Chiangmai, Thailand

Travel - Chang Mai, Thailand 

I actually slept a full six and a half hours on the train last night. We arrived in Chang Mai in northern Bangkok at 9 am this morning. Getting off of the train was a process with thirty one 19-35 year olds. Backpacks and suitcases are split 50/50 but the backpackers are doing much better through the travel. The air is much much fresher than in Bangkok and  has a little more evident wealth. I'm not saying like middle class but it's less smog, more organized, working class people in the city. 

The hotel breakfast was amazing. It had actual peanut butter and corn flakes and non-instant coffee. Delicious by Asian standards. After breakfast we all headed to the rooftop pool and gym for a couple of hours. Tanning is hilarious with 70 SPF on. Everyone is burnt but it's not necessarily sunny out due to the smog. It has been about 30+ C all week so far. 

After pool time, the tour headed off to the Tiger Kingdom. I got to play and takeictures with 2-5 month, 5-8 months, and 1-2 year old tigers. they are absolutely adorable. This one was significantly better than the one in Bangkok. Those tigers were under heavy anestetic.  Today's tigers were playful and adventurous. I actually had a 2 year old tiger jump on my lap out of the blue. All 200 pounds of tiger on me was a littler squashy but totally awesome. Newborn cubs had just been born and are adorable. It made me want a tiger so badly. 

This evening was filled by a Thai cooking class. The chef gave us a lesson on how to pick veggies, eggs, rice, sticky v normal rice, and how to pick meat in a market setting. Then he gave us free range over the market to get our own ingredients for tonight's dinner. He was much like Mexican Oscar. Loaded up with our goodies, we headed to a gated neighborhood to this cooking school with professional grade kitchens for each of us. He would tech us how to prepare each course then we would go do then eat that round. I made Pad Thai, Stir fry chicken with cashew, home made ginger sauce, mango sticky rice, and green curry tofu. All from scratch - no prepare anything, all raw ingredients. I have a recipe book for everything I cooked plus a few other authentic Thai foods. I enjoyed the mango rice significantly. The ginger stir fry was delicious. I'm not a Pad Thai or curry person. 

Late tonight, we went to the night markets. It takes the quiet city and turns it rambunctious. A few of us went down to the muay Thai fights. These kids just whail on each other. It poured torrential downpour on everyone. Sopping everything/one was awesome to be wet and hot. Great experience to go see it. 

AFN