In a week, I leave home in San Diego, California, for my 12th yoga-focused winter in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I will be there for 12 weeks, practicing yoga at Wild Rose Yoga several times per week, strength training at the gym a couple of times per week, learning about the culture, and enjoying the food and people of what is called “The Land of Smiles.” I am considering taking a course on writing Thai while I am there. I am told that learning to write Thai greatly facilitates speaking Thai. [It seems a daunting task. The Thai language has 44 consonants, 16 vowel symbols that combine into at least 32 vowel forms, 4 tone diacritical marks, and other diacritics.] This blog intends to share my journey, what I am doing, and pictures of what I saw, the places I visited, and the food I ate (and whether I was able to learn to write Thai).

I’ll say goodbye to the Pacific Ocean, which I see most days on my frequent bike rides near or along the coast. I used to often walk on the beach at Del Mar early in the morning at sunrise, but not as frequently recently. The sound of the ocean and the waves hitting the beach is meditative and peaceful. Chiang Mai is in the north of Thailand far from the famous beaches and islands in the south so I will not see an ocean until I return home in February. This afternoon I took my camera to photograph a little of what I’ll miss while I’m in Chiang Mai.

Los Peñasquitos Lagoon

The first photo is the train line across the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon, a large salt marsh immediately south of Del Mar. This marsh is where Carmel Creek merges with Carroll Creek and Los Peñasquitos Creek as they make their way across the marsh to the Pacific Ocean. I pass by this frequently on my bike as I ride to the coast highway, formerly U.S. Highway 101, which was once the main highway between San Diego and Los Angeles.

Del Mar Beach

The Pacific Ocean is very peaceful today – there are no large waves and thus no surfers. But still a meditative background for a walk.

Swami’s Beach

At the south end of Encinitas is Swami’s Beach, a very popular surfing spot. At the entrance to the small parking area are two large carved homages to the stone statues on Easter Island.

It was close to sunset and I got a nice photo of the sun setting over the ocean behind the palm trees.

And as the sun finally set, I caught it along with the last few surfers. I’ll be flying over that ocean in just over a week.

Packing

I am getting ready for the final packing. I have made this trip to Chiang Mai many times so I do know what to bring (and I have a list).

Safety

A question I get occasionally about my pilgrimage walks in Spain and my trips to Thailand is whether it is safe where I am going. I feel very safe in both Spain and Thailand. The Spanish government has an app called AlertCops. When activated, you are connected to the Guardia Civil (one of the two national police forces in Spain), someone who speaks your language, and the app knows and reports where you are. They take the safety of the pilgrimage routes very seriously. Thailand now has a similar app, called “I Lert U” which will connect you to the Tourist Police, a division of the Royal Thai Police. They speak English and know your location through the app. Like Spain, they place a high priority on the safety of visitors to Thailand

I always hope to post every day or two while I am in Thailand. I do get busy and sometimes my posting slips. I will post often and share pictures of what I am seeing. I have always enjoyed my time in Chiang Mai and look forward to sharing the journey with everyone.

Next: Traveling to Thailand