plus nine. neo now.

The building the foundation [office] resides in is an old wooden traditional Thai house, and while this house has stayed the same, it's now totally surrounded with tons of cement. Funnily, the foundation is affiliated with the Green Party in Germany, and the house looks like the realisation of the green conservation principle, fighting a lonely fight against the rest of the grey world. When I worked there two years ago, I stayed at the house, and I remember how I couldn't sleep because of the noise all the frogs and geckos and other animals made. The current interns cannot stay there because of the noise of the construction works.
Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, as described by a dear friend of mine, who has been back regularly over the last 8 years. Chiang Mai is Thailand's second biggest city. Still, until quite recently it was a very relaxed hinterland kind of town. Not anymore, I guess. When I was there last time just a few months ago I had the same impression. But I only had a half-day stop, so I thought it was due to the area i was hanging out at. (i.e. around the trainstation.) Well, guess no. Sorry, Chiang Mai used to be awesome. (And I bet it still is, in a way.)