Odds and ends

Wats are kept extraordinarily clean and tidy. Monks devote much of their time doing routine janitorial and maintenance work, constantly raking and sweeping and cleaning. Bathrooms are spotless no matter the numbers of visitors. Of course it helps that shoes are not worn indoors.

Dogs are everywhere and are, for the most part, shy and quiet and seem generally well looked after. I'm not sure by whom.

Compared to Latin America, life is pretty quiet here. Not a lot in the way of barking dogs, or loud music. I kind of miss the latin rhythms pounding it out but this relative tranquility ain't bad either when you're trying to sleep.

Food has been a mixed bag. Much disappointing street food but some outstanding exceptions too. Sidewalk stalls selling noodle soup, curries, Pho-like stuff,

I picked this place at random at the night bazaar on the basis of there being only Thais there. I just asked for one.

This is what I got, kind of Pho sort of thing with pork dumplings and vegetables and ?

This came out of those big pots, a spicy pork stew and a mushroom something.

This is tao suan, a delicious sweet mung bean and coconut soup/stew made by the guesthouse owner. Big chunks of coconut.

Grilled meat and seafood on skewers are ubiquitous. Typically, several big stainless steel pots are set out containing different curries and stews with pork or chicken, mushrooms, potatoes various herbs unknown to me. A lot of it is very tasty. And cheap. Oh, and always vats of sticky rice.

Quite good coffee. The coffee industry is relatively new here and they're producing some nice beans.

Street markets are very popular and seem to take place at night for the most part, at least in Chiang Mai. There's a Saturday market and a Sunday market and every night there's a night bazaar as well as big indoor markets. Streets are closed to cars and stalls line both sides selling a staggering array of goods: clothing, trinkets of all sorts, food, handbags, soap, jewelry, hats, shoes, most of it duplicated over and over at different stalls. Reminds me a lot of Mexico and probably most third world (or, as Dervla Murphy calls it, "the majority world").