The Robb Honeymoon Blog Lives On!!

At least for the time being, we have free internet access in our hotel so you know what that means! The Robb Honeymoon Blog - The Sequel! We are currently in Chiang Mai, a town about 13 hours north of Bangkok. Let us stress that, we are absolutely NO where even close to any of the protests currently going on in Bangkok. The trip to Thailand is a long one. A 13 hour plane ride to Taipei. A 3 hour plane ride to Bangkok. And finally a l hour plane ride to Chiang Mai. This does not include any of the layovers or the 14 hour time difference. We left our house in LA at 9pm on Sunday night and arrived at our hotel in Chiang Mai at 5pm on Tuesday night. Luckily, we gain all of that lost time on our plane ride back home.

So far Thailand is pretty amazing. Talk about stepping out of your comfort zone. This makes our honeymoon in Europe seem like a trip to Boston. The guesthouse we are staying in is fantastic. It is called The Green Tulip and the entire building, inside and out, is a cool mint green. We are on the top floor with floor to ceiling windows that over look a beautiful patio. The owner, Nine, is great. She has been giving us great advice to help us navigate the town and plan our daily adventures.

Last night, we headed out to the Night Bazaar, a well known tourist attraction in the city. The streets basically just fill up with small street vendors selling everything from burnt CDs to clothing to jewelry, etc. It is really overwhelming. The place thrives on bargaining. You glance in the direction of a stand and suddenly you are in a bidding war on an item that you never even wanted. But we've managed to figure out a secret - there is a similar market during the day called Warorot Market where all the locals go. You don't get harassed nearly as much and it is filled with tons of interesting things. I bought a really cool Thai purse for $100 baht - which is about $3.

This morning we grabbed a Sauwngtheaw (a red truck with 2 benches in the back that seem to be our main mode of transportation around here) and headed to Doi Suthep. This national park holds one of the most stunning Wats in the area. We explored the area at the base of the mountain first, stumbling upon some gorgeous waterfalls, before getting a ride up to the Wat. We will post pictures soon, but it was pretty spectacular. Everything shimmers with gold and mirrors. There are Buddhas everywhere and the architecture is completely unique with a massive dragon serving as the banister as you climb the 300+ stairs up to the top.

Tonight we are splurging and attending an event at the cultural center that consists of a big authentic Thai meal along with dancing and entertainment. Tomorrow - maybe a yoga class and elephants.