We have explored a lot of Thailand on our South East Asia tour (Bangkok, Hua Hin, Krabi, Phuket, Ko Tao, and Ko Phi Phi). Northern Thailand was on our list, so we spent a month in Chiang Mai over Christmas and New Year’s. Chiang Mai is a large city with a population of about 1.3 million people. The city is known for its ancient temples and vibrant markets. Moats and ancient walls surround Chiang Mai’s old city. There are a lot of great hiking opportunities around Chiang Mai. It is a walkable city, which we love, but it is also easy to get around in tuk-tuks, red trucks and Grabs.
We decided to share a house near the old city with our friends the Sigstons. It is near the Wat Sri Suphan (the Silver Temple). Fun fact: Women cannot go into the Silver Temple, but they can enter the temple complex. Lucas and Henry each bunked with a Sigston kid. They both had a weekly food budget and were responsible for feeding themselves. Lucas teamed up with his friend Jake, who also has a food budget. They worked together to buy food and cook meals. Henry was on his own, but we helped him come up with a grocery list and meal ideas. Grab (mobile food ordering) is still his favorite option. It is a good exercise because the boys are more conscientious about what they buy. Henry opted not to get the imported BBQ Fritos because they were too expensive. I have been cooking more here in Chiang Mai. My friend Vicki and I take turns cooking dinner. We are compatible food buddies.
Chiang Mai is a bustling city. On the weekends, they close down certain streets to set up a market with food stalls and crafts. There is a Saturday market just steps from our door. There is a night market that is open several days a week just up the road. We can get an hour-long foot massage for under $6, a smoothie for $0.75, and dinner for under $3.
We met up with some other worldschoolers for various activities. We did a hike up to Wat Pha Lat via the monks’ trail. It is a Buddhist temple nestled in the mountains just outside the old city. The view from the temple is stunning.
I took the boys to Grand Canyon water park with three other families. It is a giant inflatable ninja warrior course. Lucas stayed for about five hours. Henry and I were there with two other families from open until close. We were not able to get a Grab home, but we were hitch a ride on a red bus heading in our general direction. We rode back with a bus full of young travelers from all over the world. Michael went with some other dads and Jake for an ATV off-roading adventure.
We attended an open mic night at Freebird, a Vegan café. Our friends Jake (16) and Gabe (15) performed Christmas songs on the piano. They met a few days earlier, so watching them perform so well together was incredible. The rest of the open mic night was fun. The various artists, musicians, and poets, were wonderful. The emcee for the evening, Jay, is a spoken word artist with amazing energy. He had the whole crowd, including our kids, entertained.
We took another day trip with some other families outside of the city. We visited Wat Ban Den (Blue Temple). The temple was originally built in 1804, and then renovated in 1988. It is a colorful and beautiful temple complex honoring the 12 zodiac animals. Our next stop was Namtok Bua Tong National Park and the famous “Sticky Waterfalls”. A layer of calcium and other mineral deposits cover the rocks in the waterfall, giving them a grippy texture. We all climbed up without shoes and did not slip.
We also met families at board game cafes, a trampoline park, trivia nights, and restaurants. Please do not worry that our kids are not socializing. We can hardly keep up with our social calendar.
As if we were not already busy enough, we all tried Muay Thai at a gym called Stingray Club. Henry is enjoying it. Michael has been back to for a class. Lucas will probably attend a few classes but, he is more interested in playing pickleball. There are pickleball courts just down the street from us and some other courts just outside of the city, so he has gotten to play several times since we arrived in Chiang Mai. Lucas broke his pickleball paddle. He was sad about it, but the pickleball community came through and he got a new pickleball paddle.
We spent Christmas in Chiang Mai. We bought a tree and hung lights. We went to Freebird café for a vegan Christmas Eve dinner with several other families. We also found a holiday market where the kids roasted marshmallows and they had a bubble blowing machine to simulate snow. Lucas and Henry did not love the food, but Michael and I enjoyed it. We had a lovely and relaxing Christmas Day with the Sigstons. Henry got a balloon animal making kit that kept him busy for a while. We went to the movies the day after Christmas to see Wonka.
Our first two weeks in Chiang Mai flew by. We are enjoying our busy schedule and meeting new friends. We are excited to ring in the new year here.
