So I started out my day yesterday shortly after Andrew left for a three day trek of the nearby hilltribes. He was mildly late and scrambled to pack his things, though i'm certain he got off without any problems. I slept a bit longer and casually had a shower, gathered a day bag, and set off for the Smile Hostel buffet breakfast, which I had spotted on my wanderings the previous day. For a modest 70baht (2.30$) I ate as many scrambled eggs, toasts, fruits, and

curried rices as I could. Also, to make this all the worthwhile, I had All-I-Could-Drink coffee, though only instant Nescafe. Nearby restaurants and cafes charge 40baht just for a mug of coffee, usually, and I'm more than sure its instant. In Bangkok they had real coffee, but it was thicker than Ralphs (hey Ralph!!).
After my breakfast I began looking for either a taxi, motorcycle, or bicycle to tackle Doi Suthep, a nearby mountaintop temple. The taxis all wanted 300baht for a return trip, but i had been told that it was only worth about 40baht each way - "don't pay more", fellow travellers said. I moved on to a bicycle shop where I very happily rented a 6-speed bicycle, which surely belonged to an elderly thai woman before being rented to me. Stylish, to be sure.
I glanced at my LP map in secret (A british 'local' told me to stop looking at my guide in public... I began to understand why - the tuktuk and taxis ignore you if you look like you know where you're going...) and started out on my merry way. I knew that Doi suthep was about 16km out of town, but i didn't realize that town was so big. On my walk from the bus arcade on the east of chiang mai to my hostel (on the first day) I got the impression that chiang mai was a simple little town. Well, the western side of town sprawls for some distance, let me tell you! It was a reasonably pleasant ride through the traffic, and the city that I rode past was really very nice - reminiscent of kelowna, back home. I came to the edge of town, where the chiang mai university and the zoo are located, along with several dozen taxis lined up waiting for tourists to arrive from the moated city centre. I had been told to visit the zoo, a personal favourite of the king and queen of thailand, but i would reserve this for the way back. I set up the grade to doi suthep, which is located on the TOP of a mountain, let me remind you. The weather was gorgeous, relatively clear and blue skied. also at least 35degrees, and with the reflection of heat off the freshly paved road surface... who knows. Hot hot hot. the grade up the road was steep, and it switched back on itself many times. After about an hour I arrived at the waterfall listed in my LP, but the 100baht fee and the warning by others of the drought like conditions made me reconsider my waterfall dip. I think it was almost dry... I met some aussies on their way down via motorcycle; they were very quick to tell me just how far away the summit was. Thanks guys. I resumed my struggle up the mountain, on my 6 speed remember. The road cuit through some very beautiful jungle - yes true jungle! Thick as you might see on national geographic, vines hanging from the canopy. Birds made a tremendous amount of noise, squacking and screeching. the insects, on the other hand, made a continuous screeeching noise (kinda like cicadas in japan) that sounded a lot like my brakes, when I happened to use them. After about 3 hours I made it to the top, and parked my bicycle to lock it to a fence. My legs were weary, but i had a renewed enthusiasm, so i clambered up the steps to the landing, where Ithought the temple was. Nope, only shops and restaurants. I looked on, and discovered that the Wat was at the top of a long staircase, apparently 306 steps long, lined with two enormous ceramically-tiled serpents. I marched up eagerly, passing hundreds of older german and french tourists. At the top farangs and thais are separated, as at many temples in thailand, and the farangs are required to pay an entrance fee. 30baht got me in. Doi Suthep is rather famous, i gather, and it hosts an enormous golden chedi (religous dome) that dates back to the 1300's, I believe. Legend has it that the king placed a holy relic on the back of a white elephant and set it off... the elephant wandered about until it found this site (on the top of a mountain) and then it died, having fulfilled its holy task. the site was enshrined and the chedi built. The surrounding courtyard is filled with buddha images and statues, really quite something. After I had taken in the view of the temple, and Chiang Mai below, i went down to wander the market at the base of the stairs. I thought this market was more worthwhile than the night bazaar in the city, and enjoyed looking at the items for sale. I wish I could give more to these people, as they are so kind and look like they really want me to buy something, but i usually hold back. I went back and got my bike and decided to head up the hillside a bit further to the kings winter palace, just 4km further along the ridge. Just past that is a hilltribe village... It was 5pm, though, and after a few kilometers I decided to head back, hopefully beating the darkness and the 7:30 check in time for the bike. I was at teh bottom in no time, probably because my brakes didn't work so well. On the way down I passed about a dozen thais dressed in full cycling garb making their way to the top. I thought this was kinda funny, because everyone that passed me on my way up looked and hooted as if to say "look at the idiot farang!!!". Maybe I was an idiot for trying it during the heat of the afternoon...

At the bottom I found I was too late for the zoo, sadly, so i preceeded home. After checking the bike, and showering the disgusting dirty sweat off of my body, i went across the moat for a buffet dinner I had spotted. For 65baht I ate all that my stomach would allow of really bad curry, terrible rice, cold steak and chicken, and potatoes. This mde me realize that there IS bad thai food. it was only 2$CAD, and it filled me up, so i was pretty happy. I was pretty beat, so i wentback to the hostel and read for a bit before falling asleep.