Birthday in Chiang Mai

There is no better way to spend your birthday than to be with friends and do your favorite things. Of course traveling is one of my favorite things, but also taking a cooking class. I found this one, Thai Secret Cooking School, based on Trip Advisor reviews (5 stars), and it was a good choice. There was only 5 of us in this class, which made it a plus for us. 

The day started with pick up at our hotel, and a ride to the market.

Our teacher, Mae.

A collage of colors.

Truly a market for locals. So much freshness. Even saw coconut milk being made fresh.

I'm guessing, offerings?

Pretty, but I don't know what it is.

The Thai squash used in green curry.

Our teacher bought the ingredients we would be using that day. We also asked her where we could get a green papaya slicer and she brought us to a little store right nearby. Then we were on our way to her house, where she has the school.

My basket of plants I picked for the class.

It was an overcast day and later it poured, so it was a good day for this activity. Behind the house, there are rice fields, which our host says they harvest for their needs. On the right side, there is a garden, using organic methods. We picked some of the ingredients we would be using.

The dishes I chose were: green papaya salad, pad thai, tom yum, and green curry. Others in the class made egg rolls, but we all got to share in what we made. 

Making the pad thai.

Papaya salad and egg rolls.

Chopping. This cleaver was a very useful tool. Should have bought one.

Shrimp tom yum and pad thai

Green Curry

The meal was so filling and delicious. We were done by 2 and the driver brought us to a market to do some shopping, then we did some walking.

Since we were so full from lunch, we did not plan to eat dinner, but we did go out to the Night Bazaar (again) and then to a bar we found. 

View of the Anusarn Market where we found treasures!

More of the memorials to the past and new king.

The waiter even went right outside the bar, giving the photo a very colorful setting. 

Once we got back, I found out that my friends had arranged to have the hotel do "something" for me for my birthday. This is what they prepared... a beautiful fruit arrangement on a pineapple, which was the best birthday EVER! It was the perfect ending to a wonderful birthday.