Defining Happy

Wat Jediluang

I didn’t have any real expectations before coming to Chiang Mai but I’m sure I wasn’t expecting a laid back type of town with a whole lot of flava.

After I touched down today and took a taxi to the guesthouse, that I had booked at the very last minute via email, I realized that they had tried to contact me to tell me that they were booked 😐 . Luckily one of the owners was nice enough to recommend an alternative right around the corner. It was about five dollars more for the room but with great internet service, a private balcony and an ensuite I was pleased.  After a much needed nap I hit the town to find some grub. The location of the guesthouse is great with plenty of things to see, do and eat a stones throw away.  The short walk through the city was pretty nice as there were loads of interesting buildings and temples.

I stumbled across a cute little whole in the wall restaurant that served Vegetarian cuisine. The spot is owned by an Italian ex-pat and his thai wife. They also had a quaint dorm upstairs which is nothing more than a room lined with 6 mattresses on the floor. Basic and no privacy but clean and cheap. Since having my first Massaman curry in Koh Phangan I’ve been hooked. The wife, who is also the chef, put her own spin on the dish by adding pineapple and apple to the mix. It needed a tad bit of salt but it was tasty nonetheless. I spent about 2.5 hours in this place chatting with the extremely friendly owners, getting a overview on the lay of the land, and listening to the jazzy old school hip-hop and r&b mix that the owner added to the playlist once he found out I was from the states.

Can you tell I’m discovering new settings on my camera? :-)

It was definitely a warm welcome to a city that seems so chill yet so full of traditional culture and history.   I’m looking forward to seeing all that Chiang Mai has to offer.

Moat surrounding the old city