. Today was Children's Day and along with the usual pandemonium, the children really seemed to enjoy it all. Us adults, slightly less so.

Some of the crowd and a few enthralled kids ...

Enjoy the show ...

Is that .......?

After the mall we went close to where Bangkok's worst bombing took place on August 17th 2015 at Ratchaprasong and the Erawan shrine. Little evidence of the horror that took place and it seemed like business as usual.

Tomorrow I go to north Chiang Mai and then to Laos....

 

[[ January 9th and trip number 6 to Thailand and beyond ...

Well, after a 12 1/2 flight Vancouver to Hong Kong and a further 2 1/2 flight onward to Bangkok I have arrived on this my sixth journey to AmazingThailand !! 

Not sure if it was portentous but my tiny Buddha pendant I have worn around my neck since my last trip came apart and fell off on the day I arrived this year. What's more amazing it managed to lodge itself securely in my belly button ?!?! It wasn't expensive and I still remember the seller shrilling at me "...not gold inside, not gold inside". 

Before we begin...a few aquarium shots from the airport at Vancouver 

BANGKOK ...

Sri Mahamariamman Temple. This Hindu temple, built in 1827 is a riot of different colours with many carved images of various gods and goddesses in different shapes and sizes. No photography allowed so these images surreptitiously taken from outside.

Ornate gate ...

Near the hotel ...

Painter above and "marriage to aliens" below

Blooming trees ...

Ornate carving on old doors...

Is that you... Frank? 

Old crackled carving ...

~~ August 1-3, 2015 Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park Saskatchewan Canada

It's been sometime since my last post. This time it's much closer to home. Cypress Hills is an anomaly in this part of the world. It's open year round and has many many activities and things to do. It is like a little bit of mountain foothills in a generally flat part of Saskatchewan. Many rare and uncommon plants and animals exist nowhere else in Saskatchewan. Here you can find wild turkeys, mountain bluebird, lodgepole pine, moose, elk and the Calypso Orchid. Here are a few photos ...

A side trip to Tompkins Saskatchewan

Sod House

Vintage combine 

Black Eyed Susan