Talat Warorot in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a wonderfully relaxed place where I immediately feel more than comfortable. You can stroll through numerous markets in the old town, eat fantastic food, ride a bike or sit comfortably in one of the many small cafes or restaurants. There is a chilled atmosphere overall, which captures me immediately and puts me in a state of pleasant relaxation. I love my hostel and I'm not surprised that the majority of other travelers are staying here longer than they originally planned. I find it a bit unfortunate that I will only be here for four nights, which is three days. Since I have already organized my onward journey, I can't change that anymore. I have a conversation with a very nice Japanese woman who raves about Pai and the north of Thailand. It is much more original with much fewer tourists and even more cozy. That sounds great and I am briefly tempted to change my travel route. But my common sense kicks in and tells me that I need relaxation at the beach more urgently and my heart only says "Beaaaaach" 😂. So Pai and the north of Thailand are on my wishlist. After so much temple splendor in the past few days, I decide to spend today conquering Chiang Mai's markets. I have already been to many markets in many different countries. Nevertheless, I always find it exciting and each market has its own atmosphere. Today, Talat Warorot and Talat Ton Lam Yai are on the program. The two are next to each other in the east of the city and apparently "Talat" means "market". When my songthaew gets stuck in traffic chaos, I know we have arrived. The market is covered. I actually don't like that so much, I prefer fresh air and sky. But I can understand that the traders are happy with solid covered stalls. The narrow lanes are crowded and I throw myself into the hustle and bustle.

Here you can find everything the Thai household needs, from plastic bowls to dust collectors. The aisles are overflowing with goods, everything is thematically sorted. There are rows of woks, then plastic flowers in the next corner, later pickled worms and nail polishes. I can't see any order. The market is huge and unexpectedly new lanes open up, suddenly there is a basement or additional floors above.

My stomach rumbles and I decide to give one of the soup stalls a chance. I can't read anything and the lady doesn't speak English, but in the end I get a tasty and surprisingly spicy soup. Delicious. Strengthened, I continue in the seemingly endless maze of alleyways.

I try some things, but I prefer to pass on others. After a while, I've had enough and want to go back to my cozy hostel.