January 4, 2015
Yesterday we motored up into the mountains northeast of Chiang Mai, Thailand to spend some time on a houseboat moored on Mae Ngat Lake. We parked at the primitve marina (no dock) and piled our gear on a long keel boat and took the ride up the lake:
Tommy and Triple B in the front of the boat with all the groceries and luggage.
We had precious cargo: Pattarapan and her faithful Shih Tzu Hurley (he's eight).
After a ten minute run we rounded a corner of the lake to see a series of houseboats lining the shores on both sides:
The floating houseboats of Sainatee
After a feint around the lake (and past two other houseboat enclaves), we swung around for the approach to our floating hotel:
The approach to the Sainatee Houseboats
The floating compound included a restaurant, at left and our rooms on right:
Our front deck, literally.
Unfortunately, there was a large group of college kids partying next to us, although they were quite sweet to us and sent over a platter of Thai bar-b-q, which was delicious. Still, the girls wanted to move, so Pattarapan negotiated for us to move down four rooms so we could have a little peace and quiet. We are in the Thai dry season so it only gets up to about 80 in the day and gets down to around 60 degrees, but it was quite nice out. We sat out on our patio, ordered Thai food from the restaurant and played Catch Phrase until the cows came home.
In the morning, it was very still and beautiful out (the college kids were down for the count).
Kathy Sue, around 6:30 in the morning, standing on the almost empty dock.
Tommy came out around eight and decided it was time to test the waters:
T. Bell contemplates a brisk wake-me-up.
Thomas Charles heads in.
We lounged around all morning and took the last boat back at 11. The entire affair, food, boat ride and rooms cost 3,700 Bots ($120). Amazing.
"Winter squash?"
—Pattarapan's funniest answer to our Catch Phrase marathon (you had to be there)