Sticky Falls and Doi Suthep - July 17

I had some plans in place for our time in Chiang Mai but also a lot of unplanned time – and today started as a totally open day.  On our way to find some breakfast we stopped into some tourist information places to get some ideas and discussed them while we ate.  We went to a place that advertised for breakfast and the girls both ordered an American breakfast with no meat, only eggs.  They brought them out one plate of toast and said that was for the both of them to share.  So, we naturally assumed when they brought out a plate with four fried eggs on it, that too was for the both of them.  We were really surprised when they brought out a second plate of four eggs! They must really think Americans have big appetites!

Over breakfast we decided we really wanted to go to the Sticky Falls that Jim’s family friend Dean (who lives in Chiang Mai but isn’t currently here) suggested and to the Doi Suthep temple halfway up the mountain that is a must-see.  Unfortunately, those two places are in totally opposite directions, so we needed to find a willing driver. We called the taxi driver who had brought us to the hotel from the airport last night and he said his wife (also a taxi driver) was free to take us then.  She (Dia) didn’t speak great English but was very kind.  She stopped at a market to show us various foods, thinking we would pick up lunch to take to the falls, but there was little there that felt like a safe bet intestinally speaking so we bought some crackers and the chili sauce she recommended. (Rachel is wanting to pick up Thai groceries for home.)

We continued on to the falls which were about an hour away.  When we got there, we still weren’t sure exactly what we were supposed to do but as we were standing at the top of the falls a guy walked up the face of them to us.  Apparently where the water flows the high mineral content in the water keeps algae from growing so rather than the slippery surface you would expect, the rocks are “sticky” to the feet.  It certainly looked a little scary from the bottom but it is amazing how quickly you start to feel like you are actually doing something totally safe (until you hit a rock where algae has managed to grow and remember slipping down the face of the waterfall is a distinct possibility).  It was super exhilarating – easy to see how you could make a day of going up and down the falls.  We took a short walk over to see the natural spring where the crystal clear water originates.

From there, we drove the hour back to town and another half hour up to Doi Suthep, during which

time the rain starting pouring down in earnest.  Really, really hard.  Visiting the temple without a guide and leaving our raincoats in the car, we didn’t get the most possible out the visit.  It mostly became about walking barefoot through the outdoor temple complex looking for ways to take cover.  One of the main reasons to visit is for the great views of Chiang Mai from the temple, but given we were up above the clouds we missed that part too.

Dai dropped us off and we went out still wet to the Best Kitchen for dinner (their name, not mine).  The food was mostly average.  But, there was a massage center off the back of the restaurant that could not be topped for convenience, so we all got to end our day with Thai massages together!