May 10,

Up and about around 0700, having our Javas with breakfast of Muesli and yogurt. We just spent the morning lounging about. Around noon time, we went out on the scooter. First off we had to get gas, as we were running on empty! While Jeff was getting the gas [It was a self serve, that is an outlier in much of SE Asia—maybe because it is a job(?)], I crossed the street to get a picture of some of the ruins of the walls. We then loaded up and were driving around the old walled/moat area of Chiang Mai. I had forgotten so much of this city from years ago when we were here.

While looking about, I saw a pharmacy just inside the inner walled city. So we went into the moated area and once inside we were promptly pulled over by the police! It was a police stop/check point mainly to catch tourists without motorcycle licenses. Jeff pulled out his US driver’s license and the policeman said that was not good here. Which Jeff knew, but he had to get under the seat to get out his International Driver’s License (IDL) which worked. The policeman pointed out that it had the motorcycle clearance. YAY!!… and thankfully, he didn’t notice that the IDL has expired. We will definitely renew them when we come back to the US. Which brings up a point: you would think you should be able to renew them here, right??? Because people live here from USA… I have questions, nothing new, hee-hee!🤭  Anyway, once cleared by the policeman, we proceeded to the Pharmacy and we obtained everything on the list!! I had a couple of medications I have had on the list quite a while and not been able to find. So that was a big relief.

Now we went to Central Chiang Mai, a big shopping mall. It has five stories! We went here for steps, me an eye check up, and lunch. When we arrived, as is the case in all malls over here, there is not a map of the stores. We found an information booth with an actual person, so maybe it’s another job thing…? Anyway, she told us where the eyeglass store was. It is called Owndays. Interesting side, Owndays, has a feel-good story about a customer that came in and wanted new lenses for his ancient frames. The store did it because the frames were his grandfathers! They – proudly – now replace lenses for old frames… now, that’s what I call customer service. We went in and no customers were really there, so I was helped right away. I had a real examination (unlike the last one in Vietnam)! The exam confirmed – what I had thought – that I have had a significant enough change in my right eye to need new glasses. It has been 26 months since I had got the prescription I am wearing. Anyway, she did something cool. She put lenses into a special frame and had me look through them.  But the coolest part was she had me walk around and look about – distance and close up – at signs in the store and look at my phone with those glasses on! It was brilliant!! I know I have had those special frames on before but never has the eye exam person had me walk around like that! It reminded me of the very first time I put on my first pair of glasses… a long time ago, somewhere far, far away… Anyway, we found some frames and ordered new glasses. I should get them by the 20th. The cost was almost half the price from my glasses two years ago in the US.

We left here and then walked around taking in the mall and getting steps in. At the food court we saw a place with duck.  The name of the place translated to Airport Roast Duck! What!?!🤣😂  We had a Stir-Fried Duck with Basil and rice, and Crispy Pork with rice. We were given a clear, simple broth soup with green onions also. It was a good spiced stir-fry, but some of the duck in it… well, they were pieces-parts. That’s all I’ll say on that. The crispy pork was good.

Now we went back to our place, relaxed, and cooled off. By evening we had some cheese-bread and cheese with a red wine for dinner. Good day – back in Thailand baby!