Walking to Market, Part 2

When I leave our room on the 4th floor, I take the elevator down and walk through the lobby to the street. This is nominally a two-way street, but it is quite narrow. Here is a view looking north, the direction I'll be walking. it is not usually this busy! Note the lack of sidewalks and the group of monks walking along. (By the way, traffic in Thailand drives on the left.)

At the first corner is the Baan Bakery, a very popular spot. The inside is packed full and people are waiting to get in just to order. It is open from 8 to 3 and a lot of people go there for breakfast. They have excellent pastries but I haven't been in yet this year.

After I turn the corner at the bakery, I walk on a much quieter street. This woman roasts bananas every day. We nod and smile. I tried them once some years ago, but we didn't care much for them (I think they are different type of banana than we are used to).  She has been there ever since we started coming here in 2015.

At the end of the cross street, I turn right. The corner unit has been many things -- Baan Bakery was here, then a restaurant. Now it is a modern laundromat. We take our laundry to a service, which is quite inexpensive. There is another similar laundromat about a block further on.

On the main street heading up towards Chiang Mai Gate, there is an enormous motorcycle/motor scooter dealership. They provide rentals, too. They have so many bikes that the big interior warehouse area is full and they cover the wide sidewalk area. At night the outside bikes are covered with huge plastic tarps. About the time I go by, the tarps are being removed and folded up.

Right after the bike shop is a big hospital and then a group of four small restaurants in a row. Cowboy, Guitar, and Friendly are three of them (not sure of the name of the first). We have patronized the Guitar Bar several times.

Finally I arrive at the corner of the main road that runs along the moat (which encircles the walls of the Old City). The west-flowing traffic has a pedestrian crossing here with a light. The view below is actually looking back toward the way I have come, with the market area behind me. Notice that bikes also wait here to join the traffic flow. Once I have crossed here to the island area, I have to make my way across the east-flowing traffic on the other side. Fortunately, it moves slowly and drivers are kind to pedestrians. You have to just take your chances!

The island between the two sides of the road is full of restaurant booths in the evening, but has a used clothing market in the morning.

The round-trip walk to the back of the market where I get fruit is about a mile. I usually buy two or three mangos, which we will have for lunch (they are large enough to share). Regular purchases include lettuce, papaya, bananas and pomelo.