Getting reacquainted with Chiang Mai (Day 1) - Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Where I stayed
The Sila Boutique Bed and Breakfast
Landing in Chiang Mai with signs of greenery and mountains had me smiling almost instantly. I could breath, sigh, relax....I'm on vacation. I'm in one of the best places on earth you could be if you just want to take a load off and take care of your body. There are an endless number of juice bars, vegetarian cafes, coffee shops and massage parlors. It is a very walk-able and safe city. People are chill and friendly. It has a sense of being old yet new. There is history here yet a blend of modern chic and hippie. Getting around in tuk tuks, songteaws, moterbike, foot or taxi all provide their own element of adventure. It is such a fun city to explore and soak in, all for such amazing prices too...and you know I'm a sucker for a deal!
So how did we start our awaited arrival? We hopped in a taxi and arrived at our quaint bed and breakfast. Chiang Mai is a walled city with a moat surrounding the old town. This time I opted to stay in the old town for a different perspective from my last visit in 2010. The bed and breakfast is located right by a very popular temple called Wat Phra Singh and in-between two of the major streets Ratchamankha Rd and Ratchadamnoen Rd so we are definitely in a good location.
After checking in I wanted to take Brooke to one of my favorite lunch spots called Dada Cafe. With the perfect temperature surrounding us (the weather here is on the cooler side compared to the islands but it feels so refreshing. No humidity and highs in the 70's with lows in the 50's) we had a leisurely stroll to the restaurant stopping along the way to check out a shop or take a photo. We arrived and were immediately elated! The chalkboard had a gazillion different beverage and food options that were both overwhelming yet enticing. Homemade kombucha, wheatgrass, smoothies, juices, coffees, shakes, teas, salads, soups, sandwiches, curries, rolls...how does one choose? We spent a considerable amount of time trying to decide then we both opted for a healthy smoothie with a salad. I got a traditional papaya salad and a smoothie with spirulina, bee pollen, mango, banana, flax seed oil, and coconut oil. Brooke and I both thrive on healthy, funky food options so were in heaven.
From there the next order of business was to get a massage. There are so many to choose from so we just picked one and saddled up for our first Thai massage. We got into our sexy Thai pants / top and laid on tables right next to each other while two young men hopped on and were ready to stretch and loosen up our tight muscles.
Ahhh.....so great....although I forgot about all the contorted positions they put you in, some more tolerable than others. My body is definitely tight so it was a shock to the system to be stretched and pulled in opposing directions. There is something rewarding after completing a Thai massage. You almost feel like you conquered something. Your body is still in one piece and although you were moved into compromising positions that test your flexibility, when its all said and done you feel relief. After the massage was over we looked over at each other with the biggest smiles on face because we knew this was just the beginning of many more. We peeled ourselves off the table, had warm tea, then just cruised back to our hotel.
Evening was upon us so the coolness set in. Time for a wardrobe change at the hotel. We put on our jeans then ventured by foot to a restaurant that was recommended to me the last time I was here but did not have a chance to try. After a few wrong turns and winding down alleys with no clear sign of life we found the little hole in the wall called Imm Aim Vegetarian Restaurant. This was literally someones home which added to the charm.
Again the menu was filled with so many amazing options it was hard to decide but our choices did not disappoint. They have their own organic garden where they source their food so everything was farm to table fresh. The only 'miss' was the tea we ordered. It was an intense combination of ginger, mint, lemongrass, honey and chili. Sounded really good on the menu but it ended up being very medicinal tasting. We chalked that up to 'good for the body.'
While at dinner we decided it was a fantastic idea to go for another treatment. We took a tuk tuk to The Lanna Spa and got a 90 minute foot massage. We had the place all to ourselves which was a good thing because Brooke has a tendency to make relaxing noises while falling asleep during treatments.
Once our feet and legs were refreshed we took a tuk tuk (quite possibly a drunk tuk tuk) over to one of the night markets called Warorot Market. The goal was to get a little treat for the night like a Thai pancake! It was fun to cruise around the market but unfortunately the guy I remembered from last time was not out making his unforgettable Thai pancakes so I opted for a baby coconut water instead. Yum!
While walking through the market a man approached me. After a minute I realized it was our tuk tuk driver. At first he took me back a bit. He kept asking for my name and I kept inquiring why. He eventually pulled out Brooke's cell phone. Holy cow, and this is why I love Thailand. Where in the world does someone leave a i-phone 5 and have it returned?!? Brooke was so relieved and both of us very impressed at the kindness of the Thai people in general. She gave him a reward and we both smiled and were on our way back to the hotel.
That's what you call a full day and great way to start off our time in Chiang Mai.