Three Kings Monument

The sqare in front of The  Three Kings Monument in Chiang Mai is usually full of tourists.  However,  when we drove past today it was deserted.  Restaurant's and cafes were also virtually empty, with maybe just the odd customer.  It is so sad.  Usually Doi Suthep is clearly visible from many places around ChiangMai but now it's vanished, stolen by the polluted air.  Basically Chiang Mia is suffering a double whammy, the coronavirus and smoke.  

Yesterday I went for my afternoon swim, I jumped in and started swimming but was shocked to find myself struggling to breath and my heart rate increasing rapidly.  I stopped swimming and just chatted to a friend, I did swim a couple of slow lengths, perhaps 10 instead of my usual 30.  Everyone is so worried about the virus, but the air pollution is just as big a danger to health.  Climate change is also partially to blame, we have had no rain this year.  I truly can't remember when we last had any real rain.k0g

We are hoping to escape in the next week or so.  Oversea travel is proving to be almost impossible, so we may head for a beach somewhere in Thailand.