Wednesday 4 February 2026 An excursion to Thailand’s highest mountain Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand with the peak at 2,565 meters above sea level (8,415 feet). Located southwest of Chiang Mai, the drive to get there is about 2-1/2 hours, so going there, spending time at the mountain, and coming back would take up a whole day. For all of the winters I have been coming to Chiang Mai, people have asked […]
Thursday 29 January 2026 Revisiting an old favorite temple in Hang Dong District During my first or possibly my second winter in Chiang Mai, I got to visit a unique temple. A Thai lady who is long-time friend-of-a-friend had retired and moved back to Mae Rim where she grew up. She and I connected during my visit and she showed me what she considered some special sights. Back then, I knew very little about Chiang […]
Sunday 4 January 2026 Back to the main part of Chiang Mai after seeing the Railway Station After walking from central Chiang Mai to the Railway Station, then along the railway yards, and finally crossing the railway, I am now headed back towards central Chiang Mai. I am walking west along a local road, Rat Uthit Road, towards an access road to get to Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road, the main highway between (you guessed it) Chiang […]
Saturday 20 December 2025 Walking along the Klong Mae Kha north of Tha Phae Road I go out walking in Chiang Mai every day, some short walks, some longer. I enjoy the walk, seeing whatever I see along the way, and seeing what has changed from previous winters in Chiang Mai. Some of my walks are short with the sole intent on getting to a specific place. Many of my walks are less focused, and […]
Wednesday 10 December 2025 Last day chillin’ in the village of Thai Mueang Thai Mueang is a small village on the Andaman coast in Phang Nga Province about 60 kilometers north of the Phuket airport. Now a small village, Thai Mueang was once a thriving a hub for a large tin mining operation in the 1950s through the 1980s. When the tin mining ended, most people left, leaving a quiet beachside village. This is a […]
Tuesday 9 December 2025 Chillin’ in Thai Mueang, aka Turtle Beach Today is my first full day in Thai Mueang (Turtle Beach) here on the Andaman coast in the Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand. As I said in the previous blog post, this is a very small village, and there is not much to do but relax and chill. The beach house, or bungalow, that I rented through Airbnb from Tim Newton is relatively […]
Monday 8 December 2025 A short excursion to Thai Mueang, aka Turtle Beach On the Andaman coast in the Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand is a very small town on the beach called Thai Mueang. This is about 30 minute’s drive north of Phuket. Sea turtles live along this stretch of quiet ocean, and there is a Sea Turtle Conservation, Research, and Development center there. Every year, hundreds of small turtles are released into […]
Monday, 5 December 2025 Recent views and sights around Chiang Mai Getting around Chiang Mai for me means walking, at least most of the time. If it is too hot in the afternoon or where I want to go is too far, I get a motorbike taxi. But much of the time I am walking. So I see familiar and new things around town. And sometimes I pull out my phone and take a photo. […]
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, 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 […]
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 