Chiang Mai

At the cookery school (Chiang Mai)

Finally I reach the north of Thailand and the great city of Chiang Mai. The place is a cultural haven. Unlike Bangkok, Chiang Mai is littered with book shops, music stores and coffee houses. Travellers come here to learn - in every aspect of Thai culture. From cooking courses, to the art of Muay Thai (Thai boxing) - you can indulge in it all. I myself took a cooking course which involved a trip to the local market - where we picked up all our fresh ingredients (most of which I had never heard of before) and then cooked a variety of traditional dishes including spring rolls and northern Thai curry (mum - you would have been proud). If only I had picked up such tips before university where many of the recipes learnt could have easily replaced the toasted cheese and ham sandwhiches which I had lived on for 3 years!!! Oh and of course you get to eat everything you make and so you end the day feeling like a bloated elephant.

As well as my photo's - the cookery school also took some snaps - which are apparently up at - www.baanthaicookery.com. Go to the day - Saturday 23/02/08 and you will see me in cooking action.

A trip to the very popular night bazarr is also a must while in Chiang Mai. The streets are lined with stalls selling pretty much anything you can think of. The prices are cheap but every seller is willing to go lower with their "special price" just for you. You don't even have to haggle here - you just start walking away and they will suddenly half the cost of anything you were looking at!!!

As well as all the learning courses, trekking out in the mountains and seeing local hill tribes is also very popular here but you get the impression that it has become too much of a tourist seen. I have met up with Harjeet again and a load of other people here in Chiang Mai and we are all heading to a mountain (hippy) town called Pai where we believe the treks are a little more authentic.

I'm off now to prepare myself for the big match (Spurs Vs Chelsea of course). So until next time......

Come On You Spurs!!!