Nice to meet you...I'm Chiang Mai. Now... get out of the way.

After repeated requests by family and friends to meet one of our good friends, we have finally been able to agree upon a date when we can all sit down and enjoy a coffee and light meal together, for acquaintance's sake. We have procured a caterer for the event, complete with dessert buffet and a cash-bar. To date, the effort to organize such a massive meet-and-greet has been laborious. But, for all the hours of toil and sweat, for all the late nights and rescheduling, things are finally materializing. And the event is on! Thanks everyone for coming! It's so nice to see all of you! And we could not be more excited! Without further commotion, without extended rambling, I would like to begin. Friends, family, random on-lookers, and eavesdroppers alike, please meet our dear friend, the delightful and unreasonable Chiang Mai! Isn't he a fascinating mix of beauty and modernity?



Before you all get acquainted and everyone hits the cash-bar, I'd like to recount our own introduction to Chiang Mai. Our first 24 hours together could be considered interesting, or maybe grotesque, or maybe idiotic. That is for you all to decide. Please be patient...you might even learn a thing or eight! If you must use the restroom, now would be the best time to do so. And don't worry! The staff will be around to refill your refreshments whenever necessary. All we ask is that you please tip your server. It is a good rule to always take care of the help. When someone else prepares and serves you food and beverage, it is best to give trust first in the form of cash reward, instead of expect it second. It's a smart investment. After all, we've never known a good tipper to succumb to food-poisoning. So, here goes:

Somewhere between January 7th and 14th, 2010, we arrived in Bangkok. Our memories of that time are foggy at best. Then, with the help of providence, we traveled to Chiang Mai in the dim recesses of jet-lag. (24 hours in Bangkok is all we recommend to travelers. Sprawl and smog are only so appealing.) After checking-in to our guesthouse, we needed some sustenance. Taking a map from the lobby of the guesthouse, we figured it would be easy enough to find a restaurant, even in the dark. Just a few blocks from our guesthouse, we met Chiang Mai for the first time, and dumb and naive, we made a bad first-impression.

(Sidenote: If someone is trying to learn the culture and laws of a new land, upon introduction the culture and laws act like bullies, hazing you to test your grit and loyalty. It is best to not act offended when you fail in their presence, and when they subsequently rub your face in that failure. Just bow, apologize, and try again. At first, we acted like ignorant tourists, because that's what we were. With time and experience, the hazing stopped, and we were respected as longterm guests. But, let's get back to that first night and our initial introduction to Chiang Mai. There are some lessons to teach.)

Instead of meandering through the events of our first excursion within Chiang Mai, we decided to divulge the outcomes in the form of some lessons-learned. To list:

Lesson 1: look right first when you cross a street in Chiang Mai, then left. Getting run down by a scooter looks bad on the resume. Lesson 2: wear proper walking shoes, if you decide to walk. (It is not recommended to walk. Sidewalks end abruptly and without reason. Then you are walking on the street. See: Lesson 1.) Sidewalks are more like advertising space than footpaths in Chiang Mai, so you must be prepared to get nimble and use your athleticism to climb around signs as wide as the sidewalk. Also, a thick sole is ideal to help combat the sporadic out-croppings of re-bar and metal shards stabbing through the concrete. It is also a safe-bet that you will encounter broken glass. Lesson 3: look down when you walk. Lesson 4: do not expect streets to be labeled, to run straight, or to take you anywhere. And also do not expect a map to tell you where you are. Maps do no good unless you know where you are to begin with. It is also difficult to read a map in the dark.

So, our first night we were hungry, partial brain-dead form jet-lag, wearing flip-flops, and assuming we were close to the old city and to a vegetarian restaurant. Chiang Mai laughed at us that night. Eventually, we had to ask some Pharangs (Westerners) where we were. "Umm...excuse me...do you know where we are?" The Pharangs were helpful, but Chiang Mai was facetious: "You are in Thailand," he giggled. Thank goodness we know how to wear smiles in the tough times, and to laugh away our anxiety. Chiang Mai responds very well to smiles, even if the smile covers poor intentions and/or idiocy. Lesson 5: smile and smile some more. Things will be alright.


We learned where we were and eventually found the old city, which houses a plethora of restaurants and food cultures. Chiang Mai's big brother is the old city. It is surrounded by a moat and brick wall that dates to the 13th century. "Chiang Mai" means "new city," and it became the "new" capital of the Lanna kingdom in 1296. The wall and moat were built to protect the city from Burmese invasions, but their success in so doing is disputed. Chiang Mai remained the capital for only a short time, and over the centuries has changed ownership many times. Today, Chiang Mai is the place where Thai people want to live. In America, people work all their lives to retire and buy a home in Florida or Arizona. In Thailand, people work and save to retire in Chiang Mai. It is the spiritual center of Thailand. And if you give Chiang Mai a piece of your heart, it will open its heart and spread its secrets without prejudice. Chiang Mai is a generous spirit, even though his sense of humor can be misleading.

Finding the old city was a victory, but we were defeated again quickly. After a solid hour of hoofing it in circles through old town, we finally found the vegetarian restaurant we were looking for. It was 8pm, and the garage door was closed. (Sidenote: businesses are generally housed in "stalls" on the street level with apartments on the second floor, and when a business closes for the day, it merely rolls down the stall door, like a garage door. Hence the comparison.) The restaurant was closed for the night. It was only 8pm...what gives? Lesson 6: businesses open and close when they want to and do not abide by set hours posted on the internet, so have a back-up plan, or three, prepared. Allison said, "Ugh...fine. Let's just go any where to eat." We found a place a few blocks back, had a beer, some spring rolls, and some curry, and regained our strength enough to walk home. Our first day in Chiang Mai was finished, and we were excited to confine ourselves to our guesthouse for the rest of the evening. Being human, we can only handle so many mistakes in one day. We had lost. Chiang Mai had won. So we sulked, slept, and prepared to do battle again the next day. Our reputations were at stake, and we did not like Chiang Mai laughing at us.


The next morning, we were introduced to our first street dog. Allie was the first to notice. She said, "Oh no!...look! A dead dog!" It was odd to see a dog in the middle of the street, so we approached with caution. A car swerved around the body, and Drew noticed a slight movement of the tail. Not sure, what to do, we stopped. Drew kept staring, searching for a sign of life, while Allie checked the map. After 3 minutes, give or take, Drew noticed life. The dog rolled over. Drew proclaimed, "Nope...not dead, just napping." The street dogs of Chiang Mai are a down-trodden and rotten crew, even if they appear playful. No wonder they are considered the lowliest of beasts in Thailand. It is routine to see dogs sleeping in the streets, or to have dogs bark and chase after you on your bicycle. If you get concerned, just stare them in the eyes and let them know who's boss. A good, hard, "Hey!" usually does the trick. Lesson 7: be wary of dirty street dogs, especially when they roam in packs after sunset.


Lesson 8: In Chiang Mai, rats are huge, houses have lizards instead of mice, and geckos bark. Tread with caution.








There. You all have become privy to our first 24 hours with our new friend. All told, there have been many ups and downs during our short relationship with Chiang Mai, and he hasn't always been helpful. But, for the most part, Chiang Mai has been kind to us. And we've only been here 9 weeks, so there is much else to learn. Thanks everyone for listening. And now, without further ado...here is Chiang Mai! He does not shake hands, so don't be offended. And don't be offended by his playful spirit. He means no harm! We hope you like our new friend. Don't be bashful...start a conversation! Now, go...and enjoy!















Postscript:
The first week flew by. We were taking our time building our new relationship with Chiang Mai, as is best when making new friends. After 5 days or so, we found a new apartment, where we have been ever since. It is small, but you shouldn't need much space when you live out of a suitcase. We have several plants, a balcony, and a desk. We also have internet and cable tv, complete with a couple English-language channels. We find little to complain about, except eachother :). And now that it is the hot season, we experience rolling "sun-outs." Thailand, instead of advertising power shortages and "rolling blackouts," instead blames the sun for power shortages during the hot season, hence the term "sun-out." Last Sunday, we were out to dinner when the power went out in the restaurant. At 8pm on a Sunday night, no less. We made due. It was nice to have a romantic, candle-lit dinner for a change, even though that also meant that the aircon was powerless and we were dripping wet with sweat. And we got some complimentary sushi out of the sun-out, too.


We are both working...finally. Allie is working at 2 different dance schools teaching ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance. She also choreographed a piece for one school's upcoming performance of "Sleeping Beauty" at the end of March. Drew works for a law firm and a language school teaching English. Besides that, we are hunkering down, saving money for our eventual travels before heading home. After all, neither of us has had a job since October. The vacation is over, for the moment at least. Thanks to everyone for your advice and support. We are truly blessed to have so many great friends and family members to help us through the tough times. As always, we have more to tell. Get ready...things are getting exciting.