Leather and wood paneling sets the mood
Ascend a flight of stairs: up, off a busy street in Itaewon and enter another world. Low lights, a well stocked humidor, richly coloured walls, and leather arm chairs… you have been transported. It’s someplace moody- sophisticated- like a set from a classic film. I half expected to catch a glimpse of Humphrey Bogart in the corner. Continue reading
A plethora of beautiful temples. Night markets filled with delicious selections of the local cuisine. Waterfalls, mountains… It is easy to understand why Chiang Mai is a hugely popular stop on any traveler’s Thailand itinerary. Mix in the more adventurous options like zip lining, jungle trekking, and off-track dirt bike expeditions and there is surely something for everyone. Oh, and let’s not forget the elephants…oh, the elephants! Continue reading
view of Huang Tung Tao from our beach hut
It was a meltingly hot day, and there was no way that we were ever going to entertain thoughts -no matter how fleeting- of doing anything that required any sort of exertion. Just stepping out of the cool oasis of our hotel seemed daunting. Continue reading
In my head I had been imagining a single lane road on the outskirts of town. A winding road, possibly dirt, flanked with lush greenery, and lined with small booths where local artisans were selling their wares. Little open air shops stocked with lacquerware, silk, Celadon pottery, and ornate silver- all with nearby workshops allowing one to peer in at master artists in the midst of their works. I am not really sure where my vividly detailed visions of San Kamphaeng Road had originated, but Continue reading
up, up, up the mountain…
I love coffee. I love the moments of contemplation found between sips of a deliciously dark brew. I love magic spots in foreign places, suddenly made familiar with a single cup. It’s powerful stuff. A fuel. It generates, and it brings together. So when I got wind of a Hmong Village somewhere way up and into the wilds of Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep where there was locally grown coffee to be had, I knew that we had to venture out to find it. Continue reading
Chiang Mai, founded in 1296, and the one time capital of the Kingdom of Lanna (currently the capital of Chiang Mai Province) is home to a mind boggling number of Buddhist temples. Over 300, to be vaguely exact. Each wat is unique, and many are easily accessible by foot, located within the moated confines of Old Town, while others are tucked away off winding roads (or on mountaintops) on the outskirts of the city. Continue reading
what mysterious wonders do the side streets of Bangkok hold?
The plan was simple: to eat. More specifically, to eat our way across Bangkok right up until the moment we were scheduled to hop the night train north to Chiang Mai. In a city known for its amazing and abundant street food, I imagined that the task at hand would unfold deliciously: dish by dish, street by street. Of course, my true intentions were not that pure. Continue reading
The music was hypnotic. The haunting sounds of a double reed instrument (called a Pi Java) twisted its way through the shuffle of the crowd steadily assembling for the evening’s fights. Small cymbals chimed. There was the rhythmic thump of a drum. It was like snake charming music. The Katha Mahaniyou was working its magic… Continue reading
We left the cool oasis of our beautiful room at The Muse Hotel, and decided to make our way across town to Wat Pho. It seemed as good a place as any to begin our exploration of Bangkok. Not only is Wat Pho the city’s oldest temple, home to 91 chedis, and a massive reclining Buddha; it is also in close proximity to a couple other noteworthy attractions- namely Wat Arun and the Royal Palace. Maximum sightseeing with the least amount of walking possible. Sounded good to me! Continue reading
As a kid growing up in a small northern NY town where chicken wings and burgers reigned supreme, I distinctly remember the first time I tasted Thai food. My parents took us on a 30 minute drive to the next (significantly larger) town over, to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant tucked into one of those strip mall shopping centre areas. It was an unassuming place that left an indelible mark on my palette. The exotic flavours of Continue reading