Today began with a visit to Chiang Mai Zoo, to pay a visit to see the city’s most famous residents. After a brief rest, I stepped out again to witness what the final night of the Yi Peng Festival had in store.
The parade was about to startOrnately decorated floats!This guy was attracting attention today as wellFascinating artMan, the work done on some of these floats!“Don’t call me now, I’m in a different era! You’re ruining it!”Thai ‘princess’ and ‘prince’
Not sure who this red t-shirt ‘army’ were representing
I wonder if Thais worship Lord Ganesha too
Hundreds of locals participate in the Grand Parade
The lady sitting on the car is the Consul General of the US Consulate of Chiang Mai, along with her family
Up ahead, I saw many Thais cosplaying. Hmm, I wonder which contingent this is? 🙂Why no surprise there! 🙂Japan’s floatLots of tributes to anime and videogame characters
Even dressing up as a Gundam robot!Absolutely beautiful workThe cavalcade made their may down Thapae RoadCameramen readied themselves
Not sure if the creature was meant to be a cow or a goatBut it did stop occasionally to be ‘fed’ money
I don’t who this character/mascot was
Awesome tattoo art
After following the parade from up front, I got distracted.
Yes, it was food… but…
Fried insects for sale!Was tempted to be all adventurous……but I hate insects when alive, leave alone when they are fried dead
Fortunately there were more appetizing food on sale.
All this stuff was cheapMy friend Loi’s survival foodLots, and lots of meat!
Okay, enough food. Back to the parade.
This being the last day of the festival, everybody was outLocals thronged the banks of Ping riverWalls of the Consulate General of the United States in Chiang MaiThe various floats pass by these stands where judges select the best in showMeanwhile on the river banks…
The eager crowd await the parade’s arrival through the final stageLeading the paradeSome formalities…and then fireworks!
River gods ‘flooded’ with krathongs
The American Consul family still doing the rounds
You also have fancier dining options by Ping river
Dinner boat rides are also quite popular
The parade making their way towards the municipality building
The banana trunk slices are what forms the base of the krathongs
Watching so many people release khomloys into the sky (and the fact this was the last day of the festival), I told myself I better release a paper lantern myself now. I still hadn’t done it yet! The past three days, I was busy clicking away and it made me feel like I was on assignment, on work (which in some ways, it is).
So I bought a krathong and a khom loy from nearby
I asked a local if I could borrow a light and instead she kindly shows me how to light the khomloy. She even helped hold it with me as the lantern filled up with hot air.
And there mine goes!I then released my krathong after making my wish(es). That’s the Thai lady who helped me.
As I walked back up to the main road, I kept telling myself with the disappointment of missing the events at Sansai that I had to come back again and do it right. More importantly, after the ‘assignment’ at Mae Jo, I will not spend all my time taking photos. Instead, I’m going to have fun releasing paper lanterns and playing with fireworks — and I won’t be alone 😉
I went back to the main road for a few more photos.
Transgenders spreading the message of safe sexCondom-man distributing free condoms… and posing for photos with girlsThese kind of headbands are all the craze for young girls out hereNawarat bridge was packed with people
I headed back up Thapae roadI pity the guys who had to carry the dancer in this heat for hours!
Really impressive, the work they put into these floats!
Don’t you know driving while talking on your mobile is wrong?It broke! Poor girl must be so self-conscious now (even through it probably wasn’t due to her weight)
Hey, I couldn’t be biasedI’m really curious about the Indian connection in Thai historyThese floats are all winners in my opinionThis puppet was still doing the roundsBut even the men under the animal needed a break for waterAnd that was the end of the parade…I walked back to Thapae gate to pick up some dinnerPicked up some cashews, some fried rice and a shawarmaI even tried LEO beer for the first time. Essentially Singha’s offering to compete with Chang. My verdict? Chang is still better.
The fact that I had to split my last day in Chiang Mai into two posts is proof that this was a long day for me. I was quite tired, still feeling a bit feverish, but through it all — I was more than content with the photographs!
Tomorrow morning, I would head further up north to Chiang Rai and embark on the remainder of my journey across Thailand.
As a parting bonus, here’s a video of the some of the sights from today’s Grand Parade:
I know it’s a dead giveaway to start a review like that but, it just had to be said. Ever since I heard some of the leaked tracks from a concert performance a few months back, even with the live recording, the songs sounded so damn good!
Journey's current line-up: (L-R) Jonathan Cain (keyboards, guitars), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums), Neal Schon (lead guitarist), Ross Valory (bass)
Journey’s ‘leader’ Neal Schon said in many interviews about this album that he wanted to make a more guitar-heavy record. Journey, despite their many strengths, are unfortunately known to the masses as the de facto ‘power ballad’ band. What started out as a Santana-esque rock band turned into a pop rock staple of early 1980s America.
Journey's 14th studio album and second with lead vocalist Arnel Pineda
On their latest album Eclipse, you still get a few ballads, the melody is very much there, but this album is stadium hard rock at its finest! Here’s my track-by-track review:
“City of Hope” – The opening track also happens to be band’s choice as a first single to promote ‘Eclipse’. It’s a good song with a hard-hitting opening, but honestly, I would have chose another track to best sell the sound Neal Schon wanted to promote Journey on this album. Good chorus and guitar riff, but it gets much better. – 3.5/5
“Edge of the Moment” – Now this would have been my choice for a first single. It sounds bad-ass! Melodic hard rock with a chorus only vocalists like Arnel could pull off. – 4.5/5
“Chain of Love” – One of the best songs on the album! A mystical opening that belongs to Jonathan Cain and Arnel Pineda, but then enters the territory of Neal Schon, Ross Valory & Deen Castronovo soon after. Love the chorus, it’s a sure-fire concert sing-along. – 5/5
“Tantra” – A power ballad with a very 80’s progressive sound. Arnel’s soaring vocals really makes this song what it is. Reminded me of Toto for some reason 🙂 – 4/5
“Resonate” – Another ‘favourite track’ on Eclipse. Mysticism sure was a sound they were going for with this album. – 5/5
“She’s a Mystery” – The most pop-rock sounding track on the album — but just like “Tantra,” it doesn’t stay that way through the end. The heavy sound kicks the door down two-thirds of the way in. – 3/5
“Human Feel” – Thumping drum beats carry the verses leading to a great bridge and chorus. – 4/5
“Ritual” – Very reminiscent of their 80s hits like “Be Good to Yourself”. – 3/5
“To Whom it May Concern” – Treading on 80s power ballad territory again with this one. – 3.5/5
“Someone” – A classic Journey song structure, similar to the many songs you have heard on Arrival and Revelation. – 3/5
“Venus” – An instrumental follow-up of “To Whom it May Concern” in which guitarist Neal Schon & Deen Castronovo rock away to close out the epic album.
———-
My tryst with Journey began oddly enough with (just) Steve Perry — his 1994 solo album to be more specific. I was born in 1982, a time when Journey were at their career peak… but it’s not like I was listening to music at that age. As I began listening to radio (Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 to be more precise), I heard Steve Perry’s “You Better Wait” from his For the Love of Strange Medicine album. Loved that song and it that made me go: “Man, he’s got such an amazing voice!”
Then came “When You Love a Woman” from the re-grouped Journey album Trial By Fire. That is when I first heard about the band. Then came the internet and my exploration into music from various eras. I listened to Journey’s top hits and figured they ‘surely must have more’. I then bought Journey’s Greatest Hits album in 2001 and with that, I officially became a Journey fan. That album and Def Leppard’s Vault had the same impact on me — they turned me into huge fans. Def Leppard and Journey are still two of my favourite bands of all time. Two 80’s staples that get a lot of crap because they are known for their radio hits and because they were “popular”. But I have never judged a band based on their hits alone. A true testament of how good a band really is how they perform live, and both Def Leppard and Journey, even after these years are going strong in the concert circuit — and sound good doing so.
But unlike Def Leppard, Journey has seen band members come and go like there’s no tomorrow. The only member to have been with Journey since inception has been their guitarist, Neal Schon. Steve Perry, the band’s iconic lead vocalist was a hard one to replace when he left for good. Steve Augeri did a fine job for a while. After Trial By Fire, Journey released “Remember Me” from the Armageddon OST with Steve Augeri on vocals and it’s a track I still rank among my favourites from Journey. Arrival (2001), the first album with Steve Augeri was a good effort, but far from being considered a memorable record. Jeff Scott Soto, their short-lived touring vocalist was… “meh”.
But ever since Arnel Pineda’s remarkable discovery in the Philippines, and how he became the lead vocalist of one of America’s greatest selling rock bands, Journey got a new lease of life. They have never sounded better. Revelation, their first album with Arnel Pineda was a very good album — but Eclipse is even better!
Clearly one of the best vocalists in the world right now
Journey unfortunately never made it that big outside of the US. Not that couldn’t, they just never tried. But now, millions of international fans know the band’s music thanks to their songs being featured on The Sopranos, Family Guy, many movie soundtracks and of course, Glee. And it’s only now the band seem to be making a conscious effort to reach out to their international fans.
Yes, Journey can be labeled ‘old,’ but their music still has an audience. Many of whom (like me) who miss melodic, beautiful, hard, guitar heavy rock!
Something Eclipse delivers in full force.
Overall album rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Disclaimer: This review was based on a album preview available on Radio.com and tracks uploaded to YouTube. I will support the band by purchasing the CD when its available in India. Eclipse hasn’t sold much as Revelations did in its first few weeks, which is sad… because I consider Eclipse a ‘classic’ compared to its predecessor. So if you loved the songs, please do buy the album.
Edit:
Finally got my copy! Had to ask my friend in the Philippines to buy it for me as no store in Bangalore stocked it.
Yesterday evening was nice. Today was the last day of Loy Krathong, and I’m guessing tonight’s events were going to be a ‘grand finale’ to the festival. But first, I decided to move out of Rux Thai and take a single room at Centerplace Guesthouse because I was going to be out all day and tomorrow morning, I would leave for Chiang Rai.
A single room at Centerplace Guesthouse costs just 200 baht (Rs. 300/$6.7/€4.5).
After transferring my bags, I decided to spend my morning at Chiang Mai Zoo, which is en route to Doi Suthep.
Now I knew Chiang Mai Zoo wasn’t going to be as impressive as Singapore Zoo, but the main reason I chose to visit the zoo is to see a rare animal I rank among my favourites in the animal kingdom — the giant panda!
Chiang Mai Zoo has three of them. But the entrance fees to the zoo are broken up by the individual attractions the place has to offer. The zoo fee costs just ฿100, but it does not include the chance to see the pandas. That’s another ฿100. Also, if you want avail the open air bus, that’s ฿20. So all-in-all, I paid ฿220 (Rs. 325/$7.2/€5) for my entry.
The Indian elephant
I walked a bit, saw a few animals at the entrance that I’ve seen many time before and then hopped on to the zoo bus to head straight for the pandas.
You have a driver who gives commentary about the attractions as you go along, but it’s only in ThaiI got down hereYou hand over the panda entry ticket hereFirst up, Lin Ping, the youngest panda in Chiang Mai ZooThis is Lin Ping’s playground. So, where is Lin Ping? (Photo taken on Nokia E72)To the extreme right corner… she was asleep (I hope)Chiang Mai Zoo has 3 pandas, among the only 35 outside China
While young Lin Ping gets her massive play ground, her parents Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui are in a separate air-conditioned enclosure not too far away.
“Ni hao” (Chinese for “hello”)This is the female panda Lin Hui
Play time for Lin Hui
And this bloke here is Xuang Xuang (Chuang Chuang)Fussy eater! 🙂Post-brunch sucking-of-thumb*Then ‘tooth pick’ 🙂Look at its ears! 🙂Lin Ping was actually born using insemination because this bloke wasn’t interested in ‘doing the job’ with wifeyThe entire process of how they inseminated Lin Hui is explained near Lin Ping’s sectionThe first two pandas at Chiang Mai zoo
After getting my panda fix, I moved on.
The zoo has a monorail service too (which costs extra as well)And the ubiqitous 7-Eleven can be found inside the zoo as well
I took the tram car again, and it stopped for a while at the newly opened aquarium.
At those prices, I wasn’t keen on checking it out
Tree hug
Koalas were busy sleeping
Natural born sleepersDunger is one of the koalasThe Kids park
They have a kids section with a bunch of cute animals and some rather interesting tiny creatures.
This creature is called the pygmy marmosetIt’s a really tiny animal and it moved funnily
I moved on to the deer section next
There’s an overhead walkway
LamasI walked to the next attractionThere was a huge tree trunk which had a set of stairs you could climb to get this view (Taken on my Nokia E72)
Next, I entered a birds enclosure.
Lady Amherst’s pheasantLovely looking thingGreat HornbillTrumpeter hornbillOriental pied hornbillIndia’s national bird — the peacock (Edit: A reader just pointed out it took a dump. Didn’t even notice that until she told me!)Got the lighting right on this oneSiamese fireback pheasant
This is the birds enclosure (Panorama comprised of 6 shots)Birds of prey next. This is the White bellied sea eagleA kite… staring at me
Grey head fish eagleSeriously, stop staring“Duuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”Ostrich (if you didn’t know)Porcupines
After the birds, next up was a large open section entirely for Gibbons.
Apes with really long arms
It was fun to watch these gibbons swing around
The gibbons have a pretty large playgroundBut they share the compound with a Siamese crocodile
Fun to watch apes play-fightLook at their feet. Nature and its designs!
The only Rhinoceros in ThailandWhen I saw this photo, I thought to myself “Looks so much like a stegosaurus”They have elephant rides here, costs extra of course
Humboldt penguins, in a seperate temeprature-controlled zone
It’s only at this point I realized Chiang Mai Zoo is quite bigIt occupies a large area and is quite hilly
The irony of having a shooting club inside a zoo(!) is beyond meThe land has the slopes for luge riding, but I didn’t see anybody in the carsWent in search for more animalsThe Asian black bear🙁Poor thing only has his shadow to talk toDidn’t look at her for too longMore monkeysAssamese macaque
Pig tailed macaqueEmuThe Bare-bum Ostrich*
And finally, the beautiful white tiger
Passed the same elephant on the way out
Also on the way out, I couldn’t help but buy a small souvenir from Chiang Mai zoo. They were selling stuffed toys of the zoo’s main stars, the pandas. I bought a small Lin Ping souvenir for 150 baht.
All in all, I must have spent nearly 4 hours in Chiang Mai zoo. A lot longer than I thought I would spend. I mostly came to see the pandas and ended up seeing pretty much everything the zoo had to showcase.
So is a visit to Chiang Mai zoo worth it? Well, Singapore Zoo didn’t have pandas (they only get them in 2012), and even koalas, when I visited back in September. So yes, this visit was time and money well-spent. At half the price of Singapore Zoo, you still see a lot of animals. Chiang Mai zoo also has animal shows and even a Night Safari. How good those are, I didn’t bother to find out of sheer dis-interest.
Go up this way for Doi SuthepI got back pretty late in the afternoonSo I had a late lunch at the small eateryChiang Mai looked pleasant as everFloats were gatheringAnother Grand Parade tonight?
Rachadamnoen road looked empty todayI asked them what time it would start and they said ‘at sunset’
I had some time, so I decided to go back to my room and rest a bit.
This is what a single bed room at Centerplace Guesthouse looks like (Lin Ping on the bed is not included in the ฿200. I just put her there)The toilet is clean, and has hot shower
I lied down for a while — this day wasn’t over yet.
After following the parade from up front, I got distracted.
Watching so many people release khomloys into the sky (and the fact this was the last day of the festival), I told myself I better release a paper lantern myself now. I still hadn’t done it yet! The past three days, I was busy clicking away and it made me feel like I was on assignment, on work (which in some ways, it is).
I asked a local if I could borrow a light and instead she kindly shows me how to light the khomloy. She even helped hold it with me as the lantern filled up with hot air.
As I walked back up to the main road, I kept telling myself with the disappointment of missing the events at Sansai that I had to come back again and do it right. More importantly, after the ‘assignment’ at Mae Jo, I will not spend all my time taking photos. Instead, I’m going to have fun releasing paper lanterns and playing with fireworks — and I won’t be alone 😉
