Mae Sariang

This weekend Sarah went to Chiang Rai to do some leadership work, and I headed west to Mae Sariang to do some relaxing and cycling where I didn't fear for my life. It has been so lovely! I bought a book yesterday so I could read it in the riverside restaurants this weekend, but it was such a good read that I'd finished it before the bus ride ended. (Water for Elephants...great book) So today after a lovely bike ride through some Karen villages and a hike to a mountain temple, I began Nanny Diaries which someone had left on the guest house shelf.

It felt so good to get out on a bike, breath in mostly smog free breathes, and go for a few hours without seeing a farang (foreigner). At first I was trying to take pictures of everything, but then I decided today could be my 100% "enjoy the ride" day, and I'd capture things on film as necessary tomorrow.

After I got back from the ride, I went out to walk around and find dinner. I noticed all the cafes were absolutely packed, and then I remembered that today was the princess's funeral. I felt a little awkward being the white girl with Nanny Diaries to plop down and interrupt their event, soooo I went back to the guest house where the crowd was a little more mixed but where they still had the funeral on so I could get a sense of what everyone was crowding around televisions to watch.

Tomorrow=early AM breakfast, morning market, more biking, eating at the cafes now that the funeral is over, river sunset, bus to Chiang Mai.