Dear Rachel,
Sitting at the Free Bird Cafe, a beautiful little place with roaming cats (see one of the pics) which like to keep me company. The food is good, too, I like the red curry soup with brown rice and the passion fruit smoothie.
I am still not feeling too comfortable, but it has been only a week and I am doing ok, nothing terrible has happened, and I admit it is fun to be photographing again and some of the pictures seem interesting. So far I like Chiang Mai, I can walk anywhere and I found a Tops Supermarket, it felt like walking into Meijer. Upon entering a woman was carving up fresh papaya and said "take some, buy one get one free," so I took two.
I will be changing hotels today, I am waiting for check-in time as I write this. If I like the room I will see about staying a month, the rates are cheap and it is only a five minute walk to Tops.
I have been eating Pad Thai, cost is under $2.
My day consists of wandering about with the camera, napping in the afternoon, editing pictures at night, and writing in cafes. I walk about alone, like usual, that is how I stay out of trouble.
Yesterday I was photographing near the mote as the sun was rising and a monk approached me and said something which I did not understand. He then opened his alms bowl and I looked into it and recognized nothing. I had no food to give so I placed a few baht into the bowl and the monk bowed and chanted a prayer.
Later in the day I wandered into a few wots, they are beautiful with unique temple halls and tall, old guardian trees. I felt a peace which put me at ease and I plan to attend a public Dharma talk.
Glad you are doing well and happy to know Florence has taken to my training.
Here are a few more pics, sorry if I send repeats, unsure which photos I have already sent. Feel free to forward them to your dad. I need to get his letter posted....
