School Yard Fights and Tatoos

Chaing Mai
I remember when I was 16. I was getting in to fights. I just didn't think I could do it with thirty screaming Thai gentlemen betting on me at midnight on a Thursday night. Muy Thai boxing is a force to be reckoned with. These guys are tough and can take a beating. We went to a run down warehouse or "stadium" as it is undeservedly called to watch a match. It was incredible. The champ of the night was a white guy from New Zealand, which I am sure gave the Thais there a huge sense of pride. The hunger, and heart of these guys was amazing, to fight in such conditions for the hope of recognition, or honor is a far cry from the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas fights we watch everyday.
I spent the rest of the night planning the following day in Chaing Mai, as we had free time. I had a large group coming with me that all bailed when they awoke to their Muy Thai boxing hangovers. It was me and my new friend Renee, who is an adorable girl, with a good sense of her spirituality. If only she wasn't 19. Together we explored the temples of Chaing Mai. Chaing Mai is known for its temples which are interspersed throughout the city. We managed to make it to three separate ones, the names escape me, but there were awe inspiring. All in the name of Buddha. We found a restaurant that had been listed in Lonely Planet, it was next to one of the larger temples, and was easily the best food I have had here yet, and certainly qualifies as one of the best meals of my life. We had a papaya salad, that was spicy, sweet, and covered in peanuts. So many flavors, so incredible. Later in the afternoon me and Renee decided to get adventurous and try a street drink. We ordered watermelon. The woman furiously threw about twelve things into a cup, with each scoop of mystery ingredients mine and Renee's gasps got loader and more intense. When it was finished with a scoop of what appeared to be brown water, the look between us was priceless. Needless to say we each took a sip, and threw it out for fear of Montezuma's first cousin Khan from Thailand taking revenge on us.
The day was finished by boarding our night train back to Chaing Mai, I slept better this time - it may have had something to do with the 80 proof bottle of rum I drank.

My time is running out on here, and I am paying hotel prices.....the tattoo story will have to come later (don't worry Mom, it's not my tattoo.