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Thanks all. It has been a great time, so far. It is always nice to have a "native" available to show you around, so I have had a chance to see some things off the beaten path.

Turns out that hotel where I am staying in Chaing Mai has one computer which they rent out for the ridiculous sum of fifteen bhat per hour. That works out to about forty-five cents. I thought it would be pretty well tied up, there being only one and all, but not so far.

Went to a famous temple today, but do not ask me the name! lol It was well up the highest mountain in the country and had spectacular views of the northern part of the country. We also set out to go to the top of the mountain (always thought that was more a tibetan thing, but who knows? lol), but it turns out we were too short on petrol to chance the additional seven km climb of winding, steep road. Tomorrow maybe, since it is ony about twenty miles.

In the temple were many bald-headed men and women and an amazing collection of gold buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. There was also a central spire about forty feet at the base that soared perhaps forty feet into the air, all glistening of gold. (Plated, I would hope! lol) Only problem is that it was wrapped in scaffolding, so I could not appreciate it as well as I might otherwise. I have to admit, though, it was getting to me, seeing all that gold surrounded by dozens of donation boxes asking for charitable contributions. Hell, it seemed downright Catholic! lol

There is a festival going on in Chaing Mai for the next three days, so I really looking forward to seeing what that is all about!

So, I have to ask: Should I feel weird that our first meal in Chaing Mai was at a "Real Mexican Restaurant," where my companion had Nachos and I had a good old American Cheeseburger? lol (Both renditions were surprisingly good, by the way, but DRAMATICALLY more expensive than any other meal we have had in the country so far: Over five-hundred bhat (about fifteen dollars). Dinner tonight, by contrast, was three-hundred-seven bhat but featured roughly a whole roasted duck! Breakfast, on the other hand, was sixty bhat!

Oh well, time to share the computer! lol