The Tuk Tuk…

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We spent all of our time traveling in Taxi's or using Grab and just had to experience the Tuk Tuk!

If you know anything about transportation in Thailand than you know that many people use different modes of transportation besides cars to get around. Many drive around in scooters, you can rent them easily and it's not like you have to pass a scooter driving test out there to operate one. Another popular and adventurous way to get around is the Tuk Tuk. It is simply a three wheeled motorized vehicle that is used as a taxi. Anyways, it's a fun little experience that we tried in Chiang Mai after meeting with friends. It wasn't much but use caution and ask the price up front to avoid being told a different amount later. Also, be sure to stress where you want to go and give the address to avoid "getting lost" and having the charges go up.

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Half Day Tour (Bhubing Palace and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep:

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The cost was about $38 and included a visit to the Bhubing Palace and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. We were picked up in a small tour bus that had four other people and headed to our first stop at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. There was actually a lot to see but it was pretty spread out (that's inclusive of little shops and street vendors). The Temple had about 306 Naga steps to walk up but you had the option of taking a cable lift up to the top for a small fee.  If you are not dressed appropriately they do have wraps and scarfs you can use to cover shoulders and legs. When you reach the top you can see a view of Chiang Mai that is beautiful! The Temple itself was a sight to see- the architecture and idols settled in various spots. The Chedi was surrounded by idols of the Buddha in different poses. It is very evident that this is a holy site. The legend attached to this historic site goes: "A white elephant that was allowed to wander freely chose this holy site and signaled its importance by trumpeting three times before it died. In 1368, the first Chedi was built to house the holy relic that it carried." You can take the time to meditate or reflect on the beauty while enjoying the view. We stayed for about 45mins then headed to the Bhubing Palace- which same rules apply in regard to appearance. I had to rent (40 TBH) a cover because my dress had a little cleavage. There was a lot of walking involved and honestly I was under whelmed. It may have been due to the cloudy, rainy weather that started in on us during our walk. The Royal Palace was built in 1961 (in five months) to accommodate the royal family during their state visits to Chiang Mai. It's a group of houses with the palace building sitting on stilts. The upper floor is the royal residence while the ground floor houses the royal entourage. They open it to the public to tour except when the Royal family is in residence (Jan-March). We kind of whipped through this tour and took pictures for about 30mins and headed back to the bus. The whole tour from start to finish was about 4.5 hours (including pick up and drop off). It was a cool way to spend a half of day before heading to the airport. 

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