As I type this, we sit in our taxi on our way to Chiang Rai, a city even further to the north of Thailand. We were supposed to be on a bus, but they were sold out until 2:30 pm, so here we are. But more about that later.
After arriving in Bangkok on 3/31, we slept one short night and then flew to Chiang Mai. It is a must-see tourist destination here in Thailand, and we decided it should be our first stop. We stayed in a wonderful guesthouse called Chowdhury House, where we had a very filling breakfast everyday as well as infinite kindness and assistance in planning our time there. My favorite memory is when we were leaving for our massages, the manager/owner said "have joy," when we would usually say "have fun." We were also perfectly located in Old Town/The Walled City, making most of the star attractions very walkable.
In no particular order, here are the highlights of what we did while we were there:
Visiting Wats - the three main temples (wats) in the Old City are Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, and Wat Chiang Man. We hit all of them in one day, as well as a few smaller temples whose names I can't tell you because they only have signs in Thai script. I really enjoyed the architecture, particularly the undulating snake-dragons that guide you up to the main building at each. I'm toying with turning them into a photography project when I get back. My favorite temple was Wat Chiang Man, because we were welcomed to join the festivities celebrating a new statue of the first king of Chiang Mai, who is buried behind the main chedi of this temple. A kind man explained the reason for the celebration and some of the history of the temple, just because we were standing together speaking in English and he approached us. Another gestured to the food, inviting us to eat with them. And a woman spoke to us while we were eating and invited us to pour water on the Buddha for good luck.
Thai Cooking Class - This was a definite tourist attraction but I am so glad we did it. Kerry found a place called Thai Orchid Cookery School that had a great reviews so we reserved spots ahead of time. Turns out we found one of the original four cooking schools in Chiang Mai (there are more than 40 now). I learned so much about thai cooking, herbs, fruits, and vegetables that I never would have been able to figure out on my own. And we got a recipe book to take home so we can cook all we learned back in the States! Our hosts were a wonderful husband and wife team, and I hope other people who visit Chiang Mai can spend a class with them.
Elephant Sanctuary - There are no elephants in the city, of course, but a day trip to visit them in the surrounding hills is worth it. There are many camps that do not treat their elephants humanely, so we took care to find a sanctuary where they are not ridden or tortured. I found Hug Elephant Sanctuary through a friend I studied abroad with in college, and I'm so glad we went there. It was a small operation, but I felt good about supporting the local people. We were with a Polish family, and there were plenty of elephants to go around (even though they only have 2). Sadly one of their elephants died a few months ago, but they are charging forward to take care of the two they have left, Wandee and Yo. I left feeling honored to have spent time with these magnificent creatures and to have learned more about the conservation efforts surrounding them.
Doi Suthep - One of the larger mountains near Chiang Mai houses a very important temple, the short name of which is Wat Doi Suthep. We were told by many it was a "must-see", so we dedicated a morning to visit. This was one temple where I definitely wished I had a guide, or someone to explain what everything was, because it was complex and intricate. Additionally, one of the royal family's palaces is on this mountain as well as a small Hmong village with a hill tribe museum. We visited all three places in a "red taxi" (songthaew in Thai). It was fun to get out of the city and see what life is like in non-urban Thailand.
Shopping - Chiang Mai is known to be a great place to buy souvenirs, both for yourself and for family. My friend Soraya, whose family lives in Bangkok, has to set herself a limit so she doesn't buy too many pieces of clothing when she visits because last time she bought 40 lbs of clothes. And there are plenty of venues besides permanent shops. There is the Saturday Walking Street, a pop up evening market on the south edge of the old city outside the wall, as well as the Sunday Walking Street, a larger version on one of the main streets inside the wall. Both reminded me of El Rastro, the Sunday morning market in Madrid I visited most weeks for shopping and for gift buying. There are food carts, plastic chairs set up for streetside massages, tables filled with jewelry and trinkets, and of course racks and racks of the infamous Elephant Pants. While you don't see too many local people wearing the ones with elephants in the pattern, these light, cotton, one-size-fits-most pants are ideal with the humid heat here in Thailand. Every tourist gets a least one pair (I got 2), because besides looking cool they are also the perfect bottoms to visit temples in, being both respectful and comfortable.
In addition to these two street markets, there is the Night Bazaar, a nightly market mostly contained in a few concrete buildings but spilling out onto the street as well, located east of the Old City near the river. There were amazing artists there, painting and drawing as they sat next to their works for sale. More clothing and jewelry could be found, along with massage stations not offering a human's touch but the nibble of a fish to eat away your dead skin (no I did not try this). All of these large markets are at night, allowing people to come after work and also avoid the daytime sun and heat.
Massage - As I mentioned before, there are plenty opportunities on the street during the markets as well as among the shops to get a massage. But with a bit of research on Kerry's party, we went all out and it was worth it. There is an amazing Spa in the Old City called Fah Lanna Spa, that has received great reviews online and boasts a complete experience. And they did not disappoint. We were picked up from our guesthouse and taken to the spa where we were served an iced tea. Our feet were washed and scrubbed before we were led to our room to change into provided clothes. We each got a Traditional Thai Massage, which was one hour of pressure and manipulation, using their hands, feet, knees, and elbows. It was nothing like the massage I had in the US, and I think it was way better. I didn't realize how sore my legs were until they were becoming relaxed. Afterwards, we were served hot ginger tea and a rice cracker before being driven back. The best part is that it only cost $20 USD!!
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In between all these larger activities, we wandered the streets, browsed shops, and ate food in various restaurants and from street stalls. We walked to the river, checked out a used bookstore, and visited a market to buy fruit and basil seeds. There is so much to see in Chiang Mai, that you could spend a long time there, although we felt that we experienced everything we wanted in the four and a half days we were there.
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