Chiang Mai, day 6

Euro 691
add to the tally 70+30 dinner and tip to two special waitresses and 150+50 for a special masseur and the new total is 697 Euro.



Let me tell you why they are special.

Tonight I wanted to try some places around where normally you don't see any Farang (foreigners). One is a sort of restaurant/home on a busy road advertising some special meals and some vegetarian specialities. I decided to enter and I was greeted by two young ladies. One is 7 and another one is 10. Both could speak a bit of English, sign that they are those in charge of the foreigners. They have given me the menu and pointed at the drinks. I have taken a milkshake. They could not stop laughing at me. They were excited and could not hide it. While the older one was making my milkshake with pineapple and apple, the younger one was pointing at some food I would have liked on the menu. She pointed at French fries, burger, pasta Bolognese and so on... All farang food. I told her that I liked Thai food and she just ran to the other girl to tell her something. The older one came with my milkshake while the lady I thought was the owner was feeding, next table, her little dog with a spoon from a plate. A little dog, a Pekinese with a little tutu like dress. I ordered some rice with chicken (green) curry and some bean curd with soya beans rice. Before I pointed at something else but the small waitress was making funny faces. It was obvious that she didn't like it so I should not have it.

When the order was placed she went back to the other little girl and they shared some milkshake left over from making mine. More or less another half big cup (Venti size for those who know Starbucks measurements :D). The food is arrived and they were eating something too while the old lady, the grandmother, was still spoiling the dog that now was on the counter, and no longer at the table next mine.

When I finished I asked the bill and, with the calculator, she showed me 70 so I gave the little one 100 and when granny gave me 3 back I have given to the other one and explained with the hands that it was for them two... They were ever so happy and bowing at me endlessly. I am sure that they will be happy to see me back.

On the way back to the hotel I have stopped for some foot massage. 150 baht for a one-hour session.

From outside looked much nicer, I must say, once inside it was just a bare room with a TV set, an Air conditioner, a few chairs here and there, none of them proper massage chairs, a big fat Thai lady and a pleasant 45/50 years old lady with glasses covering her whole face. All you could see was this big pair of glasses and an even bigger smile. I liked her, I decided to go ahead with the massage. She put on some soft music to create some atmosphere while the chubby lady was playing with her mobile ring tones and laughing. the masseuse was clearly not a qualified one and she tried her best hurting me as much as possible. It's funny but when they see me they think that they can hurt me as they please! So, between a ringtone and a Circle of Love pan version, the massage was going ahead. The sequence was absolutely unpredictable. No links or connection between moves and some techniques repeated "ad nauseam"... Between the first and the second leg here he comes a 10 years old boy, the son of the owner which I haven't seen during my hour there, that comes, switches the TV off, takes a sort of stool from under my foot and sits in front of the TV watching a Thai soap opera. "My" lady turns and starts watching TV forgetting completely that I am there and caressing my foot, rather than massaging it. The fat lady has stopped playing with the mobile and sat in front of the TV, on the floor, while the mobile was ringing and ringing without anyone picking it up. Every missed call there was a message notification "there is a message for you, there is a message for you" the tone of the message increased until the voice shouts the same sentence a few times... In vain...

The lady realised that I was still there and told me something like "It's a very important episode and I must watch it because my 81 years old mother cannot see anymore and I have to explain to her what happened when I go home". I must admit that I was so amused and I told her to keep looking and if she wanted we could have turned my chair so she could do both things at the same time. She was really pleased and accepted. In the meantime the other stool had gone. A 60-odd years old lady comes from the back of the "shop" and takes it and sits in front of the TV close to the young boy. We were all watching TV. A father hugging a son and crying, a man sad because a lady in yellow, beautiful like a contest pageant told him off and so on. when the show is over, my massage is over too. not sure how long it was but, for sure, this massage will be unforgettable. Please come again, she said. I doubt I will go back but I gave her 50 baht tip because of the entertainment and the honesty. Not only about the mother but even when she said, patting my foot "Am I good? I don't think so". I replied that she was really good and she said "I learned alone, looking at people doing it. Thank you".

Thank you! and goodnight friends!
Goodnight from this amazing place.