Family Road Trip: Part II - in Chiang Mai

We spent our morning at Talad Waroros trying to find something for breakfast. After asking around the locals, we ended up at this "Khao Soi" (Northern Style Noodle) place. Then, morning snack with "Pa-tong-Goh" (deep-fried doughstick: 油炸鬼) and Thai tea / coffee in a shop nearby.

"Khao Soi"
(courtesy of P'Yai)
our usual "pa-tong-goh" breakfast
Talad Waroros is one among the most famous local market in Chiang Mai. We usually shop for local food here. Just name it, ไส้อั่ว nothern style sausage, หมูยอ vietnamese style sausage, แคบหมู pork scratchings, น้ำพริกหนุ่ม northern style curry paste, etc. Behind the market, facing River Ping, is famous for fresh flowers.

Famous local food in Waroros Market
around Waroros Market
(Courtesy of P'Yai)
This sign just caught my attention...
It says "This is a car parking lot.
Motorbikes can't park here!!!
(handwritten: or else, you'll get flat tyres <--I'm serious, no kidding!)
After breakfast, we headed out of town to Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand. The first pit stop was "The Royal Agricultural Station Inthanon" at the Km 31 mark on Highway 1009. The entrance is partly obscured by the Hmong village of Khun Klang. The projects cover an assortment of fruit plantations, flower gardens and rainbow trout raising in a pond in its compound.

Thai sakuras @ Doi Inthanon
(Courtesy of P'Yai)
local stalls
coffee break
part of the project
the three of us
Next, we moved to the Twin Pagodas (Pra Mahathat Napametaneedon and Pra Mahathat Noppapol Phumisiri). The Royal Thai Air Force was in charge of erecting these beautiful pagodas to commemorate the 5th cycle birthdays of His Majesty the King in 1987 and His Majesty the Queen in 1992. At the time when we were there, Pra Mahathat Napametaneedon (or the King's Pagoda) was under renovation.

The entrance to Pra Mahathat Napametaneedon and Pra Mahathat Noppapol
(I actually got a bit dizzy here -- altitude sickness??)
Pra Mahathat Noppapol Phumisiri (or the Queen's Pagoda)
Above the cloud!
(Courtesy of P'Yai)
Not far from the Pagodas locates the highest peak of Inthanon Mountain. The scenery was just breathtaking!


Up the Inthanon Peak @ 2,565 meters
On the way back to town, we used the same tactic - asking the locals - for where to stop for lunch. We were directed to this one local noodle shop.... but we all agreed it was only so-so. (-_-')

With my dad's driving, we still had plenty of time left, so we stopped by Baan Tawaii, a huge village of handcrafts. And yes, when I say huge, IT WAS HUGE! Imagine the JJ market for shoppers in Bangkok, Baan Tawaii is something like that for woodcarving products and some other handcrafts over there. I ended up getting nothing though. It was simply too huge!

Aside from Baan Tawaii, we also made a little detour to the location of Thai Royal Flora 2006. Dad heard that even though the event was already finished a long time ago, the place is still open for public. So there, we got to see the place without much crowd. Very relaxing. It turned out to be one of the places I like a lot in our trip this time.

@ the Royal Flora Site

Hor+ Kum
Our dinner was the vietnamese food at the hotel. Yum~. Then, of course, another "Red Car" ride to the night market for final Chiang Mai souvenir shopping. We intended to also stopped by the local famous chocolate cafe, but it was closed by the time we got there, so we made the Tuk Tuk to turn around and sent us back to the hotel. Here is part of the fun Tuk Tuk ride :)