Day and night, there is tropical abundance  in the markets and on the streets, the overflow one sees in climes where seeds turn into plants and where plants yield fruit quickly and fully.  I have to wonder how vendors get rid of the hundreds of pineapples.  One way is that they require customers to buy in kilo increments.

Between the heat and the abundant fruit and vegetables, protein–pork, chicken, fish, shellfish–takes second.  Portion sizes here are delightfully small; protein is placed atop noodles or steamed rice.

At night, on Saturdays, Chiang Rai shuts down some streets and live music plays while people dance en masse, lined up or in circles, using the same beautiful moves, making me think of a Southeast Asian samba line.  The booths along the road and in its center sold clothing, knickknacks, and food: Grilled chicken, grilled pork, noodles, broths, sausages, and all sorts of shrimp and squid.