clay and teak

The hotel calls a songtao to take us to bus station where we find out that buses to Chiang Mai leave every hour and we can buy the ticket tomorrow. Then we continue to ceramics museum which is far. In the museum they first try to identify our country of origin but there's no Estonian flag in the folder. Then a young man arrives and takes our picture. The ticket includes a guide who introduces the premises. The workers each make a bowl for show. The most popular bowls are chicken bowls. Modern dishes are beautiful but I'm not going to take any of them with me to the jungle. Külli takes a couple of elephants. Some more western tourists arrive. We have already counted a few dozen tourists in this city.
We walk to the river to find 'a whole house, many things inside' for Külli. The house is there although they are not very good at mapping here. Signposting is practised. The house called Ban Sao Nak was built in 1895 and it stands on 116 teak pillars. The floors are a bit awry, furniture is beautiful. A cold drink is included. The old lady starts to pluck eyebrows after serving the drinks.
Now we need to find 'Louis house'. It appears that we yesterday already saw it but then I didn't know that it is a noteworthy house. Big house, built by a certain Leonowens who owned a teak logging company, now stands empty. Yesterday I only broke in a house opposite to it and wandered around there. A couple of guys arrive and start carrying some wooden structures inside.
Then food and drink on riverside and after that we let the coffee place from yesterday ground us fresh coffee. An oversize man explains the trade. Only arabica is grown in Thailand. Its roots cannot tolerate sun so it has to be grown in the forest. The king even ordered more trees to be planted. Upstairs are many pictures of the king and a photobook with his photos. The previous king Bhumibol that is. The coffee place was opened 13th of October last year, on the death anniversary of the king. The new king hasn't ascended the throne yet but has asked time for mourning. He's not very popular anyway.
People are actively jogging and cycling are here. Lampang even has a marked cycling route.