After walking around the old city, it was just so hot we needed a break.  We walked into the nearest tour agency and asked what they had possible for that afternoon as it was already 11am-ish.  They did have a few tours scheduled as half-day afternoon trips so we decided on one which visited a Hmong Village and Doi Suthep (hoping to see birds there).

We grabbed some snacks and went back to the tour operator where the minibus picked us up and drover around town picking up other people.  Then we made our way slowly up the mountain.  The scenery was stunning!

The Hmong Village was very touristy but the handicrafts on offer were priced well and we bought a few embroidered bags, then relaxed in the garden.  Not many birds around though.

Then we went back down the mountain a bit to Doi Suthep which is a large, ornate temple on a hill.  Some people bravely walked up the stairs but most of us took the cable car up.  Our guide showed us around, then gave us half an hour free time to take photos.

Still looking for birds, at least we found a nest!

This is why you don’t want to rent a car to drive around Chiang Mai city.  The back alleys are so tight that large trucks can get stuck – in front of YOU!  While dropping off one of the tourists after the excursion, we were trapped for about 15 minutes while this truck driver jiggled around parked cars.  It was actually pretty entertaining as we weren’t in a hurry but would have been less so if we were trying to get to the airport!