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We arrived at 5:30 Sunday afternoon to the main street of Chiang Mai where almost the entire population comes for their Sunday night "big night out"...... for the whole family. Chiang Mai is a city of maybe around 250,000 people and about 100,000 turn out each week for this; it is amazing.
The entire Main Street of the city is closed to traffic the entire length and people set up stands, "shops", tables of wares, sidewalk eateries, sidewalk massage areas, Thai traditional musicians, etc.
the entire length of the street. At exactly 6 p.m. EVERYONE stops in place, stops talking, and stands still while a Thai song is played over speakers up and down the street (we are yet to find out what the song is... maybe like a "national anthem", but probably an homage to the King) .
As soon as the song is over, the action commences and the crowds fill the street the entire way, plus there are several places where side areas or squares are also filled just off the Main St.
Our photos are mostly taken at one place in particular where there was a Wat temple complex just off the Main St. There was a Buddhist ceremony in the temple that had the chanting broadcast into the Wat area. Just outside the temple were tons of shops, etc. set up for the night selling clothing, toys, food, jewelry, pillows, etc...In the middle of the wat buildings was an open area that was turned into a Thai "food Court" of sorts.... all kinds of food made right there: sushi, corn with cream/chili (almost) like in Mexico!, fried meats, little banana leaf boats of cooked eggs, and lots of things that smelled amazing and were undecipherable to us. People of all ages and types were enjoying the time and place by looking, shopping, eating, socializing.
All three of us succumbed to the shopping bug and lugged home bags of crazy stuff. Denise and I bought some clothes, some scarves and I found an antique Thai Hmong embroidered bag that exactly fits my new iPhone (gift from Carlos and Annie)!.. John bought a little clay sculpture called "PeePee Boy" that you fill with water and it pees; a little Santa Claus, and something else to surprise annie and carlos. Guys are funny.
Every few paces were rows of bamboo lounge chairs where people were getting street foot massage or neck and head massages..... it was a pretty funny site actually.
Loved the whole thing and the Thai Slice of Life we were so lucky to enjoy.....
The entire Main Street of the city is closed to traffic the entire length and people set up stands, "shops", tables of wares, sidewalk eateries, sidewalk massage areas, Thai traditional musicians, etc.
the entire length of the street. At exactly 6 p.m. EVERYONE stops in place, stops talking, and stands still while a Thai song is played over speakers up and down the street (we are yet to find out what the song is... maybe like a "national anthem", but probably an homage to the King) .
As soon as the song is over, the action commences and the crowds fill the street the entire way, plus there are several places where side areas or squares are also filled just off the Main St.
Our photos are mostly taken at one place in particular where there was a Wat temple complex just off the Main St. There was a Buddhist ceremony in the temple that had the chanting broadcast into the Wat area. Just outside the temple were tons of shops, etc. set up for the night selling clothing, toys, food, jewelry, pillows, etc...In the middle of the wat buildings was an open area that was turned into a Thai "food Court" of sorts.... all kinds of food made right there: sushi, corn with cream/chili (almost) like in Mexico!, fried meats, little banana leaf boats of cooked eggs, and lots of things that smelled amazing and were undecipherable to us. People of all ages and types were enjoying the time and place by looking, shopping, eating, socializing.
All three of us succumbed to the shopping bug and lugged home bags of crazy stuff. Denise and I bought some clothes, some scarves and I found an antique Thai Hmong embroidered bag that exactly fits my new iPhone (gift from Carlos and Annie)!.. John bought a little clay sculpture called "PeePee Boy" that you fill with water and it pees; a little Santa Claus, and something else to surprise annie and carlos. Guys are funny.
Every few paces were rows of bamboo lounge chairs where people were getting street foot massage or neck and head massages..... it was a pretty funny site actually.
Loved the whole thing and the Thai Slice of Life we were so lucky to enjoy.....
3 comments:
It was the Notre Dame Fight Song.
LOL You would have loved it. In fact you would love a lot about this place. Flying to Laos today and really looking forward to that.
The song was the National Anthem. They play it twice everyday in Thailand, at 9am and at 6pm. It's crazy because no one usually moves until the song is over.
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