Author: Butty

7.00am pick up by minibus this morning for the long return trip up north to what is known as the Golden Triangle, the small area where the three countries of Thailand, Mirima(Burma) and Laos meet. Laos is actually the other side of the Mekong river. This is the area where opium was sold for gold, hence the name.
On the way stopped at some Hot Springs which was a waste of time, just a shopping area with a fountain in the middle and a hot pool that you could boil eggs in.

Next stop and the main reason for the trip was at the “White Temple” It is nothing grand on the inside but the outside is quite special. It is not old and was actually built in the last 20 years.

Before one goes over the bridge you are in Hell and then in Heaven so must not return the same way.

The site prides itself on the “Golden Toilets”

Onward to the Golden Triangle itself which again a bit of a disappointment. Not a lot to see apart from the Mekong and the shores of the three countries. We did have boat trip across the river to Laos but it was just another shopping event. Bloody tours are all the same but sometimes you have to do them.

Buffet lunch followed and then returning back via an ethnic Burmese “tribe” that have settled in Thailand. Long day with some good points.
Cooking tomorrow.

We decided that today we would visit the Saturday walking street! Yes, we were confused. There is also a Sunday one, walking street that is! Anyway we ambled off, too hot to do anything other than amble. We found the said street and started walking, it was just the same as any other street. So, we gave up and decided to go somewhere else. We found out later that a walking street is when they close the street to traffic and stalls set up across the street. The reason we had drawn a blank, was that it didn’t start until 5pm! We walked around the centre of the old town, visited a couple of Wats, had the obligatory beer, then came back to the hotel for a swim and relax, knowing that the next two days would be full on.
In the evening we went to the same Thai restaurant as we had the previous evening. Tasted some of their other dishes and had a couple of beers.

Left Bangkok for Chiangmai at 12.50pm. Air Asia, great value,very regular and good efficient service. We did have the standard Bangkok Starbucks breakfast – a croissant for one and yogurt for ‘er. Taxi to the airport cost £10 for 30 min drive including costs for road tolls. Paul was about to start asking for the meter to go on, but has mellowed since last time and just accepted the price. No fights with taxi drivers, so far!
Arrived in Chiangmai, and by the time I’d visited the loo, Paul had sussed the taxi situation. Cost us £2.40 to the hotel. Met with the customary drink of mango, and the Thai smiles. Hotel lovely, no restaurant, only 11 rooms, but beautifully Thai. Walked the old city from 3 to 6. Visited several temples, some very beautiful. We were even able to listen to some saffron clad Buddhist Monks doing their evening chanting.
Hotel has recommended a Thai restaurant nearby for dinner, so we shall see what Chiangmai Thai is like. Booked a trip to the Golden Triangle on Sunday, 7am until 8.30pm, it’s going to be a long day

Stopped for a roadside cuppa

Look out for ELF Duck on our travels!!

Very nice authentic interior of our recommended restaurant tonight . Great Thai food with mainly Thai’s eating.

After coffee and croissant at the Starbucks next door to our hotel we went off to a couple of temples we hadn’t seen before. The Lucky ( for some) Temple and Wat Arun.
We had heard about the Ladyboy show where men dress up as girls and do a sort of variety show. So we booked up and went off to the Asiatique centre( lots of shops and restaurants in modern streetscape development) for the 8.15 show. Had dinner before we went.

Ladyboy Show was an experience! Amazing costumes, amazing looking men in heels and skimpy outfits with all the accoutrements needed for their work! Bit weird for us Europeans, but as a one off experience worth it.
Took the free ferry back to the hotel, good day out.

The following fots

The Junk Temple and some of the Ladyboys( they really are all male)

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Arrived in Bangkok after 26 hours on planes and airports. Bangkok is hot and humid 31degrees. Feel a bit spaced out, not helped by the 2am breakfast UK time we had between Dubai and Bangkok. Bit stupid really, I chose spicy noodles, for breakfast! And then suffered with indigestion all day!!!! Unlike ‘butt’ travels usual experience, we were picked up by a chauffeur driven car at the airport and whisked away to our hotel on the Chao Phraya river, instead of the stand up fight Paul had with two tuk tuk drivers on our first day of our last trip. So, so far all is well, except we’ve had the engineer in three times to mend our safe. He’s just telling us it’s now OK for you!!!!
Had dinner on the terrace, glass noodle and seafood salad; stir fry soft shell crabs; and stir fry vegetables with chicken and cashew nuts, served with two huge helpings of rice and three Chang beers. All for £28, and in a 5star hotel. So far so good. Bon Nuit!

Went on a long walk along the coast west to Bormes Les Mimosas Port which overlooks the caravan site we stayed at 15 years ago. Had couple of drink stops there and back.
Beach in the afternoon. Early evening drove to Bormes les Mimosas village and then on to dinner to the top Tripadvisor restaurant in the area called la Farigoulette. Great food.

Left the flat early ( it is rented from today) to drive along the coast to Le Lavandou where we have a hotel for a couple of nights. The hotel is in St Clair just east of the main town with a very nice beach.
Took a walk along the coast to the main town where we had a spot of lunch and a bit of beach.
Went to Chez Regis on St Clair beach for dinner .

Went to the airport to pick up a car we had hired for a few days. Went off to Villefranche and had a couple of hours on the beach.
Drove up to La Turbie for the view before returning to Nice to pack.

Walked up to Mont Boron in the morning, our usual walk,nice weather not too hot.

Left early for our dinner date with Ron and Ingrid so killed some time with a beer stop at St Paul de Vence.

Nice dinner all prepared by Ron. All dishes had a striped theme to commemorate 125 years of the British and Irish Lions, Ron donning a replica rugby shirt.

Sunny day unlike yesterday when we had thunder and rain

Went to L’univers for lunch with Chris and Martin