Lunch at Huay Tung Thao Lake, Chiang Mai

Sunday lunch at Huay Tung Thao lake, about 12km outside Chiang Mai, to escape the heat, have a swim and relax in a hammock. The lake is at the foot of Mount Doi Suthep and has some beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
There are many thatched roof open air restaurants set around the lake, with huts on stilts in the water that you can sit in if you prefer some shade.
An entry fee of 20 Baht ( 70 cents) per person is charged.

For lunch we had Bpla Paesa -  Hot and Sour Serpent Head Fish           ( แป๊ะซะปลาช่อน ). The fish is cut to the bone a number of times on each side of the back bone and deep fried. It is then placed in a fish shaped charcoal brazier, a hot and sour thick vegetable soup is poured over and heated at the table before serving. With this we had Dancing Prawns ( Gung Dten - กุ้งเต้น ) tiny live prawns put in a covered bowl with nam jim ( น้ำจิ้ม ) , a spicy Thai dipping sauce. When the bowl is shaken and opened the prawns appear to be dancing in the hot sauce. Not for me but Damon tried them when here. We also had a plate of Som Tam Thai (ส้มตำ) a hot and spicy green papaya salad with tomatoes, snake beans and peanuts. Much better than Som Tam Puu ( with pickled crab probably weeks old) or Som Tam Pla La ( evil smelling anchovy type fish). The cost of the meal 115 baht each ($3.80) All washed down with cold Chang Export at 50 baht ($1. 70) a big bottle. Apart from the dancing prawns great.