Arrival in Chiang Mai

It's pretty great here! Except for the tiger mosquitoes...

I opted for a budget flight since overland methods take a full day. I might regret it later, but I doubt it.

Chiang Mai is in northern Thailand, a popular destination for tourists and expatriates. I haven't met any immigrants yet. The old city is a big square bounded by a moat. The city has expanded beyond over centuries, the old city now representing the city center. It's got an almost suburban atmosphere, with little congestion compared to Bangkok. It's near mountains, which helps its popularity with travelers. Also popular are elephant sanctuaries, ostensibly centers of rest and rehabilitation for elephants, young and old (formerly abused). This provides a relatively guilt-free way to interact with these sacred animals. I'm planning to go one day while I'm here.

I arrived midday, in blazing heat. They told me Chiang Mai is supposed to be colder than Bangkok! I rested in my hostel bed, only to discover upon waking that I had broken my glasses. Man, fuck this frame. I had issues before with it bending and finally the stress caused an irreparable fracture.

I know because I tried to repair it to no avail. I left it with an eyeglasses shop so I can get my lenses put into a new frame. Thus, my first night and morning in this city are blurry. Worse things can happen. Two people in my hostel got roofied and robbed at a shady bar in the outskirts of town. Scary! There are a few morals to that story. Keep your wits when in sketchy parts, of course. Never accept free drinks. Don't carry valuables including debit cards late at night, especially when heading to less populated places.

With vision slightly impaired, I set off to explore with two destinations in mind. I selected a hostel that had good reviews online, some of which specifically mentioned a street food area and a jazz club within short walking distance. Sold! Food was bomb and cheap, slightly cheaper than in Bangkok. Jazz music was fire. The evening started with a trio--guitar, bass, drums--with the club owner joining in on sax as they played standards. The second act was a more rock/r&b group with a vocalist instead of horns. This really reinforced my desire to rent a horn, especially since they have open mic jams every Tuesday. I guess I'm staying for more than a week!

I met a lovely Midwestern girl whom I joined to scope out a reggae bar rumored to have reefers. I didn't smell any, but I did see a ton of white people grooving to Asians playing Jamaican music. It was in a weird part of the old city, with a few ratchet bars, like a mini Bourbon Street. I didn't stop by Khao San in Bangkok, but I imagine this to be Chiang Mai's answer. Still, music was good, and the band featured both a trumpet and a trombone.

I asked both the jazz club owner and the reggae trumpet player where I can rent a horn here. It's not looking good! The best chance may be a pawn shop. Or maybe I can borrow a horn on Tuesday. It'd be nice to work on my fundamentals a little before then.

The next morning has been slow and blurry. I'll pick up my glasses in an hour. Until then, I'll scope out some coffee for hipster coffee and reflect some.

Update: I can see!