chiangrai 2005 - 26 Phayao

[191205] nothing much else to be seen in Chiang Kham (unless we were going to hunt down Pi Jambii's parents...!), & the Ban Huak border market runs only on the 10th & 30th of each month when the border checkpoint is open for Thai & Lao nationals to cross. & so we moved on...

another bus ride took us through more countryside past Chun & Dok Kham Tai. the latter was once known as a major source of ladies for Bangkok's 'night industry', & Phayao ranks as one of the provinces worst affected by HIV. click here to read more about one woman's efforts to change things.

the province capital of Phayao:



the 'beachfront bungalows' indicated on the map turned out to be these miserable empty structures in dire need of windows (above left). wandered around the streets, in & out of what should be Phayao's most expensive option, & made a few 'mii1 hong4 wang4 mai2 kha2/song2 khon1 kha4/kheun4 la4 thaw4 rai3 kha2?' phone calls from a roadside public telephone to various establishments - Phayao seemed totally bereft of any guesthouses within the city center. & then we discovered Phayao Northern Lake Hotel a short walk away from the bus station - 500 baht for an air con double, in a place that had housekeeping, elevators, carpeted floors, fridge & TV =)





[L] pasar malam & funfair near the bus station
[R] 'rabbit ear' lanterns near the lake

Kwan Phayao - Phayao's main attraction:



at dusk, with mountains of Doi Luang National Park in the distance obscured by haze from burning of rice fields:



324 baht dinner at the lakefront Ann restaurant, with the scrumptious fried fish we had been dreaming about since our dinner at Phu Chi Fa:



evening walk along the lake to the King Ngam Muang monument:




pasar malam & funfair:



khanom beuang ขนมเบื้อง:



with the biggest fattest amount of cream the cat has ever seen in any khanom beuang - it is usually just a thin flat layer. the cat's favourite as a kid, prefer the ones with the sweet yellow egg yolk 'strands' filling over the orange grated coconut filling. khanom beuang yuan is the version with beansprouts & dried shrimp added.

BROKENSTOCK:



there were 'BIRKENSTUCK' versions too, but no 'BROKENSTUCK' =P

calorie-laden fried insects stall:



roti sai mai (lit. bread thread silk):




another Thai snack that brings back fond childhood memories - Mee's mother used to buy this many years ago, & we had fun rolling up the cotton candy-like floss in chewy popiah-like 'skins'. no idea that it is a Thai Muslim snack until the couple from Ayutthaya (where there is a large Muslim community, & where this snack comes from) running this stall enlightened the cat.