Winter 2023-2024 Chiang Mai, Thailand
Saturday, January 14, 2023Dinner at Miguel’s and exploring Started the day with Ning at the O2 gym and a hearty strength workout. Following that, I returned to The 3-Sis for a late breakfast. Then, being that in just 1 day I move from The 3-Sis to See You Soon, I spent time in my room reorganizing and repacking my belongings. After everything seemed to be in order and ready for the move tomorrow, I worked […]
Friday, January 13, 2023Visit to Singharat Pharmacy and Wat Phra Singh After visiting the Singharat Pharmacy, getting a supply of my blood pressure medication, and then visiting Wat Pha Bong, I crossed the street and entered Wat Phra Singh. As I have mentioned, Wat Phra Singh is a very important temple to the Thai people. It is one of about 20 temples in Thailand listed as Royal Temples of the First Class. It is one […]
Friday, January 13, 2023Pharmacy and Two Temples I have just two days left at The 3-Sis, then I pack and move to See You Soon, about 70-80 meters south on Prapokkloa Road at the intersection of Ratchamanka Road. The 3-Sis is owned by three sisters, Poppy, Ice, and Uhey, and their parents. Poppy manages The 3-Sis and its restaurant, Poppy’s Kitchen. Ice and her husband Ball, and Uhey and her husband were in Bangkok. About […]
Wednesday, January 11, 2023Hiking all the way up Doi Suthep mountain I recently heard that Rudy from France is back in Chiang Mai and then I saw him in a yoga class. We discussed making the long challenging hike up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep again. This is a hike I have made many times, and Rudy and made this hike together last January. Monument to the Three Kings It took a few days […]
Monday, January 9. 2023Walking to Mush for dinner, diverted to Wat Phra Chao Meng Rai Walking west along Ratchamanka Road on my way to Mush for dinner, I realized I had not stopped to visit Wat Phra Chao Meng Rai this year. I have always liked this temple because of the depiction of the dancing thewada on the front of the viharn. As I have likely mentioned many times, I find the artistry of the […]
Saturday, January 7, 2023Exploring south of old Chiang Mai city – Wat Daowadung I left Wat Phuak Chang through the entrance on Rangang Road, and walked down Rangang Road a bit (southeast). I turned down a soi in the direction that I thought would eventually lead me back to Wua Lai Road, the main road through the Hai Ya district, the area in which I was now walking. I was a little lost again, no, […]
Saturday, January 7, 2023Exploring south of old Chiang Mai city – Wat Phuak Chang After feeling as if I might be coming down with a cold Thursday night, I basically took Friday off and rested most of the day. Today, Saturday, I cancelled a workout at the O2 Gym with Ning, and also cancelled my participation in the “Tai Chi and Yoga” workshop at Wild Rose Yoga this afternoon, preferring to stay low-key. I have […]
Thursday, January 5, 2023Two temples walking back from Blue Diamond Part 2 Wat Umong Mahathera Chan After visiting Wat Lam Chang, I continued in the direction of The 3-Sis, my accomodation, south along Ratchapakhinai Road. Soon I passed Annie’s and Archer’s, two restaurants next to each other I like, and then I frequently pass Wat Umong Mahathera Chan. Unclear where the spaces should be – in the Thai tradition, since their language uses spaces to […]
Thursday, January 5, 2023Two temples walking back from Blue Diamond Part 1 Wat Lam Chang After a brisk walk to the O2 Gym and a challenging strength training session with Ning, I decided to forego breakfast at The 3-Sis (the restaurant is actually Poppy’s Kitchen) and change my routine a bit. I went to Blue Diamond, a very popular restaurant in the northeast quadrant of the old city (inside the moat, as is typically said […]
Monday, January 2, 2023The temple by the river, Wat Chai Mongkhon My target for today was to visit Wat Chai Mongkhon by the Mae Ping River, or as they would say in Thai, Mae Nam Ping. “Mae Nam” means river. “Mae” is “mother,” “Nam” is “water’ so I think of the term for river as being water from mother nature. In English it is translated to be “Mae Ping River” or just “Ping River.” While […]
Sunday, January 1, 2023Yoga with Annie, Kirtan at Wild Rose The new year started with a yoga session with Annie, always invigorating and inspiring. Much of the rest of the day I spent working on my blog – researching temples and their history, editing photos (cropping and reducing size), and writing the text. At 6 PM at Wild Rose, there was a Kirtan. A kirtan is from a Sanskrit word meaning “narrating, reciting, telling, describing.” […]
Saturday, December 31, 2022Last day of 2022, New Year’s Eve Today is the last day of 2022, New Year’s Eve. The preparations for a celebration are well underway, centered at the plaza outside Tha Phae Gate. This plaza has been the center of previous New Year celebrations, and is used for many community events, marathons, various concerts, the Loy Krathong celebration, and many more. Thailand has not really had a New Year celebration for 5 […]
James the Intrepid Pilgrim 