A few pictures from ChiangMai

[landofsmiles]

Okay, so they're not your typical picture postcard variety but you can always find those in a Google search.

Goes great with Pepsi!

Their motto (barely visible in picture): "We Serve You More Than Food".

Where people always know your name.

Damn! Just barely missed out on the free food.

[bargainbloodhound]

so they're not your typical picture postcard variety

Good!  I prefer this kind.  I also have a thing against posed pictures (which is probably why in many posed pictures over the years my tongue has been sticking out.  8) ).

Pita Schnitzel sounds interesting...

[stardust]

Those are great, Bob.  More, please....

[Anita]

Keep 'em coming, Bob.

[diger7]

Nice pictures Bob!

[stardust]

I especially like the Pot Plant sitting on the porch of the first pic.  HA!

The 4th pic, referring to the 2-hour wait to be served your meal, could very well have been taken in Taos, NM.  Same exact scenario, except they don't announce it -- that's just the way it is...although they would really prefer *manana*.

Heh.

So, what's Chawarma?  Anyone?

[landofsmiles]

Chawarma is thinly sliced steak mixed with spices.

My time is running out here so I don't know if I'll have time to take more pictures. Last time, going through U.S. Customs, they checked out every picture on my computer and in my camera. I felt so violated! Fortunately, I had been a good boy and didn't have anything nasty to show.

I have been to Thailand probably 30 times now and I always wanted to do a coffee table book of funny and interesting signs. Of course, that's another thing I'll probably never get around to doing.

On the subject of "manana", the rest of this week is pretty much taken up with manufacturers missing my deadlines and my begging the shipper to give me a few extra days. Here they say, "MaiPenRai", loosely translated to mean, "No problem".

I have never encouraged any of my kids to follow in my footsteps, and fortunately none of them have.

[xppman]

Thanks for sharing Bob.

You just brought back some wonderful teenage years for me.
I'm glad I had the opportunity then to see and experience some places
outside the States.

All the places we went. We NEVER took a postcard guided tour.
We walked the streets, took trains or buses or rented a car.
I think we got to see some awesome places and meet some cool
people. I always have liked the idea that we got to
see the real deal of those cites
and how it's people lived.

God I miss the versions of Chawarmas we got in Saudi Arabia
when I lived there as a kid too.
Steak, lamb, goat, camel.
Whatever was available.
Of course we never knew for sure what was in those slow roasted spiced
things cooking on a rotisserie on just about every other corner of the downtown
market district of Jeddah. Could have been dog or cat for all I know.

They closest thing I can describe them too is A Gyro.
But they were yummy and the Pepsi or Kaki Cola made them all the better.
(Kaki Cola was coca Cola until the Saudis kicked out the company and
took over their operations plants around the contry after the 7 day war).

[amy]

All the places we went. We NEVER took a postcard guided tour.
We walked the streets, took trains or buses or rented a car.
I think we got to see some awesome places and meet some cool
people. I always have liked the idea that we got to
see the real deal of those cites
and how it's people lived.

That is the best way to travel. I live in a city that is visited by millions of tourists every year, but the majority of places they visit when they're here are places that the average New Yorker rarely goes.  They're missing out on experiencing the real city.

[regic]

Is that 2 hours for delivery or is that how long it takes the waiter to bring you your food?