6D5NChiangmai-Chiangrai Tours 13-18Nov2012

Day5   (17Nov2012)  Chiangmai > Hadyai

Checked out Pornping Tower, proceeded to Chiangmai Airport to fly back to Hadyai.

Checked in Golden Crown Hotel at Hadyai.

Van tour to the Floating market for food and shopping.

Free and easy for the night.

Day 6   (18Nov2012)    Hadyai > Batu Gajah

Free and easy in the morning.  Checked out at 12.00 noon and home sweet home by bus.

Stopped at Ah Keat Sea Food Restaurant at Butterworth for dinner.

Reached home at 12.00 midnight.

                                                         Connie came back with a new look.!

 

The end.

6D5NChiangmai-Chiangrai Tours 13-18Nov2012

Day 4 (16Nov2012) Chiangrai – Thai/Burma Border – Golden Triangle > Chiangmai

Visited  the White Temple in the morning.

We arrived at the Northern most point of Thailand, Mae Sai.  We crossed the Thai/Burma border by a bridge to Tachileik, separated by the Mae River.

Visited a small temple and the Golden Temple of Tachileik.

Then, went shopping at Tachileik market before crossing the border and back to Mae Sai.

Proceeded to the Golden Triangle.

We had lunch at a restaurant at the river bank of the Ruak river, a tributary of the Mekong.

We boarded a boat at Sop Ruak Jetty for a cruise at the Golden Triangle – border of Thailand, Burma and Laos.  Stopped at Donsai at Laos, shopping for “branded” handbags, souvenirs, dresses, etc.    

Bus journey back to Chiangmai and stayed at Pornping Tower again.
[to be continued]

6D5NChiangmai-Chiangrai Tours 13-18Nov2012

Day 3 (15Nov2012)  Chiangmai > Chiangrai

Visited butterfly / orchid farm, monkey training centre, snake show, mix hill tribes village of the long, white Karen, etc.We were amused by the monkeys which demonstrated their skills in plucking coconut, recognising numbers, selling medicine, shooting basketball like Yao Meng.

  

At Mae Tang Elephant Camp we watched elephant show and enjoyed the elephant ride, ox-cart ride and bamboo rafting down a tributary of the Mekong River.

A painting by Charlie

Bus journey to Chiangrai.  Half way we stopped at Hot Spring Village.  There was a geyser that shoots every few seconds.

After dinner at Yunnan Restaurant, we checked in Chiangrai Grand Room Hotel.
[to be continued]

6D5N Chiangmai Tour

Day 2  (14Nov2012) Chiangmai

Visited Doi Suthep Temple on top of a hill about 1000 feet a.s.l. At the temple compound I found an interesting nut brain-like shell.

 

Continued visiting Home industries at San Khan Pang Village where major traditional handicraft centres were located.  Bee products, jewelry, bird nest, umbrella,fan, etc.

After dinner at night, it was free and easy at the Kalare Night Bazaar.You could shop until you drop.

to be continued

6D5NChiangmai-Chiangrai Tours 13-18November 2012

6D5NChiangmai-Chiangrai Tours  13-18November 2012

Day 1  (13Nov 2012) BG > Hadyai > Chiangmai

Started our bus journey from Batu Gajah just after mid-night to Hadyai and arrived at about 10.00 am.  We had time to visit a leather goods factory/shop/bird-nest soup restaurant, all in one location.  Then we proceeded to Hadyai International airport to take a two- hour- AirAsia flight to Chiangmai. On arrival in the evening a double decker bus  took us to  visit the Royal Flora Garden, an International Horticultural Expo site.  This botanical garden was a showcase of landscape architecture with thousands of plant species.

Then, we checked in Pornping Tower Hotel for a quick wash-up before we went for Khantoke Dinner with Cultural show, Lanna-style.

The Kalare Night Bazaar was a stone throw away from Pornping Tower.  It was very convenient to go night marketing for anything or service one could think of.

to be continued.

THE SILK ROAD TOUR - continued

Interesting food !

Coming from Ipoh where delicious cuisines are easily available and affordable, the food we tasted on the Silk Road tour  was far from good, but we ate and enjoyed for the sake of filling our stomachs.  Our usual dinner or lunch dishes were  mostly vegetables ( 9 out of 10 ) with one or two meat dishes, man tau (plain pao ) and noodle.

  

biang biang mee a.k.a belt mee famous in Xi'an

from the sound made when the mee dough beats

on the table while making. Nothing spectacular in taste. 

 A king size version of pan mee .

The Chinese character  for biang is a big mouthful !

Savouring famous beef noodle in Lanzhou.

Cannot even find a piece of beef, just soup + noodle

No spoon for soup, so just hold the bowl and

SLURP ! 

Our usual meal with mostly vegetable dishes cooked in

different style. Fresh water carp was quite common, but

we avoided it because of the many y bones. 

Ayatollahwas the 'head of the family', so he must

initiate the dinner by plunging a knife into

the roasted lamb.Beautiful khazak girls accompanied him.

Expected to enjoy eating the roasted lamb, but we were rather disappointed to 

see the meat hand torn into odd shapes. Spoilt our appetite.  

Connie and the Khazak girls.

They performed a dance. before dinner.