Three Photos

Three photos for three little reasons why I love where I live. Photo #1 (above) is the treat for the eyes when you reach the end of the Sunday Walking Street. Since being here, I have been to the Walking Street every Sunday. It includes the three necessities for a pleasant Sunday afternoon: people watching, a dinner that starts on block 1 and ends at block 14, and a massage in a reclining chair on the side of the street. This photo was taken at the edge of the Walking Street, overlooking Wat Phra Singh. It was raining about 20 minutes before snapping this shot. I did buy an umbrella, by the way.

This next photo is of my latest splurge at the flower market. I'm having a weekly affair with the flower market. I know there are a few in Chiang Mai, but I'm sure I found the best. It goes on for blocks along the Ping River and there are little huts where the vendors sit in the back and watch Thai soap operas. I've never seen flowers like the ones here, and the colors are so vivid that they almost look fake. I'm getting into a cyclical habit of purchasing local pottery at a little market near my place and making trips to the east side of town for flowers to fill them. I am such a happy girl when I'm surrounded by fresh flowers. These lovely purple beauties set me back about a dollar.

This final photo was taken right outside my apartment. There is a large lawn right next door, and I walked by the other day and saw cows! Keep in mind, I live in the heart of the city so to the right of this photo is my large apartment building, to the left are some large billboards, and behind me is one of the busiest streets in Chiang Mai. These cows are completely out of place, and yet they make themselves right at home, along with the elderly farmer who was herding them around with a large stick. Makes me feel like I'm in bfe.

There are so many other reasons why I love this place, and the photos and stories will never be enough to fully describe how or why. I've been here for almost a month, and someone the other day asked if I was still in that honeymoon period. People really fall in love with this place like they fall in love with a person, and much less complicated.