Chiang Mai

On Christmas day, I left the southern beaches and flew to the northern city, Chiang Mai. Nestled near the mountains, this city has amazing weather, being drier, a tad cooler, and sunnier than the more humid south. The center of the city is a square surrounded by a moat. Temples (or Wats in Thai) are scattered throughout the city, with Buddhist monks seen walking all around in their bright orange robes. On the weekends, there are massive markets on closed off streets, where people can buy a variety of different crafts, clothes, and foods.

For Christmas dinner, the woman who runs my hostel cooked a huge feast for all the people staying at there. At the table were people from all over, with four from Japan, two from France, one from Italy, Scotland, and the United States. It was a great meal to have for my first Christmas away from home.

The day after I arrived in Chiang Mai I rented a motorbike and explored the Doi Suthep national park just to the west of the city. This mountainous park has beautiful views, forests, and quaint little villages nestled in the rolling landscape. I rented a 125cc bike, rather than the 110cc (not quite to the 150cc MarioKart style), and had a blast cruising around the area. I stopped at the little towns, had fresh coffee that is grown right there, and ate some cheap and delicious food.