“That lives in peace with himself lives in peace with the universe.” Marcus Aurelius

Friday morning at 7:30 am, we are entitled to the luxury of the shuttle pickup at the door of the guest house that takes us through the already heavy traffic to the Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station where another minibus loads our luggage on the roof and fifteen passengers for three hours. Gently nature takes its course and the farms are replacing concrete, when we attack the mountain I remember reading that there would 729 turns between Chiang Mai and Pai. We did not count them but enjoy the lush panoramas.

Hardly got off the bus terminal in Pai, we rembarquons in modern songthaew - 60B per person, negotiated 100B (~2,6€) for two - who dropped us at KK Hut. Our new home, a little away from downtown : a wooden hut in the countryside with views of the mountains. Basic but comfortable and the hospitality is perfect : Free breakfast until eleven o'clock, discount if you stay one more night, a large bottle of fresh water available on arrival. Pendant que Monsieur fait la sieste je termine la rédaction de l’article sur Chiang Mai et nous attendons que la chaleur retombe pour quitter l’abri du ventilateur. If Pai was a quiet village, it grew to only always welcome more tourists, there is surely more accommodation buildings housing. But all is well arranged and quiet atmosphere around the city gives the impression of walking in a contemporary Thai village. We cross the namesake river on a bamboo bridge, surrounded by wooden constructions where several lanterns shine. With the water mill that turns off, there's a little magical side. Then suddenly we are plunged into clean but full of white tourists alleys running between the craft stalls, souvenirs, Food and musicians. After making the turn more or less we sit on the terrace of a small restaurant to watch the activity of the city enjoying a Khao Soi - typical dish from the north : green curry soup with coconut milk, noodles boiled eggs and other chips, légumes et viande – pour l’une et un Phad Priew Whan – pig, pineapple, vegetables in tomato sauce – pour l’autre.

Before entering Pai

Khao Soi, typical dish from the north

Back on the streets, a roasted banana-chocolate-milk concentrate in hand, We retrace our steps and moved to a bar earlier spotted doing the Maitai cocktail tasted yesterday - amber and white rum, jus d’orange, lime, pineapple and grenadine ; it is not Thai at all since probably invented in the US - sitting with four local, are committed conversation with them. Finally especially with the young saleswoman skewers just next door who speak English and translated for other, especially one of them, Fran very enthusiastic but with little English, our seven words of Thai ignoring the conversation. Nous en apprenons un huitième avant que je n’abandonne Monsieur à leurs bons soins pour retourner à notre hutte, enjoying the walk under the stars - I have to see for the first time since our arrival in Thailand.

Dans un bar de Pai

Jack Sparrow à Pai ?

Despite the Circus bar close and roosters who decide it is daylight at night, we sleep very well. What I say to the young woman of hospitality who cares for our wake, The breakfast : eggs, toast and drink - I test Thai tea - is served on a bamboo terrace and discuss with other backpackers.

Pai canyon

Countryside around Pai

We return to town feet to rent a scooter - 100B (~2,6€) - Which seems to stay but we faithfully serves to first take us to a few kilometers south of the canyon Pai, then we drive through the countryside, charmed by some panoramas. Less charming are the elephants we meet along the road, chained pending the willingness of tourists – more information about taming elephants and sometimes fatal ritual “phajaan” around here.

Northwest of the city, after crossing the village of Lisu, we take the height to the waterfalls Mor Paeng where we could have a swim if it was not so cool in the shade of the late afternoon.

Mor Paeng Waterfall

Jam Session

Back to the lodge for a shower and it is that we plunge back foot through the streets of Pai, having decided to stop at every stall offering something that we have not yet tasted. Chicken skewer sweet sauce, spring roll Vegetable Fried, noodle salad with cilantro does not attenuate enough chili and small flat in his palm leaf ends in offering, banh bao to mashed black beans – small steamed Chinese bread – potato puree and coconut, corn chips sausage stuffed with small pieces, spring roll fried banana, traditional roti - so we cheated for it, déjà goûté ! 😉 – roti frit et croustillant, biscuit au sésame. Ce ne sont que des petites bouchées à dix bahts par ci par là et nous remplir l’estomac nous revient au même prix qu’un plat de base – 70/90B (~2€).

Young musicians in Pai

Howlin' Ron à l'Easy Garden

Hier soir Monsieur a rencontré un guitariste qui l’a informé d’un open mic ce soir au Easy Garden Bar. Nous trouvons l’endroit dans une rue perpendiculaire à l’artère piétonne et nous installons pour un mojito et quelques chansons.

Buddha of Wat Mae Yen

Workers at Wat Mae Yen

We decided to spend one more day here Sunday morning and we reserve the shuttle back down again we Chiang Mai on Monday 16 at noon. Meanwhile we enjoy our last hours of renting the scooter to visit the Wat Phrathat Mae Yen and his giant buddha visible from town. The place is relaxing and we stay a moment in the shade of trees, the Buddha's feet, Also enjoying the height overlooking Pai.

Santichon on the left, white buddha off

Crops in Thailand

One last trip takes us through Santichon, a Chinese village, to climb to the viewpoint of Yun Lai. If they ask 20B (~0,50€) at the entrance, they offer tea and banana that is eaten with small fried bread soaked in condensed milk admiring the valley.
We bring the scooter that will survive these twenty-four hours and finally taste the coconut juice directly on the nut by returning to the hut. A last quiet evening with avocado salad whose season has just begun, tempura vegetables and a drink in a bar where live guitarist friend happens again.

View from the hut

KK Hut

For less than ten baht each way, the shuttle back to Chiang Mai is more comfortable. If it takes two and half hours to descend the mountains, it takes almost an hour to cross the outskirts of the city. The driver drops us at the east wall of the old town and walk to the north, discovering the way of new temples and monuments - the Three Kings and Wat Chiang Man, sorry no picture.
Schoolchildren show us our guesthouse after searching on the Internet and we are catching up to offer us there to take a scooter - all gestures because they do not speak English - we assume a smile because we are now only throw.

Three hundred baht later we are in a slightly worn room with private bath a little wet but we appreciate being elongated under the fan after a good shower, this is no longer the same temperature as Pai ! We come away as to cross the old town to the south, up to the guest house where we were there three days to recover Ronald hat we had forgotten in the mini-bus to Pai - thank you to KK Hut and Huen Samila to have found the right driver ! We nibble a food court and returned to the hostel, we still have a way to do tomorrow !

eh yes, le chapeau ne fait pas le voyageur ; même sans moi ce bon vieux couvre-chef se trimbale à travers l’ancien royaume de Siam.

J’ai bien ri avec ces Thaï que je ne comprenais que lorsqu’ils me posaient une question (et il y en avait beaucoup !), le reste du temps ils devaient se foutre de ma gueule 😉
Malgré les touristes, Pai est mon escale préférée ; bonne température, campagne, fiesta !
J’avoue que j’aime beaucoup la gastronomie Thaï, qui n’a rien a voir avec l’asiatique de Cannes-la-Bocca quand même.

Nous apprenons que la France, pays des Lumières et des droits de l’Homme, se referme, se fait peur, veut supprimer des droits et changer la constitution… Ah oui et est en guerre, one wonders if we want to go well ! Well it's safe, il y a des films récents dans l’avion… OK on rentre alors 🙂