We woke up in the mists to roosters. It was a happy reset. The town crier was shouting out news updates incomprehensible to us. The Chiang Dao mountain stood strong, and the locals wrapped in sweaters and hats went about morning market and other activities in this “wintery” morning of low 60s.

When in Rome, we we went with the locals to the market and I finally caught the pig! When we’d been in Bangkok, I’d asked our Thai hostess what people do here with pig’s faces as I’d seen a few at markets and couldn’t fathom the purpose. She hypothesized it was just so people would know its pork! And said she hadn’t seen such things. T being ever accommodating held a photo session with the pigs head/face at the morning market so I could provide evidence to our friend. Strangely, he found this photo session easier than my waterfalls pictures, but to each their own.

We continued exploring around on bikes, and as we were in the mountains it seemed a hike was in order. T loved the jungle hike so much he asked if we could visit the temple/Wat instead. Apparently the humid jungle is the perfect antidote to temple fatigue. What a brilliant thing it turned out to be as this remote temple was a favorite. On the 500 steps up, the monks displayed sayings from the Buddha in Thai and English which made for good contemplation on the climb. At the top, we were alone with the shrine and our thoughts, no selfie sticks in sight. It made us both peacefully contemplative, and slow to return down.

Blessed by Buddha or by our innkeepers herbal remedy or completion of his antibiotics, T was back to Thai food. Brilliant! A nearby restaurant was serving up some of the best we’d had delivered by a funny waitress. All things were coming back to order at the and of our time in Thailand.