Cycling Mae Suai to Chiang Kham

Many things were at the temple, and most of them were blue.

Day four of this little trip, looks like an easy one on paper, only 50 km, this is good as I feel a bit tired.  Well, no help for it, and before long I am into the hills again, but it isn't too strenuous.  The road I'm on follows the River Lao, a substantial watercourse which actually flows north to join the Mekong rather than south through Thailand.  So, my route is flat enough, and indeed more downhill than not - very pretty too, the only downside being a lengthy section where they are widening the road.  And after a while I hit flat terrain, an easy few km from here to Chiang Rai.  I've been here before a couple of times, never by bicycle though, good to be back anyway.  Off to a bar near my hotel, and they are having a concert, well that works for me.

Chiang Rai seems a good place to take a day off, not least I feel a bit broken after days of mountain riding.  Plenty to see here, although annoyingly the most famous attraction, the White Temple, is some 16 km away, I rode past it yesterday but I really don't have the energy to go back.  Well, there is a Blue Temple too, or to use the real name, Wat Rorng Siua Dten, that is, 'dancing tiger creek temple'.  It is just north of the city, and indeed, very blue.  From there, a quick ride along the River Gok (yes, usually transliterated as 'Kok', haha, but Gok is closer to the actual pronunciation), and I am at the 'Reed Garden'.  This is a park near the university, and it was recently the location for the city's flower and art festival - while titled the 2023 festival, it ran from December 30th to mid-February.  There are still many flowers, and indeed art installations such as a giant tortoise, well why not.  Do I find another bar with live music in the evening?  Yeah, maybe...

It is a tortoise of unusual size.

Back on the bike then, for a long day, 80 km, but not a problem after a rest.  My route takes me along minor roads with little traffic, through a part of Thailand unlike any I've seen.  It's dry, almost arid, there are fields of plowed dirt, and wooded areas seem kind of sparse, unlike the lush jungle I'm used to here.  Unsurprisingly it is not a densely populated region, just a few small villages which at least is enough to keep me supplied with fluids.  My destination today is Chiang Kham, I was here 5 years ago, on my way to my failed attempt to cycle into Laos...  Seems like the place has grown a bit, I can't find the bar I went to then, it might be shut in fact, but not a problem, easy enough to find another.  They provide me with beer, tort man bplaa, and 'cheet born' - that is, fish cakes and cheese balls.

Not sure it rains much here.