Not just passing through

Since the idea of taking a one-day trekking tour fell through(and we didn't pursue it too much), Mario and I opted to take today slow. We've been running on all cylinders for the past 2 weeks, and it started to get tiresome around day 2 in Siem Reap. We've been needing a "rest" day, and sleepy little Chiang Rai, with its laid-back attitude and chill vibe, seems like the perfect place.

We start the morning late, hanging out in the garden of our green oasis of a guesthouse, enjoying a nice big bowl of muesli with homemade yogurt, sipping a cup of coffee, listening to the birds chirping overhead as they peck at rose apples in the trees. I blog a little, and Mario reads his book in the garden.

We take a walk to the bus station, to get a feel for the comings and goings of the place, and how we will proceed for our ride to Chiang Khong tomorrow. We read signs and figure out timetables. One lady waves to us, beckoning us to her bus labeled "White Temple". Not having any plans, and not having thought of this possibility, we shrug and decide to hop on, see where the day takes us. The bus fills up and away we go.

The White Temple, or Wat Rong Khun, is actually a consecrated Buddhist temple, but also an art installment by well-known Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. For his artistic style, think Salvadore Dali meets Antoni Gaudi. The original temple was left in a bad state, so the artist, using his own money, is in the process of redoing the entire thing in a more modern style, but style influence by the traditional designs. His buildings are ornate, covered with whitewash and mirror pieces, glimmering in the bright mid-day sun. The complete lack of any color makes the temple visually intriguing, and the use of modern symbolism creates conflicting impressions. We enjoy walking through the elegant white halls, marvel at the mural, containing icons such as Neo from The Matrix, the Terminator, Michael Jackson. We enjoy the stroll through the art gallery to marvel at other paintings and artwork. The use of brilliant vibrant tones is amazing, and I want to take them all home. I will have to be satisfied with a postcard.

We sip on iced Thai tea while I write a postcard to Liana(the fourth of this trip), then, with the advice of the woman on the previous trip, we head to bus stop and catch a ride back into town. Easy. We investigate a sign that promises used books, and end up meeting a German man who is carefully holding on to the last bastion of paper literature in Chiang Rai. Orn, the store owner, explains how he used to do a lot of business, especially with a trade policy, and dealt with travelers looking to buy and sell those heavy guidebooks to all the Southeast Asian countries. With the advent and subsequent popularity of the internet, GPS and good data plans, people don't carry all the added weight anymore, and his only business are is the expat community, to which he's become more of a lending library. He figures one day, he too will be forced to close up shop, but he seems located in the bottom level of his own house, so probably not for a while, if you happen to be in Chiang Rai anytime soon. Mario, of course, loves the place, diving deep into the cavernous spaces, books piled from floor to ceiling, messages and quotes and maps lining every vacant space. It's a great little space - you should go.

We walk through town a little, making our way to two of the big Wat complexes in Chiang Rai. I love that these temples are so much more functional than some of the big ones we have seen previously, like in Bangkok. People stream in and out for their evening prayers, monks wash down the sidewalk out front, or water the gardens, or sweep the steps. We don't feel like we are entering a sterile tourist destination - this is just another part of a lived-in community, that we happen to be passing through.

The same feeling goes for our adventure in the night bazaar. Sure, the market stalls are filled with hilltribe-patterned fabric goods, elephant pants, breezy cotton shirts and cheezy souvenirs, but right in the middle of it all is a grand open-air food court. Families are pulling tables together, gathering chairs, and sitting down for their evening's meal. Along the sides, food stall after food stall sells different combinations of hot pot: a clay pot over charcoal, filled with flavourful broth, is brought to your table. Along with it, a basket filled with fresh leafy vegetables, soft rice noodles and an egg. You can get any number of meat platters, fish platters or seafood platters, and then you just throw everything in the pot and let it bubble away. You fish out the meat and veg first, then slurp up the even-more flavourful soup after. Not a fan of waiting for your dinner to cook? You can snack while you wait! A number of fry shops are mixed in, with plates of battered chicken, fish and shrimp, or something akin to tempura vegetables, french fries, or any combination you want. We buy the "Integrated Fries", a nice mix of everything including spring rolls. We snack and fish and slurp, and wash it all down with a big Singha beer, and for one night, feel like we are not just passing through.