Lampang - A Journey Back in Time

Slowly the Special Express train from busy and polluted Bangkok finally stopped in the so picturesque railway station of Lampang. After a night in the cold second-class air-conditioned sleeper I strolled on to the platform and I already felt the cool and fresh winter air from the north of Thailand. Walking in the train station it looks like time has passed here for the last two decades or so. Once outside I see myself in the real world of Lampang of today. A samlor was waiting for me to bring to me to my final destination in Lampang, The River Side Guesthouse. In a few minutes we left the modern Thai provincial city of Lampang behind us and entered the old center along the river Wang.

There it is, between some other old wooden houses, where Lorenzo and her husband created what I call a place of retreat and peaceful harmony. Something we do miss so much in the west.
Together they made a wonderful place to live together with their little son and the loveliest 3 dogs I have ever seen. And they are inviting family and good friends to enjoy that same happiness together. Their original wooden old house, built in the typical northern style, is located along the Wang river. Lorenzo is waiting for me at the big wooden gate and one of the dogs just wakes up from his afternoon nap. When the wooden gate closes behind me it’s like I’m in a new hidden away world. Lorenzo guides me to my room through the little garden with a small fishing pond. The soft sound from the water that is pouring into the small fountain makes a melodious music. My room is one of the all-different 10 rooms, all with private bathroom with hot shower and a fan in the bedroom. All rooms are decorated with beautiful wooden furniture in typical Northern design and photo’s from the private collection of the owners.

After a refreshing shower and change of clothes I walked to the lobby room, which is actually an open veranda with a view over the river. After checking-in I have a fresh musli with yogurt and fresh fruit and enjoy the quiet morning of The River Side Guesthouse. Lampang itself is a small city divided by the Wang River. One side is what I call the modern Lampang with restaurants, pubs, banks, shops, disco, Internet shops, even a Big-C superstore, and of course the big fresh-food market. The other side of the river is what I call the old Lampang, with many small streets, old wooden houses, little market places, temples and schools. The Wang River itself is not spectacular, because of the damming of the river there is not so much water in it anyway.

Lampang seems to be a place forgotten by most tourists, but actually it has some nice attractions. The two most famous are the Elephant Conservation Center and the Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang. Both are a few kilometers outside the city, and in different directions. On the way to the Elephant Conservation Center you are passing the now famous ‘Jungle Market’. It’s not for the faint-hearted ones, because here you will see that the northern Thai people really do eat ‘everything’. I myself at that moment was not in the mood for a tourist tour, so I just took a walk through town. In the evening I took a horse carriage ride with one of the famous horse drivers of Lampang. He dropped me off at a hidden away Karaoke bar where I met an old Thai friend of me. Together we drank a small bottle of Seang Som and enjoyed the food and music until late in the night, or actually, early in the morning. I walked back through the empty streets and fell asleep to wake up in the afternoon for my “breakfast” in the little tropical garden.

Actually I had to leave Lampang in the morning to go to Chiang Rai, but as it was so late in the afternoon already it was better to stay one more night and leave the next day. If Lampang would let me go ……

Chang Noi