The festive season for me started in Chiang Khong for me on the 20th December with the arrival of old GTR friend Jurgen, the renowned photographer on GTR.
Jurgen had some heart surgery 2 years ago and has only started making a good enough recovery, to be able to travel again. Chiang Khong was his first stop outside of Chiang Mai.
Jurgen stayed at the Teak Garden, but the Tammila & Rin Bar were his priority establishments to visit for friends & food.
The fabulous Lue Lai Kham museum was another place Jurgen & I hit to catch up to Ajan Suriya, the museum owner & his family.
If you're ever passing by and have never stopped, this little museum-coffeeshop is well worth a visit, especially with the very informative Tai Lue history on display.
(Chiang Khong - Khamu New Year - The Tai Lue Lai Kham museum - a CK meander)
The next day we enjoyed a Teak Garden happy hour with Mark & Mim from Bamboo Mexican.
The next day again was a meander downstream along the Mekong to Wiang Kaen. This time with Steve M.
The location here is the confluence of the Ing & Mekong rivers.
The Ing is one of the few rivers in the North that actually flows the opposite to most of the rivers in the North.
The Ing drains the Phayao & flows North to the Mekong.
See also
(Riding The Ing)
In the colonial logging days, teak logs were floated North down the Ing to the Mekong.
Near the confluence then, they were assembled into large teak log rafts to be floated downstream, all the way to Vietnam and the old Saigon, over the next two years!
I also introduced Steve to the hidden gem of the Wiang Kaen skywalk
It was only to be 1 quick beer as we headed downstream, but we lingered longer than originally anticipated.
You can meet the sweetest nurses in the unexpected places.
Steve & I moved on to our digs for the night: the Daisy Inn, right next door to which is the Wiang Kaen Street Pub.
We found it a most relaxing place & ended up having an enjoyable, but nippy evening, as the night unfolded.
Next morning we hit the fantastic early morning Ban Champong Thai-Lao market, which Steve had also never seen before.
It only happens on Wednesday and you should really do it sometimes. It is fabulous.
The market is divided into two sections Thai & Lao.
The Lao section is incredible with lots of ethnics and poor people selling forest produce, plus (Illegal) game that is not so common anymore.
Photography is not allowed in the meat section for '"obvious" reasons.
We saw deer, wild boar, dog, goat heads, dog heads, porcupine, squirrels and a few other "whatevers for sale.
On the 24th my son Jason fled the Chiang Mai traffic mayhem for the 7 most dangerous days, we then hung out low key to stay stafe and alive.
Christmas Eve was a meal at the Rin Bar.
Christmas Day was at the Teak Garden with dear friend Jurgen off GTR, who is finally getting mobile after his heart surgery from 2 years ago!
Boxing Day was a rest day.
The 27th was the old GTR fellah's (me) birthday. I clocked # 72 and still keep surprising myself still going & riding.
Jason & I celebrate with a Paradise Road ride, a run to the GT for a Mekong Pizza & then a Takhong sunset.
A father & son Mekong Pizza natter + noche up.
Takhong & a sensational sunset was next as we meandered back downstream to Chiang Khong city.
Times like these by the Mekong are absolutely with father & son together.
The sunset was a true Had Bai - Takhong stunner..
The Takhong staff latched onto my birthday & improvised with a cake & two candles.
I appreciated the 2 candles most perhaps.
I've been a bit quiet of late, busy, but not travelling much as I still have to solve motorbike issues with 2 bikes, plus get my desktop PC back.
I also got a sharp painful nip on the foot from a small scorpion.
Then yesterday Jason lost his bike keys for 36 hours.
2025 has ended off poorly, but I'm eager to crack on once the long holiday is over.
New Year was at the Teak Garden. It was the only place in town running a party from what I could see.
See (Where were you NYE 2025?)
Jurgen had some heart surgery 2 years ago and has only started making a good enough recovery, to be able to travel again. Chiang Khong was his first stop outside of Chiang Mai.
Jurgen stayed at the Teak Garden, but the Tammila & Rin Bar were his priority establishments to visit for friends & food.
The fabulous Lue Lai Kham museum was another place Jurgen & I hit to catch up to Ajan Suriya, the museum owner & his family.
If you're ever passing by and have never stopped, this little museum-coffeeshop is well worth a visit, especially with the very informative Tai Lue history on display.
(Chiang Khong - Khamu New Year - The Tai Lue Lai Kham museum - a CK meander)
The next day we enjoyed a Teak Garden happy hour with Mark & Mim from Bamboo Mexican.
The next day again was a meander downstream along the Mekong to Wiang Kaen. This time with Steve M.
The location here is the confluence of the Ing & Mekong rivers.
The Ing is one of the few rivers in the North that actually flows the opposite to most of the rivers in the North.
The Ing drains the Phayao & flows North to the Mekong.
See also
(Riding The Ing)
In the colonial logging days, teak logs were floated North down the Ing to the Mekong.
Near the confluence then, they were assembled into large teak log rafts to be floated downstream, all the way to Vietnam and the old Saigon, over the next two years!
I also introduced Steve to the hidden gem of the Wiang Kaen skywalk
It was only to be 1 quick beer as we headed downstream, but we lingered longer than originally anticipated.
You can meet the sweetest nurses in the unexpected places.
Steve & I moved on to our digs for the night: the Daisy Inn, right next door to which is the Wiang Kaen Street Pub.
We found it a most relaxing place & ended up having an enjoyable, but nippy evening, as the night unfolded.
Next morning we hit the fantastic early morning Ban Champong Thai-Lao market, which Steve had also never seen before.
It only happens on Wednesday and you should really do it sometimes. It is fabulous.
The market is divided into two sections Thai & Lao.
The Lao section is incredible with lots of ethnics and poor people selling forest produce, plus (Illegal) game that is not so common anymore.
Photography is not allowed in the meat section for '"obvious" reasons.
We saw deer, wild boar, dog, goat heads, dog heads, porcupine, squirrels and a few other "whatevers for sale.
On the 24th my son Jason fled the Chiang Mai traffic mayhem for the 7 most dangerous days, we then hung out low key to stay stafe and alive.
Christmas Eve was a meal at the Rin Bar.
Christmas Day was at the Teak Garden with dear friend Jurgen off GTR, who is finally getting mobile after his heart surgery from 2 years ago!
Boxing Day was a rest day.
The 27th was the old GTR fellah's (me) birthday. I clocked # 72 and still keep surprising myself still going & riding.
Jason & I celebrate with a Paradise Road ride, a run to the GT for a Mekong Pizza & then a Takhong sunset.
A father & son Mekong Pizza natter + noche up.
Takhong & a sensational sunset was next as we meandered back downstream to Chiang Khong city.
Times like these by the Mekong are absolutely with father & son together.
The sunset was a true Had Bai - Takhong stunner..
The Takhong staff latched onto my birthday & improvised with a cake & two candles.
I appreciated the 2 candles most perhaps.
I've been a bit quiet of late, busy, but not travelling much as I still have to solve motorbike issues with 2 bikes, plus get my desktop PC back.
I also got a sharp painful nip on the foot from a small scorpion.
Then yesterday Jason lost his bike keys for 36 hours.
2025 has ended off poorly, but I'm eager to crack on once the long holiday is over.
New Year was at the Teak Garden. It was the only place in town running a party from what I could see.
See (Where were you NYE 2025?)
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