Thursday 01 January 2026 Happy New Year! Let’s eat dinner! [This is the second of two food-related blog posts.] As I said, I eat food every day…every day. And while I am here in Thailand, I eat Thai food most days. A question I was often asked after my first few winters in Chiang Mai —when I first spent a month or more here—and is still asked: “what does the food there look like?” The […]
Thursday 01 January 2026 Happy New Year! Let’s eat! [I’m spitting this blog post into two, because there is so much food to show.] I eat food every day…every day. And while I am here in Thailand, I eat Thai food most days. A question I was often asked after my first few winters in Chiang Mai —when I first spent a month or more here—and is still asked frequently: “what does the food there […]
Monday 29 December 2025 A Day in the Life … Me in Chiang Mai … there are many days. Reflecting on my life here in Chiang Mai, a recurring question that surfaced during my early winters—when I spent a month or more here—still echoes: “you were there for a month; what did you do every day?” That memory precipitated the thought that I might make more frequent and shorter blog posts, more like when I made […]
Late December 2025 Observing preparations and decorations for the Chiang Mai Countdown 2026 Celebrations Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit passed away on 24 October 2025 at the age of 93. Her death marked the end of a life dedicated to public service, cultural preservation, and humanitarian efforts. Sirikit was Queen of Thailand from 28 April 1950 to 13 October 2016 as the wife of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Both were loved by the Thai people […]
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 […]
Monday 15 December 2025 Return to an important Chiang Mai temple, Wat Phra Singh A note: I am much delayed in this blog post. While my life in Chiang Mai seem simple, I have gotten very busy lately. I practice yoga at Wild Rose Yoga at least three times weekly, there is strength training at the gym with Ning twice per week, coffee and meals with friends, and exploring. But all of that is may […]
Monday 15 December 2025 Returning to an important historic temple Continuing my walk west on Suthep Road, eventually I came to the historic Wat Suan Dok. The temple campus is also the home of a university. Several of the more significant and large temples also have a four-year, accredited university on their campus. So, while frequently very quiet and peaceful, at times, the temple area is quite busy. The English translation of the name is […]
Monday 15 December 2025 Sights along the way walking to an historic temple, Wat Suan Dok Feeling the need for a little adventure before diving back into frequent yoga practice and strength training, I decided to take a walk out to see Wat Suan Dok again. Along the way there are also a couple of things I always check out. Monument to the Three Kings In the very center on the old city of Chiang […]
Sunday 30 November 2025 Returning to hike the Monks Trail to Wat Phalad The Monks Trail is a hiking trail from a little west of Chiang Mai University to Wat Phalad. The trail continues from Wat Phalad to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The first section to Wat Phalad takes 45 minutes to an hour, and is definitely uphill, but not terribly difficult. The second section from Wat Phalad to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep […]
Monday, 1 December 2025 Almost abandoned temple near Suan Prung Gate It seemed to be time for a haircut, so after a strength-training session with Ning at Pump Fitness, I walked to Suan Prung Gate. The Samlaan Barber I see is a very short distance inside the gate. Wat Phuak Hong, The Temple of Swans, is what I call a small, local temple, seldom visited by tourists and primarily for the people living nearby. I […]
Monday, 5 December 2025 Another forgotten temple, standalone chedi north of Chiang Mai North of the old walled city of Chiang Mai, on the road leading north from Chang Phuak Gate lies the remains of Wat Pan Sat. This little‑known temple dates back to the 14th century, a time when the Mengrai Kingdom flourished across Lanna (northern Thailand). All that remains of Wat Pan Sat today is the chedi, a classic Lanna‑style stupa. Its square base rises 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. […]
James the Intrepid Pilgrim 