On Friday, December 28, I headed to Bangkok's northern bus terminal Mochit. I had been to the eastern bus terminal Ekkamai on my way to Koh Samet and the southern bus terminal Sai Dtai Mai (every time I go into Bangkok I pass this station), but Mochit was like a different world, especially for the holidays. I had to hold my ground and fight to stand upright in the sea of people waiting for their buses. When my bus finally pulled away from the mobs of people and clouds of diesel fumes, we were two hours late in heading to Chiang Mai. When I woke up in the morning, I was surrounded by the beautiful mountains of the north and forgot all about the congestion of Bangkok. Finally, a breath of fresh air!
In Chiang Mai, I met up with fellow Fulbright ETAs Angie and Eve, who both teach in Chiang Mai. We spent the first day with Angie's school director- a stern-looking Thai man with the voice of James Earl Jones and the heart of a teddy bear. He took us to a hill tribe village in the mountains. We met some cute Hmong children who followed us around from a safe distance. Then we came back to Chiang Mai for a New Year's party and gift exchange.
The next day, Angie and I went to the Chiang Mai Zoo. Though the zoo is best explored by car or trolley, we decided to hoof it up the hill to see animals that were close enough to touch. Actually, Angie and I contemplated stepping over the two small logs that separated us from the lions (a very minimal barrier) so that we could take home a cute little lion club sleeping nearby. My favorite animal was the orangutan. In the evening, we went to the Sunday walking street at Tha Pae Gate- basically a bustling market in the middle of a closed-off street.
On New Year's Eve, Eve and I went to the Royal Flora Project- an elaborate landscaping project showcasing flowers from around the world. Then we stopped by Night Safari, a controversial, big-budget attraction. In the evening, we met up with Angie and ate dinner at the riverside. We headed into town (through the Night Bazaar) to watch the fireworks at Tha Pae gate. We were surrounded by people, fireworks (some too close for comfort), and kamlois (the paper lanterns). There wasn't a main countdown, but about five different groups of people counted down depending on what their watch said. Then we took a tuk-tuk back to Angie's house at her school... the driver was crazy and drove like we was on a suicide mission, so my life flashed before my eyes in the wee hours of 2008.
On New Year's Day, Eve and I went to Doi Suthep, a majestic mountain overlooking Chiang Mai. We visited a temple at the top (packed with people making good in the New Year) and the Phuping Palace. The royal residence was fairly modern, which was weird to see something so recent (built in the last 50 years) and still related to a revered monarchy. On the way down the mountain, we stopped at Huey Kaew waterfall. Chiang Mai is famous for its natural beauty- mountains, waterfalls, gardens, etc.
Finally, I took an overnight bus home and taught just an hour after I arrived in Nakhon Chaisi. That evening I met up with fellow Fulbrighter Ross, who was vacationing in Bangkok with his family for the holidays before returning to his base in Chiang Rai. We hit up the dessert buffet at the Peninsula (again) and danced the night away for a bit at RCA. So much fun, so little sleep!
