Thailand

Impressions of Thailand from the features of Chiang Mai

 

 

CHIANG MAI GEMS:  it’s about more than precious stones, so this article considers the importance of elephants in Thailand, the blessings of the monks and a celebration holiday, and little things that add beauty to everyday life.

 

 

 

THE PING RIVER:  The underlying pride in The River… why is the Ping so important to Chiang Mai and its citizens when it isn’t a grand or impressive river today? This article takes a glance at the formative history of Chiang Mai and The Ping river – and the fun of a river cruise.

 

 

 

 

TEMPLES:   Thailand invokes images of peaked roofs, beautiful temples, Buddha and a polite people. Why are there so many temples even in a smaller city like Chiang Mai and why do they look different even though they all have similarities? This article is a brief intro to the temples of Chiang Mai.

 

 

 

 

THE SPIRIT HOUSE:   They’re everywhere…tiny temples on a post. Small shops, in the apothecary, in front of a mall or by a street vendor. What are these little temples for, where did the custom originate and why does it continue today? This article looks at the spirit houses of Thailand.

 

 

 

MEET CHIANG MAI:   Chiang Mai made up for an online goof in picking my first hotel in Bangkok, soon to be forgotten in the traditional decor of Chiang Mai’s ‘Empress Hotel’ and a whirlwind tour with the tax lady who met me at the airport.  Read about a trip to a nearby mountain top to visit an ancient temple, a restaurant with limestone slab decor, and the dazzle of meeting a different culture.