Chiang Mai, Thailand

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How can this not be a great place, just look at the three kings that founded Chiang Mai.  What great outfits!  No wonder this place is such fun!

In case you're curious about the sound of singing gibbons, check out this link:

http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Gibbon_Monkey_sounds, then scroll down to "male and female duet" and press play. 

Here we are ready for a swim at our hotel with Wat Chiang Man in the background. It was the birthplace of Chiang Mai back in 1296, founded by the three kings in the photo above. As this was our first day in the city, we did the suggested walking route visiting several temples and a museum, so we were all ready for a refreshing swim (cue applause for Daddy who booked the hotel). The pool seemed to have very little chlorine, probably because it was not popular, seeing as it was "winter". We Canadians were all over it! The air temperature was about 25C and the water was probably 23C.

This was a rare, tranquil moment of adult sightseeing time. We decided that Emma was old enough to leave back at the hotel reading by herself! We toured around the most peaceful and most beautiful wat in the city, with charming, uncrowded grounds (photo below also). The brown building behind Keith is a floating temple. We're not sure why, but it was on stilts in a pond, with a short bridge leading across which ended halfway, so you couldn't access it. Below is another shot from this, our favourite Wat in Chiang Mai. (Before you call social services, I must admit that our hotel room is the one on the top floor behind Keith's head, so Emma could literally call out the window to us).

Emma expending some energy in the pool, while Daddy and Papa enjoy another $1.50 poolside beer... mental note, no more photos which include our bellies!

LEGO!!!!!

I bought this micro lego (it was so tiny that Papa couldn't see it without his glasses) at the Sunday night walking market for 120 baht.  It is a tiger, which is the mascot of my school. The micro lego is so cool. I want to bring it to school.  -Emma

This was a beautiful Wat, although slightly creepy with the very realistic wax monks which you can chat to and as you can see, bring gifts such as water, or a can of orange pop. Perhaps it's easier telling your troubles to a monk who never talks back. -Steve 

The monk on the far right had a marble in his hand. -Emma