Of course, stray dogs live a tough life regardless of what streets they roam in their corners of the world. However, it seems as though the dogs that call the lanes of Chiang Mai home face a particularly uphill climb. These soi dogs, as they’re commonly known, must overcome challenges around every turn if they […]
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Giva Restaurant is definitely a diamond in the rough! It may be difficult to find, located on Tha Pae Soi 1 between Tha Pae Rd. and Loi Kroh, but it’s worth it. The raw, organic and vegan food prepared to order by the owner, Pomm, is a labor of love. The restaurant’s space is absolutely […]
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Every once in a while, unexpected opportunities pop up when abroad that may never happen at home. One such occasion occurred when a friend told us that a major Hollywood film, “The Coup”, was being shot in Chiang Mai and they were looking for Western extras. Furthermore, the movie was to star Owen Wilson, Lake […]
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Nestled in a valley between two mountain ranges rich with lush shades of green, the northern city of Chiang Mai feels more like a small town with access to nature only steps from your guesthouse. Completely surrounded by an old wall and a moat dating back to the 13th century, it’s easy to compare the unofficial […]
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In 1955, Marilyn Monroe starred in the movie, The Seven Year Itch, which presented the idea that marriages are doomed at or around the 7th anniversary. This claim is actually supported by census data over the last 60 years, at least in the United States, as most first marriages end in divorce in 8 years. […]
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Have you seen all the main tourist hot spots in Chiang Mai but have an extra day before journeying on to your next port of adventure? Consider bicycling through the wooded campus of Chiang Mai University. Located between Suthep and Huay Kaew roads, with the main entrance off Huay Kaew, Chiang Mai University offers shade […]
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A young guard greeted me and without smiling (very atypical in Thailand) she allowed me to enter through the door made of painted metal bars and be seated just outside the second of what I later learned would be a series of identical doors. As I silently sat in the plastic chair provided, it suddenly […]
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Chiang Mai certainly has its share of elaborate and ornate temples, such as Wat Phra Doi Suthep and Wat Phra Singh. However, if you’re in the mood to visit a temple with a different style, my new favorite wat in the city might be exactly what you’re looking for. Sobering Wat Umong, built in 1297 […]
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Last year, we arrived in Thailand about a week too late to enjoy the festivities of Songkran, the traditional New Year’s celebrations. Originally, the 3-4 days of Songkran was a time for people to visit and pay their respects to their elders, monks and Buddhist relics, by gently pouring water over the hands and shoulders. […]
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With its prime location at Tha Pae Gate, we had passed AUM vegetarian restaurant countless times, but had never really noticed it. The hustle and bustle of the area, with throngs of tourists and touts crowding sidewalks and streets alike, always instills the fight or flight instinct in us. But on this particular Sunday, we […]
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Wat Phra Doi Suthep, otherwise known in Chiang Mai as “the temple at the top of the mountain” sits 1,676 meters (5499 feet) above the city of Chiang Mai. Of course, Lonely Planet will explain how you can take a shared taxi up the road full of switchbacks or, if you want more of an […]
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Situated at the end of a quiet wooded soi (lane) off Nimmanhaemin Road in the trendy shopping area west of the Old City in Chiang Mai, Anchan Vegetarian Restaurant displays its sign proudly advertising that their vegetarian menu is “so delicious you won’t miss the meat” and it’s true. Anchan occupies the second floor with a […]
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Loy Krathong, meaning “floating crown” or “floating decoration”, is celebrated all parts of Thailand on the full moon in November. People make or buy “krathongs” (lanterns), usually from banana leaves, bamboo (so it can float) and orchids. Each has a small candle and sticks of incense. Thais and tourists alike can be seen walking to […]
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This time of year, people come from all parts of Thailand and indeed all corners of the world to Chiang Mai to celebrate Yi Peng, a long-standing Lanna tradition. To Westerners, this event is known as the Lantern Festival because the most spectacular part of this festival is the release of tens of thousands of […]
Read More…Since driers are either non-existent or scare in Chiang Mai, we hang dry our clothing using a combination of a drying rack and hangers on our balcony, which seems very common here as laundry can be seen drying on everyone else’s balconies too. This evening when we went to collect our dry clothing, we noticed […]
Read More…Today, we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. Traditionally, this calls for gifts of iron in the US (or sugar in the UK). Although we’d love to have a cast-iron frying pan or a wrought-iron gate, those gifts aren’t too practical at the moment. So, instead, we celebrated by getting a high iron content in our […]
Read More…Just to refresh your memory, a “song taew” is a red truck that acts as a shared taxi. This is a very popular way of getting around the city. Today, however, we witnesses two accidents, both involving a song taew: The first accident occurred as we were being shuttled home from the Elephant Nature Park. […]
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Mindy and Ligeia were so excited to go to their first soccer game in Chiang Mai and it was Mindy’s first soccer game ever! Even before entering what is called the 700 Year Stadium we met their mascot, a tiger… …who, much like we were used to at other sports events, seemed to have fun […]
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