Tuesday evening, December 30, 2014 Arrival in Chiang Mai

On arriving in Chiang Mai, waiting for luggage, and getting a taxi to the 3-Sis Guest House, I checked e-mail and phones, and found several urgent messages requesting some work be done that was considered business-critical. So I signed on and got the processes started. There were two separate set of processes needing my attention. A challenge arose with the internet provider. The 3-Sis has a new internet provider, with higher bandwidth and general internet access is faster. But there are some things apparently being blocked or for which there are conflicts while I am connected to the HealthCare Partners VPN. When connected to the VPN, Skype is not working well, although it works very well when I am not connected to the VPN. Telnet and FTP directly to the systems I manage also do not work while connected to the VPN. The workaround is that (fortunately) Remote Desktop is working, so I can use the computer in my office as a launching point to perform work activities while at 3-Sis. I believe this to be an internet provider problem, because everything worked just fine from the hotel in Bangkok. I continued monitoring and working the processes, and it was after 4:30 AM (Thailand time, 1:30 PM Pacific Time)before things were in a stable state for which I felt all right signing off. Long day and night, but productive.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 First Day in Chiang Mai

Today is my first full day in Chiang Mai. I slept well, but am still feeling as if the cold I had is not entirely gone, or maybe a new bug has infiltrated my space, or maybe working most of the night left me generally fatigued.

I walked around some parts of the old city, some of my favorites: The Three Kings Monument, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Meng Rai, then out to Wat Suan Dok.

The Monument to the Three Kings who laid out and built Chiang Mai in the late 1100s. I just love their attitude in this sculpture, proud and confident. King Mengrai is in the center, King Ngam Muang of Phayao on the left, and King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai on the right.

The square in front of the Three Kings statue was being re-constructed last year, and that work is complete. More pictures later.

One of the sentries at Wat Chedi Luang. This house and its partner are seldom noticed, but have always been there, guarding the corners of the entrance.

The great chedi at Wat Chedi Luang from approximately where I set for a morning mediation each morning before breakfast. I love its energy, large, strong, and powerful.

The chedi was built in about 1350, made higher in the later 1400s, and massively damaged by an earthquake in 1545. The chedi was the largest structure in Lanna (northern Thailand) until modern times. some restorations have been done, but because there is no documentation of what the top looked like, it is left as is because to restore it improperly would be to dishonor it.

I continued to Wat Meng Rai, named after King Mengrai, This is not a terribly old or special temple, but I love the artistry of the thewada (angelic beings that live in the heavenly realms) on the old viharn (worship hall). A couple from England took the picture of me squinting in the bright sun.

Here are the carved doors showing the thewada balancing on an elephant and each other. Thewada are basically angels, and have no gender. Some appear male, and some female. These appear more male, while the paintings on the sides of the viharn appear quite female.

I also walked all the way out to Wat Suan Dok. when I returned to my room at 3-Sis, I was very tired. I lay down for a short nap at about 6:00 PM, and awoke to the loud explosions of the fireworks at midnight. I was just too tired to rush out and watch, so I rolled over and continued my slumber.

Sporadic fireworks continued until well after 4 AM — the Thai people love the New Year’s celebration and continue well into the night.

Next: The New Year in Chiang Mai