Whether by myself, with friends, or just with Noom, I always stay within walking distance of the Tha Pae Gate when visiting Chiang Mai. Usually, just across the street at what once was called The Montri and is now trying to brand itself as the Hotel M. It is a convenient, centralized location with plenty of restaurants, bars, and night life. And the plaza just in front of the gate is a great place to kick back and people watch. It may not quite rival St. Mark’s Square in Venice, but it’s also a good place to commune with pigeons.

Even when travelling alone I manage to spend a few hours on the plaza. When travelling with Noom, there’s little chance of missing that pleasure. If there is an hour or two to kill he always wants to go feed the birds. Even if we’ve already done that several times during that trip already. The food sold by an old guy in a rickety cart is supposed to be for the fish in the moat; sometimes they get a bit of Noom’s attention but the birds always get the bulk of food. I don’t think it’s so much that he prefers birds over fish, but rather once he has a humongous flock of birds surrounding him, some little kid will come along and want to play. Noom wears the child within him on his sleeve. It’s one of the things I love about him.

There is a 7/11 across the street from the plaza, and another just down the street from Hotel M. They are about the same distance away from the hotel. When we are in the room and I decide I need something from 7/11, Noom always asks which one I’m going to. If it’s the one down the street, he rolls over for nap. If it’s the store across from the plaza, he goes with me. At least as far as the plaza. Then while I pick up whatever it was I needed, he buys a bag of fish food and starts playing with the birds. On those occasions, it’s a quick feeding frenzy. He’s done by the time I get back.

Knowing that feeding fish and birds is a form of merit making, at least at temples, I asked him once, “Merit making?”

His answer was short and to the point. “No,” he said. “It fun.”

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