After breakfast we took a tuk-tuk over to Chiang Mai’s small Chinatown.

At the Chinatown Gate.

Just like in the old town, this area was a rabbit’s warren of interconnected streets and lanes… all chock-a-block full of stores, stalls, and carts selling just about everything and anything you could imagine needing.

Chinatown street scene.

Chinatown BBQ meat vendor.

Chinatown is right next to the Warorot Market (http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293917-i9325-k7261967-Chiang_Mai_markets-Chiang_Mai.html). So, naturally, we had to check that out too. In places it was 3-4 stories deep and had everything from dried fruit to fresh fish to Croc knock-offs to gold jewellery.

Warorot Market

Huge bag of Saffron at the Warorot Market.

Fish? Dried and, um, not so dried.

Meats for sale at Warorot Market.

X-dressing Temple-Queen doll?

Next on the to-do list was a visit to Chiang Mai’s silversmithing district. We weren’t looking for jewellery so much as tools. Eron has a real passion for the design and creation of silver jewellery and she was trying to find some bargains on tools of the trade. And if she got to watch an experienced silversmith at work… well, that would be the bonus round.

Silversmith performing Chasing & Repousse on silver.

Silversmith soldering a silver bowl. Note the foot-pumped torch system.

That evening, Eron and I met up with Rhonda for dinner. Eron found an interesting sounding place to try; the Andaman Kitchen (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293917-d4173642-Reviews-Andaman_Kitchen_Chiang_Mai-Chiang_Mai.html). We got a little lost trying to find it but it definitely was worth the effort. They featured authentic northern Thai specialties: YUM! The waiter was kind enough to warn us about the power of Thai spices; 0 equals “not spicy”, 3-4 was “good for most visitors”, 7-8 was considered “Thai-hot”, and 10 “you (visitors) cannot eat that”. Following his advise, Rhonda ordered a mild “3” Spicy Glass Noodle Salad. Needless to say, after a few bites; Rhonda had drank all her water, was fanning her mouth, and was desperately reaching for anything to quench the flames enveloping her mouth… much to our (and the rest of the restaurant’s) amusement. Rescue came in the form of a banana shake.

Rhonda is rescued by a banana shake.