This is our first Chiang Mai visit in the winter. All former visits have been in the summer. Now with relatively low humidity and temperature range of 85/65, the days and nights are pleasant. The downside to winter is full occupancy and getting pool chaise lounges. In the summer, we had the pool to ourselves. Over run with German speaking tourists. Go figure.

Paid respects to our favorite Buddhist temple Wat Prasingh which is one block from our hotel, Rachamankha. Not quite a hotel, only 25 rooms.

Wat Prasingh used to be white stucco but about 3-4 years ago it was covered in 22K gold leaf.

The architecture of this area of Thailand is called Lanna Thai. The Lanna Kingdom of neighboring Myanmar (Burma) over ran Northern Thailand in war. Burma occupied for over 200 years. The roof lines were a blend of Thai and Burmese architecture focusing on the wings and curls at ends of the  roof line headers and roof peaks. So Burmese.

Devotees burning incense at Wat Prasingh.

Every Sunday, Chiang Mai does the “Sunday Walking Street”. Rachedomnoen Road’s one mile length is transformed in an open air market place  with vendors lining the curbs and back to back vendors down the middle of the road. So, there are two footpaths with vendors on either side. Everything conceivable is hawked. A crazy but organized and quiet scene as only the Thais could do. We shopped for the ladies and girls in our lives.

The next two days are expected to be a  washout. Typhoon Pabuk, which hit Samui and Phuket, crossed the Andaman Sea and is now hitting the Andaman islands where we were 2 days ago with 85 knot winds. The storm is expected to curve east off its current west, northwest path and cross back over Myanmar and into Northern Thailand. Lucky us. The winds will by then be below tropical storm level. Stay tuned