Our experience in Chiangmai is hard to describe. Don't get me wrong: there was nothing negative about it. In fact, it was delightful in almost every way. But it was so different than what we expected.

Put yourself in our shoes. You have never gone to Thailand before. What expectations or preconceptions do you have of this country? What images come to mind when you consider the poverty, religiousity, pollution and overpopulation of a country like Thailand? Like most others, we had been fed images by TV and magazine of, on one hand, crowded cities and, on the other, starkly rural areas.

So I suppose, in a word, we were surprised by Chiangmai. I have rarely felt as comfortable and at ease in a foreign country nearly immediately.
Staying with Chris and Amy -- having them fetch us at the airport and show us around their new home -- obviously helped enormously. This couple has grown to be dearer friends during our time there. I know them from church and they recently moved to Chiangmai to administer a girl's orphanage just outside of the city. It was special to stay at their beautiful house, dine on an American Thanksgiving dinner, and generally encourage them in their work.

Among all the other sight-seeing, we got to spend a significant chunk of time at the orphanage with the girls. They were excited to put on a show for us -- and we were entertained by dancing and singing as they smiled brilliantly in their tribal dresses. These "high risk" girls had been saved from possible prostitution and just glowed with joy. Each one had a unique story: orphaned by the death of AIDS parents, left to fend for themselves in a UN camp in Burma, found wandering the streets of Chiangmai... After the festivities, we passed out jelly beans and stickers that I had brought from the States. The girls mobbed us! We played with them for an hour and gradually wore down the effects of the sugar.

Since we accomplished so much in Chiangmai over the course of our two days, I'll relate some of the highlights in bulleted form:

• Custom-made suits: If you are in Southeast Asia, it is almost a given that you should get a custom-fitted suit. Chris & Amy have Indian friends (Frank and Veneta) that run a local shop (Fashion King) and own a national fabric distributor. I got a grey-pinstripe suit and hatchwork sportcoat for about $150 all in. Abram bought a fitted shirt and pants for $50. Isn't that amazing?
• Maesa Snake Farm: What a way to spend a Friday morning! For $5, we gained entrance to the farm where we saw all manner of Asian snakes: huge boa constrictors, pythons, a King Cobra, water snakes and a few assorted reptilians. The main event was the Snake Show where trainers danced around poisonous snakes, dodging their venomous fangs. The announcer, a Thai man with broken English, spouted out odd phrases like "Slowly and slow but sure my friend" or "Python dangerous number one in Thailand!". The trainers pretended to hurl the snakes in the crowd a few times -- the most spooky was when he thrust a... oh, only a rope... right into our bleachers. We all jumped ten feet! It was very entertaining and I would recommend the visit for anyone that happens to be in the area -- even if I did ruin the surprise.
• Maesa Elephant Camp: Just up the road from the snake farm was the elephant camp. Another misguided expectation. We thought there would be maybe five or so elephants. Instead, we found just as the name suggests: a camp full of them! Upwards of 50 elephants lived there and walked around the joint as if they owned it. I can only say that the experience was one of the most surreal any of us had ever experienced. Riding on top of an elephant, petting babies, even walking on paths alongside the lumbering beasts seemed like only something one could dream of. If you come to Thailand and do not ride an elephant, I believe you are missing out.
• Baan Tawaay Market: It's great to know locals. Chris and Amy shuttled us up to the Baan Tawaay Market on Friday afternoon. Unlike the touristic Night Market, Baan Tawaay was where the importers and exporters found their wares. Every kind of imaginable product had its own shop here: pottery, bamboo products, lampshades, teak carvings, wicker furniture, purses, hand-sewn clothes, you name it. This was the stuff that would soon find its way into Pier1 and Crate & Barrel. At much better prices of course. Three pairs of slippers for $2.50. Four dark bamboo placemats for $2. Beautifully carved mango wood vases for $5. Carved elephants that were striking ressemblances of the real thing for $4.50 each. The bargaining was fantastic and we loaded up as much as we could.
• Loy Krathong Festival: We were lucky to be in Chiangmai for one of the most popular and colorful festivals in Thailand. The rainy season is now over. It is the time of rejoicing for the weather is fair after the rains. On this full moon in November, Thais all over the country head to their local river where they float krathongs -- small paper flowers with candles on them. People believe these will bring them good luck. It is also an act of worship for the goddess of the water. Small helium balloons with lighted fire are shot into the dark sky and can be see drifting like stars above the cities. The sins of the people are disappearing in the forgotten winds.
• Night Market: The bustling night bazaar in Chiang Mai is the place for bargains. Concession streets hem in the sidewalks where sellers hawk local handicrafts and knock-off brand items. For example, we saw a "NORTH FACF" bag (not a typo), lots of Lowe Alpine backpacks, Rolex watches, late release DVD movies for $3, silk handiwork, Thai hilltribe artwork, and all kinds of t-shirts and carvings. We bargained mercilessly and left the Market with lots of bags under our arms. How would we fit all these gifts into our packs?!

It's just past 9PM here and Abram and I sit in Bangkok at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit in the Executive Club Lounge on the 24th floor overlooking the city. Chiang Mai was an experience (or rather, many experiences) we will not soon forget. We're on our own now. All alone to tangle the concrete and diesel jungles of the City of Angels.