same same, but different

my friend simon has a t-shirt with the title of this post printed on and until now i didn't understand the joke behind it. the thai people use this expression referring on something similar, while "same same" should be exactly identical, but the thais are very wage in this respect ;)
having landed in chang mai i did what i do with all the new places, i conquered it ;)
first i checked out the cheapest way to the city, then i got rid of my luggage at some travel agency and rented a motorbike in order to be more mobile and find a place to stay easier. i even had time left to have a look around the city and take photos (i will upload photos as soon as possible...) of the tons of temples distributed all over the city. little by little i am beginning to understand the system and rhythm of this frenetic city and my lungs are getting used to the pollution.
the next day i took the rented 125cc (the same crappy bike i had on koh phangan, i might rent a real motor-bike for the following trip ;) and did an excursion to an impressive temple (doi suthep) in the mountains and to a hill tribe village. this urbanization could have been somewhere in the latin american mountains as well, the huts and even the people look alike. on the way back i met a very nice and interesting couple from mexico and we had dinner at a incredible restaurant mentioned in the lonely planet. i hope we manage to meet again, as i really enjoyed our conversations.
back at the guest house (i moved there on the third day) i challenged some guys at the pool-table and had a good time playing under rather difficult circumstances. the table was not totally even and the balls and sticks were quite damaged, so the balls sometimes unexpectedly turned to some other direction and stopped 1 cm in front of the hole. as there was no single room free i had to sleep in a dormitory which made feel like being at the army again, but it was fun after all.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

mi amigo simon tiene una camiseta con el titulo de este post imreso y hasta hoy no lo pillaba. la gente en thailandia usa esta expresion referiendose al algo similar, mientras "same same" deberia significar exactamente identico, aunque no me fiaria nunca ;)
haber aterizado en chang mai hize lo mismo que suelo hacer con cualquier sitio nuevo, lo conquisto ;) para empezar me deshice de mi equipaje en alguna agencia de viajes y me alquile una moto para poder moverme mejor y encontrar un sitio para instalarme. me dio tiempo hasta para dar una vuelta por la ciudad y ver algunos de los muchos templos que hay por el casco historico (subire fotos cuando pueda...). poco a poco empiezo a entender el sistema y el ritmo de este sitio frenetico y mis pulmones so van acostumbrando a la polucion.
el siguiente dia cogi la moto (una 125, igual a la motito que tuve en koh phangan, ya es tiempo que me alquile una moto de verdad ;) y hice una excursion a una montagna cercana a ver un templo impresionante y un pueblo tipico de la zona. aquella urbanisacion podria haberse encontrado perfectamente en america latina, las casas y hasta la gente se parecia mucho. en el camino devuelta conoci a una pareja mexicana muy maja y interesante y fuimos a cenar a un sitio muy chulo recomendado por el lonley planet. espero verles otra vez, a ver si conseguimos quedar sin movil.
devuelta en el alberge (me traslade alli el tercer dia) me puse a jugar al billard con algunos chavales. no era nada facil jugar en una mesa inclinada con bolas ya no del todo redondas y unos palos medio rotos pero nos lo pasamos pipa.

pp. los ordenadores thais no tienen acentos ni egne... disculpad mi ortografia.