Tuesday, 25 November 2025 Returning to walk the Hai Ya District of Chiang Mai The Hai Ya district of Chiang Mai lies south of the old walled city. This is an area where many silversmiths settled and still work. Since the cold I have had is easing, and the day is warm but not hot, I went for a walk to the Hai Ya district. Part of my motivation was to see the progress on […]
Sunday, 23 November 2025 Photo excursion to Rock n’ River in the Doi Saket District It seems that many Thai people are pretty taken with TikTok, one of the latest social media crazes. They love taking many photos of themselves posing in interesting or picturesque places. And my friend Mukda is no exception. She works and manages her shop all year, so when friends (like me) come to town, she wants to go on excursions […]
Saturday, 22 November 2025 Grandiose, elaborate temple in rural Chiang Mai Province Note: This is a long post with many photos of this elaborate, ornate temple. Wat Sri Don Moon History Wat Sri Don Moon is in the rural Saraphi district of southern Chiang Mai Province. The temple has something of an interesting history. Not more dramatic than many temples in northern Thailand, but a history with some ups and downs. There is no evidence […]
Monday, November 17, 2025 Around the Moat 3: North and East I am starting to walk east along the north side of the moat. And, like at the southwest corner, a little of the wall is still intact, seen at the far right of the photo. Wat Lok Molee It looks to be a long walk, but each side of the moat is only about 1.5 kilometers (just under a mile). Less than half way […]
Monday, November 17, 2025 Walk Around the Moat 2: West I am now at the southwest corner of the moat, starting the walk north along the west side. A photo looking north as I start walking northward. A little of the wall remains here, seen on the right of the photo. Over time, a road inside the wall evolved. The city outside the moat had grown up to the moat. Because there was a need, […]
Monday, November 17, 2025 Walk Around the Moat 1: East and South I am back in Chiang Mai for my 13th winter here. I arrived on Sunday, November 16, after leaving Bangkok without any emergency hospital visits, unlike last year. I am writing this entry on Wednesday. In my past 12 winters in Chiang Mai, I experienced exactly one day of rain…not 0, not 2 or more, but only one. Today is the third day […]
Saturday, November 5, 2025 Wat Benchamabophit, The Marble Temple Wat Benchamabophit, formally known as Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram, is one of the best-known and renowned religious landmarks in Bangkok. And it is a major tourist attraction. The temple is known for its refined architectural composition in the ornate style associated with temples of Bangkok. The central-Thailand style includes high gables, multi-tiered roofs, and elaborate finials. The Marble Temple combines traditional Thai aesthetics with European influences introduced […]
Saturday 15 November 2025 Wat Ratchanatdaram, The Iron Temple After visiting Wat Pho, I negotiated with a tuk-tuk driver to take me to the Iron Temple, wait, then take me to the Marble Temple, wait, and finally take me to the nearest BTS Skytrain stop. Traffic in this part of Bangkok is dense and slow. We finally arrived at Wat Ratchanatdaram, the Iron Temple. Wat Ratchanatdaram The name Ratchanatdaram means Temple of the Royal Niece. […]
Saturday, November 15, 2025 A full day in Bangkok – Wat Pho Breakfast Before I head out to see temples in Bangkok, it’s time for breakfast at the hotel. The hotel in which I am staying used to be the Novotel Phloen Chit (the Novotel Hotel in the Phloen Chit district of Bangkok). I had come to like this hotel because it is very affordable for a 4 or 5-star hotel, and it is right […]
Thursday, November 12, 2025 The Long Journey: Home to Bangkok via Los Angeles and Incheon (Seoul) Travel day is finally here. I am traveling to Thailand for my 13th yoga-focused winter in Chiang Mai. The trip is lengthy: home to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX); LAX to Incheon (Seoul’s airport); Incheon to Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok’s main airport); and finally to my hotel. In many previous years, I walked to a neighborhood Avis location, picked up a […]
Final Preparations for another winter in Chiang Mai Very soon, I will leave my home close to San Diego, California, bound for my 13th yoga-focused winter in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I will be in the Kingdom for 90 days this winter (close to 13 weeks), my longest stay in Thailand to date. As in previous winters, I’ll be staying at The 3-Sis, practicing yoga at Wild Rose Yoga several times per week, strength training at […]
James the Intrepid Pilgrim 