So far, so good -- Would You Care for a Tattoo with Your Curry?

I have to say that Thailand may be the best travel experience I have had to date. I've never felt such camaraderie with my fellow travelers or found locals to be sol willing to help (without wanting money in exchange for their generosity). We had a free day in Chiang Mai and decided to take a cooking class. I have to admit that I was skeptical and not terribly excited by the prospect, but it turned out to be a highlight. Not only did I learn how to make some delicious Thai food, but I got to hang out with fellow travelers, laughing at ourselves and sharing insight into the places we had been. It was a glorious day!

After class we went for $5 massages, walked aroudnm the Old City, and sat down for dinner at a little restaurant that doubled as a tattoo parlour and guesthouse. We were totally unaware of the tattoo parlor at first. The restaurant was chosen solely based on the fact that they served massaman curry, and I wanted to eat something with potatoes. So, beyond a quick check of the menu, we did no further research.

We walked in, and the owner pointed us to a table. As we attempted to sit down, a pampered shihtzu made it clear to us that we were not welcome at that particular table. How did we know it was her table? She was standing on it, snarling at us.

The owner quickly shoved some restaurant supplies aside at a different table and had us sit there. We ordered our food and a couple of beers. That's when we finally acknowledged the constant buzzing sound that was coming out of the back of the restaurant. It didn't take long to notice the tattoo parlor behind us. It was about that time that we realized the owner's husband had made a quick run to the corner store to buy our beers. Talk about service!

With beers in hand and curry before us, we had the best meal one could imagine having in a tattoo parlor. The only thing that could have made it better would have been band of monkeys playing bongos in the corner.

It just goes to show that appearances are deceiving. You never know what you're walking into until you're halfway through it.