I traveled from the monkey town of Lopburi to Ayuthaya via a one hour train ride, which took us through gorgeous scenery of lush green fields with a backdrop of not-so distant mountains, whose color was ever changing due to the setting sun. The train itself was rather unlike the upscale Special Express train I […]
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Leaving Bangkok, heading northbound, the two hour bouncy train ride starts by taking you through small neighborhoods. With make-shift houses, made of pieces of grooved metal and occasional slabs of wood, built almost on top of the tracks, my eyes had plenty to focus on. I particularly liked a colorfully-painted library train, permanently stationed on […]
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Located just off Khaosan Road in the popular tourist dirstrict of downtown Bangkok, Ethos restaurant serves up a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes, proudly made with organic food. With meat-free classics like lasagna, spaghetti & “meat”balls and hummus with pita, not to mention the delicious home-baked desserts, this is definitely not an eatery to […]
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From the moment you step off the train it is clear that monkeys are the main focus of Lopburi, for residents and visitors alike. Small enough to walk all around in 30 to 45 minutes, it is easy to navigate on foot. We recommend using the bathroom at the train station (3 Baht, bring your […]
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Accommodations around the Grand Palace can be quite pricey due to the popular tourist attraction and the proximity to the Chao Phraya River. For many, therefore, staying in this area of Bangkok is simply not an option. However, Arom d Hostel (only a 10 minute walk to the main gate of the Grand Palace) offers […]
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Most international flights land at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), however, many domestic flights and shorter international flights land at Don Mueang (DMK). When making bookings be sure to double check at which airport you will be arriving. There are several options to get to downtown Bangkok, all ranging in price. The once popular airport bus […]
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Without a doubt the most popular attraction in Chiang Rai is the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun in Thai). Even if you’ve seen hundreds of temples while traveling throughout Southeast Asia, we guarantee that you’ve seen nothing like this and so it is definitely well worth the trip. The architect, Chalermchai Kisitpipa, is known throughout Thailand […]
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Chiang Rai is a small town, offering a quieter version of Chiang Mai, with narrow streets and shops that close early. The air is cooler and no one seems to be rushed. Guesthouses are abundant so be sure to keep looking if you are not completely satisfied. It is easy to find a double room […]
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So, you’re planning on traveling the popular route from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. Without a doubt, the Green Bus service, which monopolizes this well-trodden route, is convenient and quite painless. In Chiang Mai, Green Bus operates out of the newly renovated Arcade Bus Station. Walking through the main entrance, the shiny, green ticket counter […]
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Boon Si Ta, located on Pra Sop Suk Road just a bit southeast of the bus station on the right-hand side (opposite the bus station), is reportedly the only vegetarian restaurant in Chiang Rai. This small cafeteria-style restaurant seems to be a one-woman operation with no menus. There is a large banner on the wall […]
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As you may know, since we volunteered at Elephant Nature Park in May 2012, the foundation that runs it (Save Elephant Foundation), its people and especially the animals it cares for have become very dear to our hearts. In late 2010, two Australians similarly volunteered and their lives immediately changed as well. During their week […]
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It’s difficult to spend any time in Thailand without seeing pictures of and tributes to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-serving head of state and Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch. Having sat on the throne since 1946, he has been in power for 66 years. So what does all this have to do with Father’s Day? Thais […]
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Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Surin Elephant Roundup, a government-sanctioned festival celebrating Thailand’s revered Asian elephant. The multi-day event draws large crowds all eager to witness elephants showcasing their amazing abilities. Elephants dancing to Gangnam Style, throwing darts to pop balloons, playing an organized game of soccer and even walking upright to […]
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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…Today at work Ligeia went to her usual vegetarian eatery on campus to find a very long line, longer than she had ever seen before. In contrast, the other food stalls were not busy at all. Did everyone suddenly go vegetarian? The short answer is “yes”….well, at least for 10 days that is. After doing […]
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…This evening we were walking through our neighborhood on the way to meet our friends for dinner, when we passed something we had never seen before. Part of the road was blocked off and a tent had been set up on the side of the narrow street with tables and many chairs. On the other […]
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