Chiang Mai

Khao Soi is a traditional northern Thai dish consisting of rich coconut curry soup, thick noodles, mushrooms, tofu (or meat) and crispy noodles on top. It's eaten with chopsticks, lime, fresh sprouts and pickled greens. Some eat it with whole cloves of garlic and hot peppers as well. I had my first introduction to the dish at Pok-Pok in Portland, and ever since then I've wanted to try the real deal (if you live in Portland and order Khao Soi at Pok-Pok, it would be kind of like you and me having dinner together across the world. just sayin').

Chiang Mai is a popular place for foodies both because of the top-notch cuisine at stellar prices and also the culinary schools where you can learn to cook authentic Thai food. Vegetarians rejoice at the options here. It's easy to find real coffee, grown in the nearby mountains.

Chiang Mai has an old city, where most of the Wats (temples), restaurants and guesthouses reside. It's a popular place to visit, so it took me a while to find a guesthouse with an empty room. Everything in Chiang Mai can be had for less than Bangkok. Getting around is best done on foot.

I spent 9 slow days in Chiang Mai, long enough to develop favorite spots and recognition from the locals. I settled into a nice routine, spending most of my days writing, walking, visiting Wats, reading and exploring my thoughts over fruit shakes. I took roughly 3 cold showers each day and usually couldn't fall asleep before 2 0r 3am due to the heat. My favorite breakfast consisted of boiled rice soup with tofu and poached egg. Wat Phra Singh, in the heart of the old city, quickly became one of my favorite places to write. It's home to several temples and a luxurious garden full of shade, tables and wooden Buddhist sayings nailed to the trees. It is ever so quiet, aside from the occasional high school student wanting to practice English. They ask impossible questions, like "What do you want in future?" or "What is touristic in your country?" It's a big country, I told them, but mentioned Yosemite and New York so we could move on to the next question. "What do you know of Thai people?" they continued, as a group of them crowded around to watch. "What do you know of political situation in Thailand?" Maybe you could tell me about it, I suggested. She didn't know anything about it. The worst part is, they recorded the conversation and took my picture. There is a record- a record!- of all my awkward responses to their much too broad questions.Each Sunday night, the streets transform into one of my all-time favorite markets. Stalls hawk traditional handicrafts from nearby hilltribes, modern crafts from local city-dwellers, and tasty street food. Although it's called a "walking street," the crowds force more of a crawl. I thought all my senses might explode as I took in all the creative energy. Additionally, there are two nightly night markets- one sells cheap food and the other is a full-on craft bazaar that sprawls over several street blocks, malls and shopping centers.
On my last night, I met up with Tilman, a friend from Bottle Beach. We hopped on his motorbike and rode to the nearby Wat Suan Dok to watch the sun setting on the golden stupa.

I hated to leave Chiang Mai- I could live there!- but I knew another paradise awaited me in the mountain town of Pai.

If you missed the journey from the islands to Bangkok, click HERE.