Chiang Mai is such a change from Bangkok!!! Oh MY Yes!!! 

Bangkok is so fast and busy. For country folk like us it was a bit much.

There is no way to explain Bangkok, you have to be there to really understand and see it.

Chiang Mai is more laid back. Something we feel we can deal with.

We were so lucky to get the host family we did. They showed us all over Bangkok. We didn't have to find our own way.

The nice thing about starting out with a host family is it gives you a chance to adjust to a new culture. Then you feel like you can go out and deal with the rest of the country.

Ok, on to Chiang Mai.

We really like it here. You don't have the humidity so bad. And it is a bit cooler. It is suppose to be the rainy season but there has been no rain since we arrived here.

We spent a couple of days just lazing around. Checking things out , 

Here in Thailand things are a bit slower. 

Everyone knows I am an early riser!! Ummm soooo, I wake up at 3;30 Roy by about 6am we are raring to go by 8am. Not in Thailand. Nope! Nothing opens till 10;30 to 11;30 

So today we got an early start anyway, and it was nice

We hit the trail. We took a tuk tuk to the first temple. Then started walking around.
By about 10 am getting a bit warm , so decided to stop and get some street food where they had tables.

Roy was hungry and I decided on Thai Iced Tea UMMMMMMM guess what! At 10 am You probably don't want Thai Iced tea !!! It carries quite a kick!! Not sure what was in it most likely Rum. But Not what I had thought! 

At least I ordered the small one!!

Ok, the first temple we went to was Wat Phra Singh it was built in 1345. This is one of the most important temples in the city. It house the Phra Singh Buddha. It also houses a school for the young boys that are becoming monks.

Then to Wat Chedi Luang was built around 1400 with several later additions stood some 90 meters tall. It was reduced to around 60 meters in height when the upper section fell from an earthquake in the 16th century. The Emerald Buddha was housed here but removed for safety reasons. A replica made of black jade has been placed in original place.
 
There is a statue of Three kings, close to the temples.

They united together to go against the Mongolian in the 13th century. 

Chiang Mai is a square in the middle of the city. And Wat Chedi Luang is sort of the center of this square. Then the city is built around it. It was originally enclosed by a brick wall and a moat all the way around it. 

Can you imagine way back when. An entire city within a brick wall with a moat around it.
Westerners did not get a glimpse into it till 1586. Some of its original wall still exists and the moat is still there. In the middle of all four side is the original gates.

You can see glimpse of the past all around this city.