Another Week

Time is flying by! I can't believe it has been nearly a week since I posted. I do routinely take pictures, but many of them seem similar to the ones from last year. The following photos are just things I have noticed on my walking around. I'll do another post on food soon.

This banana tree is in the garden of a house I pass daily. I left it large so that you can see how small the bananas.

Close-up of flowering shrub.

Does this remind you of India?

Fish for sale at market.

Coffee shop at Somphet Market -- very rustic tables and decor.

Decorative entrance to bakery in same area.

I've mentioned before that there is a large plaza between the one-way roads surrounding the city. Most of the way there is a moat between the roads, but near Chiang Mai Gate there is this large plaza. Every morning the used clothing sellers come in and set up. There are racks and racks of clothes:  T-shirts, pants, dresses, etc., etc. There is a pedestrian crossing from the south side over to the plaza (we are on the south side). As far as I know, this is the only pedestrian light. It lasts 10 seconds. On the other side you just make your way between vehicles. It is generally very slow there, as there are many stalls and the road narrows.

By 11:30 the clothing vendors are all gone and the plaza is wide open. There is a small coffee shop on the left of this picture, obscured by clothes above. In the early evening, it is again full, this time with food vendors and small tables and chairs, all brought in on scooters.

Rice cake snacks for a domino game. Not all that tasty...

Food on sticks. In the back are roasted sweet potatoes.

This little stall is near my tai chi school. I think these are drink concentrates of some kind. I'm not sure what the curly green vegetation is; it isn't always there. There is never anyone around when I pass at 9:40 and 11:10.

Walking along the street near the plaza, I heard a truck blaring something through its speakers (not an uncommon thing -- often it is advertising for a Thai boxing match). When I got to the rear of the truck, I saw this fat monk sitting there and receiving offerings from the passers-by. I've no idea if he was someone particularly special or if it had to do with a special event.