30 Jun 2016
Sketches from Chiang Mai
As I was saying, I spent about 3 weeks alone in Chiang Mai, Thailand last December. I just posted my sketches from the previous week in Singapore, and now here are the Thailand sketches! Honestly they're mostly a bunch of wats.
![An ink and watercolor sketch of Wat Khuan Khama](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7398/27848310381_05974dc0e1_z.jpg)
Wat Khuan Khama (near some of the best khao soi in town, Khao Soi Khun Yai)
![An ink and watercolor sketch of Wat Fa Ham](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7651/27891024176_0e822c8188_z.jpg)
Wat Fa Ham (near the other best khao soi in town, Khao Soi Lam Duan)
![An ink and watercolor sketch of a songthaew, which is a kind of red truck that functions as sort of a cross between a bus and a taxi in Thailand.](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7626/27891024956_b4b3292c61_z.jpg)
I got around mostly by songthaew. You hail these little red trucks and tell them where you want to go, and if you're lucky they say sure and name a price. It's usually ~20 baht anywhere in the old city, and more if you want to go further afield. This is a pretty great deal as compared to how much you'd otherwise pay for a tuk-tuk.
![An ink sketch of a tuk-tuk, which is sort of like a Thai taxi](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7556/27848308711_1a25fb5106_z.jpg)
If you can't catch a songthaew, you take a tuk-tuk. On the plus side, it's just you and therefore goes exactly where you want with no side-trips to drop off other passengers. On the down side, it's an order of magnitude more expensive.
![An ink and watercolor sketch of a mug of tea and a temple](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7429/27891024706_265236d24e_z.jpg)
Bird's Nest cafe was practically around the corner from where I was staying, so of course I spent lots of time there. Great tea, and a view of yet another lovely wat
![An ink and watercolor sketch of Wat Pha Bong](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7378/27891022866_7eaedd8fd0_z.jpg)
Wat Pha Bong
![An ink and watercolor sketch of Wat Pha Bong](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7420/27848309021_3f510f5e2c_z.jpg)
Another take on Wat Pha Bong
![An ink and watercolor sketch of a child playing the drums](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7446/27848309291_f19e11624b_z.jpg)
There were a few kids playing music and accepting donations near the big Saturday night market.
![An ink and watercolor sketch of Wat Fa Ham](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7459/27891023266_f9303c729f_z.jpg)
I wish I could remember where this wat was.
![An ink sketch of a temple](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7610/27313225444_c8acea5dc0_z.jpg)
Or this one.
![An ink and watercolor sketch of a woman cooking under a large vent](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7398/27313225614_4c4f4c5fcd_z.jpg)
I kept going back to this lady, since she was willing to serve me food that was actually moderately spicy.
![An ink and watercolor sketch of fish](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7427/27823794752_7e9a311bef_z.jpg)
Fish!