Chiang Mai Thailand Chinese New Year 2013

I was at Chiang Mai Thailand's Chinese New Year
celebrations.

It was quite the event, although I was most interested in the Chinese food, with vendors selling snacks and grilled meats. I ate some delicious pastries, and had a few tasty Thai iced teas.



The crowd was in good spirits, and everyone was there to have fun, eat food, meet new people, and walk around for a few hours.



The Celebrations were held a Warorat market, where the street was closed to traffic, to accommodate the hoards of New Year onlookers.

Mussle omelets with bean sprouts, onionc, garlic and scallions..

Pad Thai, with whole Shrimp.

Here is Ploy, as she picks out the dumplings.

The real Kho Lipe, Thailand, 2012, in the Andaman Sea.

    The arrival to Kho Lipe is somewhat difficult, I won't lie. It's a long way from Bangkok, and everywhere else.  But once you get there, you won't want to leave.

    I have heard that Lipe is the third most popular beach island destination is the world, next to the Seychelles, and the Maldives. I believe this to be true.  
   
     Lately, with the political unrest in the Maldives,  Kho Lipe must be the second best international island beach destination in the world. 

Sea Cucumber in a tidal pool.

In my opinion, Lipe is number #1, for your budget, comfort, and quality of life.


Lipe is still natural, beautiful, and still relatively unspoiled. You better get there now, while it still boasts its original charm and tranquility.
Its Tidal pools are spectacular, clean and excellent to make close up inspections of the Marine life.

0n A boat trip my second day on Lipe, with a old friend.

I arrived as you will, late in the afternoon, tired, sweaty and hungry.    

The next day,  my first day on Lipe, I took on a boat trip to see the ocean and the island from off shore.

Time with Tigers at the Tiger Kingdom, outside Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The Tiger Kingdom Restaurant, and viewing area are one of my favorite things to see in Chiang Mai Thailand.

It is the only place that I can think of where you can have permission to be this close and personal with some of the big game cats..

I can't believe it would be possible to get the necessary permits and insurance to have a place like this in the Unites States.




That is why I prefrer living in Thailand so much more than anywhere else I have ever been.

There are a variety of Tigers available to be visited, and the prices are fair, considering all of the food and attention that is needed to take care of them properly.

There are baby tiger cubs, which are not scary at all. Look at my pictures.
They are playful and cute, but usually sleepy.

There are two sizes of medium tigers, one about the size of a black lab, and the larger medium size tigers are the size of a big St. Bernard.


The largest size you can touch and sit next to are between 250-300 pounds.

Here is Ploy at the Tiger Kingdom.

Street Food at the Chiang Mai Winter Orchid Festival

It is time for the Chiang Mai Thailand winter Orchid Festival once again. This is one of my very favorite events in Chiang Mai Thailand's busy year. The festival is exemplified by its parade and elaborately decorated floats.

 A portion of "the Moat is closed to traffic, where food vendors and flower merchants set up their stalls and tables. The food is delicious, and the flowers and shrubs for sale are very inexpensive.

I hope that you enjoy this post.

There were so many tamarinds for sale.

Delicious Waffles. I had one with Chocolate and banana.

Sweets, Waffles and fruits

Sunflower seeds to eat as you walked, or lager nuts to chew.

There was Pad Thai of every variety. Do you see the different types of noodles?