What About Chiang Rai?

January 18, 2015January 14, 2019 / betstravelsabout / 19 Comments

Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai? Are they two separate cities or do we just confuse the two for the one which we all know and that is Chiang Mai? To set the record straight, they are definitely two separate cities with many differences. I have been coming to Chiang Mai for eight years but only visited Chiang Rai for the first time last week. So many times I have heard the same refrain: “Why do you want to go way up there? There’s not much to see and do. It’s just a miniature of Chiang Mai as it was 20 plus years ago.”

By not heeding this advice, I believe I just made one of the wisest decisions I could have made to start off this year of 2015. I am so glad I went and only have one regret which is, I wish I had planned to stay longer. Contrary to all the naysayers, I found a thriving little city with plenty of things to see and do, so many in fact that if I had stayed for two weeks instead of three days, I would not have accomplished all I wanted to do.

Because of the pouring rain on the day I left, my bus trip up didn’t get off to a great start. Rain in the midst of winter and the dry season is rare in Thailand, but who knows any more what we are going to get when it comes to the weather? Fortunately, I had an umbrella (lent to me by my wonderful dentist the day before when the rain started) to protect me as I stood on the street outside of Pachkit House where I am staying trying to flag down a songtao (the red trucks which ferry us around Chiang Mai).

Chiang Rai is Thailand’s northernmost city about 200 km. north of Chiang Mai. Northern Thailand is more mountainous so we weren’t too far out of Chiang Mai before the fog set in along with the driving rain. With no prospect of seeing any of the beautiful scenery, there was only one of two things to do and that was to attempt talking to my young Thai seatmate, or sleep. I thought I would first try my luck at conversation fully expecting no positive response other than “No speak English” but was totally taken aback when she replied to my question in almost perfect English that she was a university student on her way to Chiang Rai to participate in a volunteer project for Children’s Day, which was coming up the following day. We ended up talking for most of the three-hour ride on many topics, an opportunity which seldom happens in Thailand because most Thai have a limited English vocabulary or are too reserved to open themselves up to a foreigner as much as she did. Not only was she articulate but very insightful for a person so young so when we parted ways on our arrival, I couldn’t help feeling I was leaving behind a true friend. This was a wonderful start to my visit to Chiang Rai which continued throughout my stay.

To me one of the most important parts of a trip is the accommodations I find. I was fortunate to find Jansupar Court, a family owned guesthouse near the centre of town with a great atmosphere. The family consisting of mother, father, son, daughter-in-law, and a precocious cat were so very welcoming that when I checked out I felt like I was leaving home. Not only was it good value for the money, but it also had a little bistro which not only provided some really good food, but drinks, including wine at 75 baht a glass, and for breakfast homemade bread and real coffee. You can even get a pretty good cappuccino made by Jiab, the son. For information on Jansupar, you can check out places to stay in Chiang Rai on booking.com.

Jiab with precocious cat.

Another priority of mine is the availability of good eating places and Chiang Rai certainly has its share of those. They know what the tourists want so there is no lack of great coffee shops and bakeries plus authentic Northern Thai food. Aside from my meal at Jansupar ( translates to Moon Woman) which served the best cashew chicken I’ve ever had and the food I picked up from the vendors at the markets, I ate lunches at Yod Doi (translates to high mountain) which was all organic and freshly prepared, and a tasty dinner at Destiny Cafe and Restaurant another great find where the emphasis was on healthy and freshly prepared. For more information on this eating place go to www.tripadvisor.ca – Best places to eat in Chiang Rai. Thai food is good but can be very spicy which for me is fine for awhile but every few days I need a break from it to appease my craving for fresh Western.

However, my piece de resistance was recalling a place called “Melt in Your Mouth” recommended to me by my bus seatmate. She was insistent that I go, but just the name of the place was enough to convince me that this was well worth pursuing. All I knew was that it was somewhere near the river. The Thai are not good at giving directions or following maps so what my seatmate had told me was very vague. Thanks to my unrelenting ‘sweet tooth’ and a helpful TAT (Tourist Authority for Thailand) girl I was able to find it and what a find it was! It is a huge restaurant in a beautiful location on the Kok River, a tributary of the Mekong, and the coconut cake and coffee was ‘melt in your mouth’ delicious. I paid 200 baht ($7.50 Cdn.) for this treat which is expensive for Thai food and those of us on a tight budget, but it was worth every penny. To find out more simply go to www.facebook.com/meltinyourmouthghiangmai

Coconut cake & white coffee from “Melt in Your Mouth”.

Now that my room and meals were taken care of, I began to plot out what I should try to see in what amounted to just three days. My first day resulted in much walking while trying to orient myself to the layout of the town. For a small town it was quite confusing at first because right in the centre is the famous Clock Tower which forms a round about. Everything seems to radiate out from there so you have to know in which direction north, east, south and west lie. However, my first day was cloudy so I couldn’t use the sun as my guide. The little map given to me by Jiab’s mother wasn’t much help either. Not gifted with a great sense of direction, I often made too many unnecessary steps in the wrong direction. I should mention that the Clock Tower is quite a sight and especially at night when at 7, 8, and 9 o’clock a light show can be viewed accompanied with lovely music. The tower is painted in gold making it beautiful in the daylight as well. It was designed by Thailand’s famous visual artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat who also designed the famous White Temple, another noted attraction south of Chiang Rai. The tower is dedicated to the Thai King, Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The Clock Tower at night.

Chiang Rai is one of the oldest cities in Thailand so has several significant wats a visitor should check out. My first visit was to Wat Prah That Doi Cham Thong sitting atop a small hill with a gorgeous view of the city and the river. It was well worth the climb up the long serpent lined stairway.

Stairway to the stupa at Wat Prah That Doi Cham Thong.

Wat Prah Kaew, Chiang Rai’s most significant wat, was my second choice. It was here around 1434 that the famous Emerald Buddha (since discovered to be jade, not emerald) was discovered when a bolt of lightning hit the chedi housing a large clay Buddha. The lightning split it open to reveal the Emerald Buddha which now resides in Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok after being moved around the country and even to Laos because it is such a symbol of dominance. The grounds are forested with many trees, a contemporary Lanna style museum, and a chapel which houses the largest and most beautiful Palava style Buddha image in Thailand.

The chedi where the Emerald Buddha was found.

My third wat visit was Wat Prah Sing which used to house a major Buddha image which is now in Chiang Mai in its sister wat of the same name. It has a Lanna style ubosot with exquisite wooden door panels.

The Ubosot at Wat Pra

It was two years ago when I took a day trip from Chiang Mae up to the Golden Triangle which is the pivotal point for three countries: Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos and the undisputed centre for a once thriving opium trade. Nowadays this area is a major tourist attraction due to its exotic history as well as the controversial White Temple situated about 35 km southwest of Chiang Rai. This modern-day travesty or work of art, depending on how you look at it, is a Buddhist temple (Wat Rong Khun) built and designed by that same Thai artist who designed the Clock Tower. It’s an ongoing project with new buildings being added all the time. I have to admit the the tiny glass mirrors embedded in the pure white of the structures is breathtaking. The murals inside the temple are painted in vivid colours depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha and our immortality with a modern twist showcasing our present day pop culture. You can spot Elvis, Micheal Jackson, and MacDonald’s for example. The theme of the whole complex is about freeing ourselves from rampant consumerism – an appropriate message exemplifying the Buddhist philosophy.

The White Temple

A closer view.

The “Sea of Hands” holding skulls to symbolize our journey from hell to heaven.

Like all the cities and towns in Thailand there is always a market or two to take in for the fresh produce, Thai food, crafts, cultural performances, and other sundry items depending upon the kind of market it is. Chiang Rai has its fair share with the most popular being the Saturday Walking Market and lately the Sunday Walking Market which happened to be just down the street from where I was staying. I went to both just to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the never-ending variety of Northern Thai food. I was in for an additional surprise on Saturday at that market when I ran smack dab into the most beautiful display of flowers in the park which bordered the street where the market vendors were displaying their wares. I wandered through the park at dusk and an hour later when it was then dark. The creativity displayed with the lighting and the flowers was outstanding. I discovered that this Flower Festival is an annual event to celebrate the New Year.

Creativity with flowers.

Some creative lighting.

At the Sunday Market I got a chuckle from what appeared to me to be the main attraction: stall after stall selling woolly hats of all shapes and sizes. The emphasis was definitely on winter which to the Thai is when the temperature at night might dip down to 10 degrees. Those vendors who were selling any kind of warm clothing were far busier than those selling their Hill Tribe crafts. The food vendors were doing a roaring business especially those selling anything hot and spicy, but the biggest surprise for me was those selling insects. Yes, deep-fried crickets, silk worms, and water bugs were being gobbled up by the Thai. I didn’t see any of the few tourists who were there sample them. I also enjoyed watching the cultural shows of dance and music but mostly the families as they went about their shopping.

Winter hats and summer sandals. Something for everyone.

The latest fashion in hats for the babies.

A water beetle snack anyone? Very popular with the Thai.

Since there are so many smaller villages and towns in the province of Chiang Rai which are fairly easily reached in a day’s trip from the city, I decided that my last day would be devoted to visiting one of them. I chose Mea Salong which I will write about in my next post. However, going there meant I had to forfeit seeing other attractions in Chiang Rai. For example, you can take in the Hilltribe Museum and Cultural Centre, the Chou Fong Tea Plantation, the mineral water bath just outside of the city, a boat trip along the Mae Kok River, or the Luang Mae Fah Cultural Park. These choices will appeal to the older traveller but for those with children you can opt to visit any of these fun places: the Boomerang Adventure Park, the Black House, with its bizarre artifacts, the Singha Park …. built by the beer company…. which offers bike riding, animals and oodles of play space. Then finally, there are numerous long treks to the Hill Tribe villages for an authentic cultural experience. I was told that the golf courses in Chiang Rai are pretty decent, too.

Additional sites to visit are not the only reason Chiang Rai is calling me back. My other considerations are the cooler climate and cleaner air, the manageable size of the city (about 200,000 souls compared to about a million now in Chiang Mai), all the amenities that a tourist or ex-pat would look for, such as good value for accommodations, eating spots, shopping, hospitals, numerous activities, and an active ex-pat association. I should also mention that the ethnic influence of the Chinese who have migrated there from south China and the Hilltribe peoples who live in the area i.e. the Lisu, Aka, Hmong, Yeo, and Karen make for an interesting population and culture. It is what Chiang Mai must have been like before it got over developed and over run with tourists and isn’t that what some of us no matter what our age are still looking for?

A Precious Gift

January 2, 2015January 14, 2019 / betstravelsabout / 8 Comments

Isn’t it human nature to want to have a day all to yourself where you have not one ‘must do’ to deal with – a day where you can do whatever you want to do? When I am home I often dream of doing this but somehow never get around to it. Even here in Chiang Mai so far away from my home and husband and the responsibilities that come with both, my mind is filled with a myriad of things to do calling for my attention. How is it that we get so programmed into always doing stuff we really don’t want to do resulting in never really fulfilling that dream?

About a week ago on a Sunday, I must confess to waking up feeling a bit lost and even panicky because I didn’t have anything pressing on my ‘to-do’ list. My thoughts went something like this: ” Should I just forget the list and do some sight-seeing? But I’ve seen all those things that tourists are supposed to see!” my mind protested . “Then perhaps I should spend the day reading all those books I never got around to reading at home, but where can I find a quiet place in Chiang Mai to read?” The one thing I was certain of was that I didn’t relish the thought of spending such a beautiful, sunny day in my room! After this brief mind torture, a flash of insight prevailed, and I realized that here was a golden opportunity knocking at my door – a whole day at my disposal to do whatever my heart wished and wherever my feet led me.

I hastily put myself together and flew out the door ready to face the day. At this point, I didn’t have a clue what I would do with this gift of a day just for me, but the one thing I was sure of was that I needed a substantial breakfast. Breakfast up to this point had been juice, yogurt, cereal, and rye bread in my room.

Right away I decided to seek out the restaurant (Good Morning Chiang Mai Coffee) where I breakfasted last year on a Sunday. Back then it inspired me to write a post titled “Sundays in Chiang Mai”. Although their service this time was slow and disorganized because of its popularity with both the back pack and ex-pat crowd and staff that aren’t equipped to handle them, the quality of the food is still there. My appetite was eventually sated by a large french toast with butter and syrup, fruit, and good coffee. By the time I was finished, it was almost noon and beginning to warm up. I left and found my feet taking me to the south gate to take a look around there. I was impressed at how lovely the fountains in the moat looked. It was at this point I realized what I was going to do with the remainder of my day. I would walk all the way around the moat! This would be long trek but it wasn’t a hot day, so I knew if I was ever to do it then this would be the best time.

I should digress here and give you an idea of how this city is laid out and why the moat that encases the inner city is such an essential part of old and modern day Chiang Mai. This city of now over a million and a half people is composed of the old part or inner city and the newer outlying part spreading in all directions. The inner city where I usually stay and where most tourists congregate is surrounded by a moat and some of the remains of a defensive wall over 700 years old. I read that the moat is about two kilometers all the way around but to me it felt like many more. Here is a map of the inner city.

A map of the inner city and my route from start to finish.

In 1296 when the wall and moat were built to keep out the Burmese and Chinese who were the Lanna Kingdom’s greatest enemies, this was an ideal set up to keep the citizens safe. I am not so sure how practical having this moat is today for the traffic in this city. The streets running along both sides of the moat accommodate one-way traffic with turnoffs allowing the traffic to get to the other side. However, the drivers often have to do considerable backtracking to get to their destinations. Since there are no traffic lights, the traffic is always continuous and fast making it hazardous for pedestrians trying to get to the other side. Nonetheless, no one can deny that this moat is what makes Chiang Mai unique. The ‘powers that be’ who run this city know this so maintenance is a top priority. The numerous fountains are nearly always doing a wonderful job of spouting up a lovely spray of water thanks to the pumping stations which seem to be well maintained. Every day the work force can be seen scooping out any debris that accumulates both in and out of the moat. Their efforts do not go unnoticed, especially by visitors like me, and I suspect by most of the locals as it has served them well not only in the past but today as an added tourist attraction.

If you wish to follow me further on my walk around the moat and inner city to get a bird’s eye view of Chiang Mai, then simply click on the first image below. Enjoy your tour!

Start of my walk at south gate.

A tress all dressed up on the south side.

Busy ThaPhae Gate on the east side.

A market at ThaPhae Gate.

Busy street scene along the east side of the moat.

Part of the moat on the east side.

One of many moat cleaners.

One of Chiang Mai’s many wats.

A walking bridge on the east side.

Remaining old wall at the northeast side.

Beautiful fountains.

First view of the mountains on the north side.

What is this unusual looking tree?

A worker taking a rest.

More wall remains.

Rounding the turn at the northwest corner.

Wall on the northwest corner.

More fountains on the west side.

First and only time I’ve seen this in CM.

Continuing along the west side.

The perfect shade tree.

Part of the wall at the west gate.

Catching fish from the moat.

Lovely Rim Hotel near my place facing the moat.

Almost at the end – Soi to my guesthouse.

My guesthouse. Should I stop now?

The last part of my walk to the southwest wall.

My reward for completing the walk around the entire moat!

My Four Days in Bangkok

December 20, 2014July 20, 2023 / betstravelsabout / 9 Comments

Except for the first time I visited Bangkok in 2008, on subsequent visits I never bothered to linger too long in this huge sprawling city. Maybe it was because of the jet lag which invariably comes with such a long flight over to this part of the world from my home in Nova Scotia. How do you deal with a teeming city of over eight million people where there are literally thousands of things to do and see when you are tired and your whole body is out of whack? Many visitors to Thailand have come to look upon Bangkok as merely a jumping off point to the more laid back areas, such as Chiang Mai in the north or one of the country’s beautiful beaches in the south.

This year I am travelling solo without “hubby” so I decided to renew my acquaintance with Bangkok by revisiting some of the places I saw eight years ago and to take in a few new sites.

My first significant change was to find another place to stay rather than the Atlanta Hotel on Sukhumvit Road which is primarily noted for its large, glitzy malls as well as its rather sleazy Nana area, one of Bangkok’s famous red light districts. This time I booked myself into the Uma Residence, a new boutique hotel in the Dusit area, which isn’t too far from the Chao Phraya River in the older and more residential part of the city.

If you happen to find yourself in Bangkok at any time, I would highly recommend the Uma as a great place to stay especially if you have a modest budget and want a decent bang for your buck. Taking advantage of their opening special (it opened in June), I received one night for free after a three night stay resulting in a nightly cost of $28. For the price of a budget hotel, I received accommodations that were the equivalent of a 4 star hotel. My room was tastefully decorated with pictures on the walls, which is a rarity in Thailand, and an extremely comfortable bed. They even provided me with a dressing gown, slippers, and a hair dryer. However, it was the outside of the hotel which I found the most inspiring. In the centre of the grounds was an inviting pool with more than enough lounge chairs, tables, and couches to relax in. To top this off, they provided us with cookies and all types of coffee or hot chocolate (from a machine) which was surprisingly good, for FREE! The Bangkok Post was available every day so I was able to catch up on all the latest Thai news since I left in March. Coffee table books were scattered here and there for additional reading. To make it even more like home, there was a cute Christmas display with Santa and all his reindeer. There are over 100 rooms at Uma but they were not all full so at times I felt like I had this place to myself. Another plus was that it is located off a busy street on a small soi ( lane) so it was exceptionally quiet compared to the Atlanta or any other hotel in Bangkok. Even the rooster who woke up early like all roosters do didn’t bother me as he simply added to the country atmosphere. As I revelled in my comfy sofa with a cappuccino and newspaper, I began to wonder if I really was in the city.

Entrance to the Uma Residence hotel.

My comfortable room.

The pool and gardens.

Christmas display.

My one complaint about this hotel would be the distance to the nearest BTS Sky Train stop which as I found (because I did it) had to be more than 5 km. away leaving me only the option of using a taxi. To make matters worse, not all taxis would pick me up so I had to be somewhat aggressive in hailing one down. One of them refused to take me to my hotel because it was out of his way. However, the upside to this lack of transportation was that I was within walking distance to the Chao Phraya River, a large river that still functions as a part of Bangkok’s rather chaotic transportation system. Numerous boats of all shapes and sizes ply up and down the river all day and night providing visitors with an alternative to taxis, tuk tuks, the subway and the sky train. This is a great way to travel and see the sights in Bangkok. For the first time, I visited Chinatown and had fun finding my way around the maze of narrow streets and sampling some of their street food. I was told that the best time to see it and the river, too, is at night when every thing is lit up.

Chinatown

One of the ferries that transported me down the Chao Phraya River.

Another popular spot near my hotel is Khao San Road which was dubbed by a Thai writer as “a short road that has the longest dream in the world”. This street has been immortalized by the hoards of backpackers who have been coming to Thailand for the past 30 years looking for a cheap room and board, cheap and sometimes pirated goods of all kinds, and a thriving nightlife. Most stayed for only a few days before heading out, but unfortunately, there were those who were looking for that elusive dream that they couldn’t find back home, so got trapped by what Khaosan had to offer. Everything was for sale and it was cheap. It wasn’t unusual to see a few lost souls wandering the street at any time of the day with a beer bottle in hand as I did on my first visit several years ago. However, this time, there seemed to be a different vibe. Many of the old buildings have been renovated, and I didn’t spot anyone wandering aimlessly around with beer can. Even the quality of the copious amount of merchandise seemed to have improved along with the prices, of course! Khaosan appears to be undergoing some kind of change for the better. However, let’s hope it can keep some of its past which would be the reputation it has for providing people a place to be able to walk a short street crammed with so much to see and enjoy.

Khao San Road – famous backpacker row.

Including Ronald!

You can get a really good feel for the Thai way of life as it is today as well as it was in the past in this area called Dusit. Bangkok was built in the central part of Thailand along the Chao Phraya River in the 1700’s on a low-lying plain. An extensive system of canals was built for drainage to assist the agricultural activity of the area at that time resulting in its claim as “the Venice of the East”. Over the years as the city began to spread outward in all directions, many of the canals were paved over to make roads for the increasing traffic. As an aside, Bangkok today has over 7 million cars for its population of just over 8 million! Needless to say it has a real problem with traffic which in spite of every mode of transportation possible, there is still no real solution. The one which no one wants to face would be to ban people from driving their cars forcing them to rely more on the transportation which is available even though it isn’t perfect. Perhaps it’s a good thing that some canals still remain and are used by the residents as an alternative to the horrendous traffic, and by the tourists as an opportunity for them to get a taste of the traditional Thai lifestyle. Unfortunately, the canals or klongs are quite polluted and the disparity between the rich and poor living quarters can be a bit unsettling for some.

One of the remaining klongs.

A modern Thai home facing the canal.

Older homes of the not so wealthy.

Markets and street vendors galore are another familiar scene in many parts of Dusit. I was running into them everywhere I went. Fresh vegetables, fish, flowers, and all kinds of merchandise can be bought without ever having to set foot into a shop. Most business is done out in the open. Most of my meals came from various vendors near my hotel, and I didn’t get sick! In the past I’ve gotten sick from eating in restaurants but never from street food! It’s also cheaper to eat this way, and for a solo traveller this can solve the problem of eating alone in a restaurant. Some of the food vendors do provide tables and chairs but they are almost always occupied by locals because most Thai eat out rather than at home.

Vegetable and fruit street stall.

This lady sells her fish from baskets which she can take anywhere.

A flower stall near Payap pier where I got my ferry.

There were many more sites to see and things to do in my newly chosen area if I had planned for more time. The Grande Palace, the Wats Pho and Arun, the Vimanmek Mansion, the largest teak house in East Asia, and the Dusit zoo are just a few of them. Hopefully the Uma Residence will continue to offer their wonderful special for it is undoubtedly a little piece of heaven and the perfect place to chill out after a hectic day on the streets of Bangkok.

Thailand Again?

December 8, 2014March 6, 2024 / betstravelsabout / 14 Comments

“Are you going back to Thailand again? When are you leaving? What is it that draws you there?”

These are the three questions I can expect to be asked this time every year as I ready for my big trip over to Thailand. As most of you probably know my answer to the first one is an unequivocal “Yes, I am going back again.” In reply to the second question, I am leaving on December 9th from the Robert L. Stanfield Airport just outside Halifax arriving in Bangkok on the 11th causing me to lose a day. This will be my eighth visit. When I mention this, many then throw out the third question of WHY I would choose to go to the same country for eight years in a row?

The first time I was asked why I keep returning, I really had to give some serious thought to my answer. With little difficulty, I answered with these main reasons: the warm climate with lots of sun, the Eastern culture, and the friendly people. Over the years my reasons have multiplied so the aim of this post is to help you understand what calls me back each year to this beautiful and exotic country.

TO ESCAPE WINTER

This is undoubtedly a top priority for me and Thailand offers this in spades. Our winter months coincide with their dry season which is invariably sunny and hot. December and January are the most comfortable months. After that it starts to heat up and can be quite humid as its near the equator. However, I will take this any day over howling winds, sleet and snow which have become a steady diet in Victoria Beach in Nova Scotia. To give you an idea of just how important this is to me, this trip will be the second time I am going solo leaving “hubby” in Florence to shiver in the raw cold that it offers in winter. No thanks! I have been there twice and loved the city but could never imagine spending a winter there.

FRIENDLY PEOPLE

It was probably after our first whirlwind trip in 2008 when we were on our way home that I knew without a doubt that I would return again and the next time would be longer. The gentle smiles of the Thai people with their genuine greeting of ‘Sa wa dee ka’ accompanied with a wei ( a forward bow of the head with hands together) did it for me. I sometimes wonder where they get all their patience especially with us tourists who are coming in droves often failing to leave a positive impression. We live by the clock over here in our Western world and the Thai don’t. They also don’t understand why we let little things like being overcharged for a tuk -tuk ride get us so angry. The Thai are usually more than happy to help us out if we run into any difficulty, and the ones we have met are honest to the nth degree. Hubby has left his wallet, camera, and glasses at various places over the years and never once did he not get them back.

THE THAI CULTURE

About 95% of the Thai population practices the Theravada form of Buddhism. Unlike all other religions, it does not emphasize how or what we must believe but more on how we can better ourselves in this life by carrying out positive actions in the way of the Buddha. The wats or temples are open all the time and everyone is welcome so unlike our churches which are for the most part only open on Sundays. Buddhism is a way of life practiced every day not just on Sunday. Since their time is not the high priority it is in our society, to visitors it appears the country is in a perpetual state of organized chaos which somehow to our utter surprise seems to work. The Thai take things in their stride and simply laugh at those visitors who get upset over things that don’t work out according to their agendas or code of perfection. Needless to say this laid back attitude does wonders for my stress level. This along with the sun improves my well-being considerably.

EASE OF LIVING

Thailand is now considered by the modern-day standards of our world as a developed country making it a relatively peaceful and welcoming country to outsiders. It’s probably the only country in the world that can claim a succession of military coups over the past 20 years which have been mostly peaceful. The two largest cities, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, are now world-class and have all the amenities of the Western world. There is poverty and there is great wealth, but there is also a growing middle class. All of this along with the multitude of gorgeous beaches make this an easy place for ex-pats to live there and for visitors to hang out. People always ask me if I feel safe there. My reply is that I feel safer there than I do at home.

COST OF LIVING

Most people are really surprised when I tell them that I can live cheaper in Thailand than I ever could in Nova Scotia. This is especially true in the winter time. I don’t have to heat my home or feed fuel to my car. In addition, my food, accommodation, and transportation are all cheaper here. I usually rent a fair-sized room with a fridge, TV, and air-conditioner for about $275 a month. It’s much cheaper to eat out than in so I have no cooking to worry about. I get my room cleaned and sheets changed once a week. What more could I ask for? It’s really an extended holiday since I can do all those things such as reading and writing that I never can find enough time for when I am at home.

DENTAL/MEDICAL SERVICES

Thailand is quickly becoming a mecca for those people who seek expert and inexpensive dental and medical services. I have been taking advantage of their dental services every year having had crowns, gum surgery and expert cleaning done to keep my teeth healthy. This time round, I am scheduled to have two crowns put in probably to the tune of $500 at most. The last crown I had done several years ago cost me about $200. Here in Annapolis Royal I would have to pay about $1200 per crown. I have never had any medical work done but for my friends who have, they all report having a very positive experience and are highly impressed with the quality of service. It’s not surprising that Thailand is being noted as a good country to go to for a medical holiday.

MARKETS AND SHOPPING

Over the years I have noticed a marked increase in the number of markets available now in practically every town of fair size. Chiang Mai where I hang out for most of my time is a shoppers haven for not just craft markets but for those who have money to spend and are looking for world-class shopping. In the past two years, three new classy malls have opened up, and it’s not just tourists who frequent these malls with their upscale shops and cafes but more and more Thai, especially the youth. The Thai people love to shop as hubby and I witnessed last Christmas while in Bangkok.

ACCESS TO OTHER SE ASIAN COUNTRIES

The Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok is now rated one of the busiest in Asia and the 16th busiest in the world. It is the main link to all other Southeast Asian cities. Because Bangkok is a large cosmopolitan city rivalling all other SE Asian cities, it has become the favoured jumping off point for tourists to other parts of Asia. I think many tourists would agree with me that returning to Thailand after a jaunt to any of the other Asian countries is somewhat akin to returning home. Is it the people who inhabit this country today or the long history of a strong and independent race who have never been under the rule of some foreign power that makes this place a safe haven for all the adventurous souls who roam the world? Who really knows but I’m game to bet that most travellers feel the same way as I do.

RE-UNITING WITH OLD FRIENDS

Over the years I have made friends with other travellers who go to Thailand again and again for many of the same reasons as I do. We may skip a year or two but we all manage to somehow meet up again and share past travel experiences and discuss all the advantages of the kind of lifestyle we have adopted over the years. We aren’t exactly ex-pats because we don’t live there year round but we are becoming close to it. Chiang Mai has probably one of the largest and most active expat societies in the world composed of many people from the US, Britain, Canada, and other European countries. It started off with mostly older retired couples and singles looking for a warm country which isn’t too expensive to live in, but more and more I am discovering many young people who have decided they don’t want to be a part of the ‘rat race’ or simply haven’t been able to find appropriate work in their own country so have chosen to become what is commonly known now as ‘digital nomads’. They are working their way around the world and like the older folk are discovering that Chiang Mai is a nice place to settle for a while.

In just twelve hours, I will be heading out for my long journey over to Thailand for my eighth time. I will arrive in the early morning of the 11th after approximately 30 hours of flying time with breaks in Toronto and Amsterdam. It’s too much time in the air, but I always try to make the best of it with the latest movies, reading, and some sleep if I’m lucky. I usually manage to beat any serious jet lag by taking a homeopathic remedy called “No More Jet Lag” which doesn’t help me sleep while on the plane but does eliminate all the side effects of flying long distances, such as fatigue, sleep disorders, and general discomfort. I am usually back to normal after a day or two and ready to enjoy what is becoming a second home for me. I no longer can imagine spending a winter here in Nova Scotia so long as I have the choice to go to some place like Thailand.

A “Words of Wisdom” Walk

March 16, 2014January 14, 2019 / betstravelsabout / 3 Comments

Life can be full of some pleasant surprises when we stop to listen to our hearts and be open to the suggestions of others. This happened to me a couple of days ago while having lunch at Nest 1, a restaurant and resort near the small town of Chiang Dao in the mountains of Northern Thailand.

I need to go back a bit and explain how my husband and I ended up at this particular restaurant in Chiang Dao in the first place. Back in January when we first arrived in Chiang Mai, we met a lovely young American couple who told us about this little spot up in the mountains about an hour and a half drive from Chiang Mai. They spoke so enthusiastically of it that I made a mental note to not forget about it and to research it as a possible place for us to escape to in March at the height of the hot, dry season. We followed through and ended up spending four glorious days there.

Our escape turned out to meet our expectations except for the one thing that, unfortunately, you just can’t avoid this time of the year in Northern Thailand – the haze from the fire burning ritual that the farmers practice every year. The government is trying to discourage it but with little success. With this one exception, we thoroughly enjoyed the invigorating waters of one of the many hot springs in the area, the ‘oh so cool’ nights accompanied by deep sleeps, a market to beat all other Thai markets that I have seen for size, and finally, the “Words of Wisdom Walk” which prompted me to write this post. How did this happen and why this title? I must give credit to our attentive and very knowledgable waitress who served us lunch at Nest 1. Her enthusiastic description of the 310 step walk up to a landmark monastery nearby had me hooked. To work off the lunch, we took her suggestion and started up.

Our inspirational and very helpful waitress at Nest 1.

The Chiang Dao market.

Some chilli anyone?

The Tham Pla Pong temple was built into the mountain that hovers over Chiang Dao some time in the early 1960’s as a memorial to a monk from this area who devoted most of his life to the monk hood for well over 60 years.

The monk to whom this temple is dedicated.

Although the temple is beautiful as so many of the Thai temples are and the scenery from the top was spectacular, the best part was, believe it or not, the climb up those steps. On both sides of us and at about every tenth step, we were confronted with an inspirational saying from the Dhamma, the Buddhist term for his teachings, to spur us upward. I couldn’t help feeling a wonderful sense of peace envelop me as butterflies flitted around me, and strange bird songs echoed through the trees. Even though Thailand is in the midst of their dry season, the foliage all around not only looked very green and healthy, but also very familiar. I quickly realized I was seeing many of the common house plants that we have at home, such as the philodendron and the ‘wandering jew’ all looking much more beautiful in their natural habitat. Below are some pictures of those ‘words of wisdom’ that spoke most clearly to me and the ones that I and probably most of us need to be reminded of from time to time.

Just think how much better our world could be if we could practise this one more often!

Another favourite!

And so the work begins!

After a seemingly quick and easy descent, I felt rejuvenated and strangely enough quite at peace with myself and the world. I realized I had just experienced a wonderful form of meditation achieved by mental focus and physical movement in harmony with the surroundings of nature. I really don’t think meditation can get any better than this because it sure beats sitting in the lotus position trying to still my thoughts in a room by myself.

BetsTravelsAbout

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Southeast Asia