Can't Buy Me Love?

Yesterday I met up with Beth and Aidan.

I had met them when I was on holiday last year diving in the South Islands. They both work here in Chiang Mai as teachers. It was great to meet up, I had been feeling a bit lonely. Tomorrow Beth is taking the day off and we'll do something around the town which I'm looking forward to.

Later on I walked around the Sunday Market. It is a fairly large place, covering several streets, packed with people, and stalls that provide for both tourists and locals.

There are a lot of people busking. Some for themselves, like the many blind musicians, and some for charity.

I loved these people, busking for a charity helping the eldery. The lady sitting down was so regal...

There were several blind bands, this one was actually pretty good, they're just getting ready...

It's difficult not to be cynical when you see Thai girls with Western men, and I was taken aback by the amount that I saw yesterday. I guess it is somewhere to walk around, hold hands, the normal things a couple that have just met do but Chaing Mai is developing a very large sex trade.

As I said it's difficult not to be cynical about it, but some people do fall in love, Beth and Aidan have friends that have married Thai girls, but in most cases it's just prostitution, without the name.

Mostly the men are on their own, or maybe there are two. Mostly they are ugly, or fat and mostly older than the girls, who like most Thai girls are petite and pretty. However, I have seen some really handsome guys, and here in Chaing Mai the age of the guys is much lower that down South. However, the score is the same...they pay for everything the girls need for the two or three weeks they are here.

I have decided I am the only gay in the village....

I have rented a bicycle to get me around, or to get me killed, although I have the feeling that after cycling in India this is nothing.

Sunset and sunrises have a different hue and intensity, through the smog the colours are so different...