Good-bye Chiang Mai. Hello Chiang Rai

Guan Yin (the Buddhist goddess of mercy) is visible throughout Chiang Rai. When it's not too smoggy.

All travel destinations eventually have to be left, so today was the day to exit Chiang Mai.  Which, by the way, is now the point farthest west I have ever traveled.

Photo shoot on the grounds of Wat Phra Singh, just a stone's throw from my hotel in Chiang Mai

I know Thailand counts as the "east," but I traveled "west" to get here and I've never traveled in a westerly direction farther than I have to go to Chiang Mai.

Another first?  Thailand is the first country I've been to where they drive on the wrong side of the road (not counting changing planes in London-Heathrow where I never left the airport so I never saw motor vehicles).  Yes, it is the "wrong" side of the road.  In the USA, and every other one of the countries to which I've traveled, people drive on the right side of the road.  What's the opposite of the "right side"?  The "wrong side."  Take it up with an etymologist if you don't like my logic.

The view of the Kok River from my hotel room.

And if I've left one destination, I must have arrived at another.  About four hours north of Chiang Mai is the next stop on this Thai tour:  Chiang Rai.

I did have a snack along the way.

Extra BBQ flavored potato rings.  Quite tasty.  The problem in Asian countries is that when you are in the salty snack section of the convenience store, most of the salty snacks are crustacean-flavored.  Usually shrimp.  But the 7-11 I bought these also had, what appeared from the picture on the bag, to be crawfish flavor.  I thought crustacean-flavored salty snacks was a Japanese thing, but apparently is an East Asia thing.

I am staying in Chiang Rai at the Imperial River House just north of the downtown.  On booking.com, it was billed as a luxury resort.  But the price was reasonable, so I was expecting a rather mild version of luxury.

No.  This is the real deal in luxury resort living.

Huge room with a huge bed.  Luxurious!

And a room with a view of the pool!

Inspecting the pool more closely:

The pool has concrete elephants strategically placed at each corner for ... for ... for who cares?  Does there need to be a reason to have concrete elephants looking playful at each corner of your luxury resort luxury pool?

And it's right along the river.  But unlike hotel that are alongside the ocean, I don't think I'll be dipping any toes in the muddy river.