| This was my first trip to Asia. I had heard that a lot of | | | | That leads me to preamble number two. My husband |
| "not so PC" things took place there, but didn't think that | | | | and I traveled to Chiang Mai, handicraft capital of |
| I would actually be a participant in an activity that I look | | | | Thailand in hopes of finding wonderful items to bring |
| back on, thinking... "did I really do that?" | | | | back for our online store. We did plenty of research |
| As a preamble, and like in so many stories that are | | | | before selecting a hotel, and found one well rated on |
| predicated by sound decision making, I need to explain | | | | trip advisor. This particular hotel allowed us to meet a |
| the Chang Rating System that was devised by my | | | | family who has been based in Chiang Mai (and thus |
| husband and me during our trip to Thailand. As anyone | | | | provide recommendations for products and vendors) |
| who has traveled to Thailand will explain, one of the | | | | and also featured an evening meal where we could |
| many wonders of the area is that the best food is | | | | meet others traveling in the area and get their |
| enjoyed on the street, made by vendors who supply | | | | recommendations. Here's where things took an |
| tourists and locals alike. Not only is the street food the | | | | unexpected turn. |
| most flavorful in the Country, but it's also the least | | | | At dinner on our first night we met a friendly |
| expensive. It's also accompanied by another fun | | | | gentleman from England who was staying at the |
| discovery - the street vendors ample stock of | | | | resort for about a month. We asked for his |
| inexpensive beer. A street meal, made up of a chicken | | | | recommendations. We learned about some interesting |
| skewer, side dish with noodles, egg and vegetables, | | | | elephant treks, cooking classes, and.... the fish spa. |
| along with a cold frosty, will run you about 180 Thai | | | | What is this? Noting our furrowed brows, our dinner |
| Baht. 6 bucks. And next to the street food vendors all | | | | companion went on about the virtues of the fish spa. |
| over Thailand were massive craft markets full of | | | | Apparently there are long lines for the opportunity to |
| everything from fake high end watches, hand carved | | | | have tiny fish nibble away at your feet, and |
| elephants and rows of chairs with would be masseurs | | | | miraculously do away with years worth of calluses |
| offering one hour of leg and shoulder kneading for 60 | | | | leaving your feet wondrously smooth and supple. |
| Baht (2 bucks). Now these areas are full of people, | | | | Furrowed brows remained. Our British friend |
| crowds becoming shoulder to shoulder by 9:00 at night. | | | | enthusiastically offered to retrieve the before and after |
| I found that as a Westerner who appreciates | | | | pictures of the soles of his feet. An offer and |
| boundaries and a nice arm-length of distance in | | | | opportunity that we respectfully declined. And |
| conversations, these circumstances could be | | | | therefore won't be available for inspection as part of |
| somewhat uncomfortable. I have also learned over | | | | our confession - you're welcome. |
| time that if I am going to be able to get any productive | | | | The next day was the famed Sunday Market in |
| shopping done with husband in tow, it is best | | | | Chiang Mai, and our hotel offered a free drop off and |
| accomplished when he is in a slightly lubricated state. | | | | pick up which we enthusiastically accepted. Just to set |
| So, clearly, a little alcohol is in order. | | | | the mood, a free, or even public paid ride in Chiang Mai, |
| The beer of choice in Thailand is the local brew, | | | | consists of a sitting cattle style in a pick-up truck fitted |
| Chang. Which is like Budweiser's cousin from the bad | | | | with two vertical benches. So we're off. |
| side of the tracks. Same taste, but a little more kick. | | | | Once in Chiang Mai, we came to the rapid conclusion |
| Our rating system, which resulted in optimal handicraft | | | | that our level was decidedly Chang Low, particularly |
| shopping, is as follows: | | | | for the shopping venture at hand. We took to the food |
| Chang low - no Chang, no sale. Much grumbling and | | | | vendor area and found some amazing spicy and |
| querry, "Do we need this." This question does not bode | | | | wonderful Thai food that we washed down with |
| well on handicraft shopping adventures. | | | | ample Chang beer. Once Copa Chang, we ambled |
| Chang High - Not recommended. Could lead to poorly | | | | merrily down the street until we stumbled upon, yup, |
| thought out tribal Thai tattoo applied expertly with a | | | | the fish spa. |
| coconut mallet and sharp bamboo stick in a sterile | | | | Honestly can't say that I noticed a big difference in my |
| road side setting. | | | | feet, and I won't share any before and after pix, |
| Or channeling your inner Andrew Zimmern at the food | | | | (you're welcome again). But I can say that it was fun |
| court. | | | | to get outside of my comfort zone and to try things |
| Copa Chang - Ka Ching! Copacetic. All is well, shopping | | | | that I never imagined that I would. But isn't that what |
| bags begin to swell. Happiness. | | | | makes travel so amazing? |