I Love Thai Sausage

Chiangmai Life

Shrimp and vegetable soup // Coconut rice wrapped in banana leaves // a dog in a diaper because it permanently broke its hind legs jumping out of a car // Thai soup at a roadside restaurant.

Food Food Food

Central Mall - Chiangmai

Central Mall in Chiangmai has one of the best food courts I have ever been to. There is a ton of Thai food, as well as food from all over Southeast Asia. Plus the low-seating tables are a nice touch. As expected, the mall has been decked out in Chinese Spring Festival lanterns and red banners. Not sure what to expect for CNY, but will definitely be buying fireworks and try to eat some dumplings for good luck.

Bernie Meme

With all the Bernie memes lately, I found this on Twitter, done by @tokyosexwhale. He’s a great graphic designer and you can check out his work here. Figured I should give him a plug since I’m posting his work on my site, but credit is due where it’s deserved.

Chiangmai Style

On Fridays, kids in Chiangmai don’t have to wear their school uniform, and can instead wear “Chiangmai style” clothes. Tons of stores sell these kinds of clothes for super cheap and there are a ton of different styles and colors.

The Friendliest City In The World

Late Lunch in Thailand

Fried tofu with fried garlic bits // Brown rice with meat, fried pork, shallots, peppers, and cucumber // A coconut congee sort of thing with, to be honest, I have no idea what the purple thing were, but they were delicious // Spicy clams

Inauguration Day

Looks like The Forbidden City in Beijing

All The Meats

Steamed veggies & chicken // shrimp over rice with spicy fish soup // salt-crusted fish with herbs and rice // beef with basil & fried eggs over rice

Wat Phra That Doi Kham (Golden Temple)

Wat Phra That Doi Kham (often referred to as Wat Doi Kham or the Golden temple) is located at the top of a hill to the south west of Chiangmai. The views from the top of Wat Doi Kham are impressive and the temple itself is gorgeous.

This ancient temple has more than 1,300 years of history, believed to be built circa 687 to enshrine Buddha's relics. The giant Buddha is 17 meters tall.

More food From Chiangmai

1. Khaoniao mamuang (Mango sticky rice) is a traditional Thai dessert made with glutinous rice, fresh mango and coconut milk, and eaten with a spoon or sometimes the hands.

2. Beef phat kaphroa with Thai holy basil and garlic, served with rice and a fried egg + potato & pork soup

3. Gai tod ga tiam kai dao (Garlic Fried Chicken with Rice and Fried Egg)

4. Guay tiew ruea (Boat Noodles). Boat noodles refer to noodles with beef or pork in a thick brown broth which contains cinnamon, star anise and blood.

The sauce in the small pink bowl is called nam prik nam pla and it is a Thai classic. “Prik” translates to chili in Thai. “Nam Pla” translates to fish sauce. These two ingredients are the main components of the sauce along with a few aromatics and citrus. It’s super good on anything coming off the grill and rice dishes, but you can put it on anything you like.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves Garlic peeled and minced

• 1-2 Thai bird chilis depending on how hot you like it

• 2 tbsp Lime Juice

• 1 tbsp Fish sauce

• 1/8 cup Cilantro chopped - optional

• 1 tbsp garlic chives chopped - optional

Instructions

• Mix the minced garlic, Thai bird chilis, lime juice, fish sauce, and cilantro in a bowl. Taste test. Adjust for your desired level of spice by adding more chili, sour by adding more lime, salty by adding more fish sauce

  *Some people add sugar but I was told this is a no-no in Northern Thailand

Around Chiangmai

Thai markets are great because they offer both raw vegetables and meat, as well as cooked dishes and grilled meat. I got some of the sausage in the lower right pic with a side of rice and it was deliciously spicy. I’m getting used to all my meals having a bit of a kick to them.

For anyone who might not know too much about Chiangmai, here’s some general info:

Chiangmai is 700 km (435 miles) north of Bangkok and is the largest city in northern Thailand. Chiang Mai means "New City" in Thai and was founded in 1296 as the capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Today it is a place where past and the present seamlessly merge with modern buildings standing side by side with venerable temples.

The city has 24 Buddhist temples, several universities, and a long cultural history. I love this city because it has a nice mix of old-school Thailand with night markets, street food, and tuk-tuks but also large shopping malls and big urban areas. It's a unique city compared to other places in Thailand, and I couldn't be happier to spend some time here.

Chiangmai Zoo + Lunch

The photo in the first group (bottom right) is the entrance to Chiangmai University, which was on the way to the zoo and I insisted on taking a picture.

The Chiangmai Zoo was really nice, and had a section of the park devoted entirely to “Australian Animals”. The panda area was closed to visitors and when the staff was asked why, he said: “They got COVID” and everyone laughed, and then he said “Just kidding, they’re renovating the space.” Everyone loves a good China-Coronavirus joke.

I also got my Macbook Pro battery replaced today and when I went to pick it up, the guy was like “You need to see this.” He showed me the original battery and it looked like 4 small inflated whoopee cushions. After close to 6 years with the original battery, it was definitely time for a new one.

More Thai Food

Yes, the food is delicious, and no, I am not the one cooking it. Though I often step into the kitchen hoping to learn, I am often shooed out. Regardless, it’s delicious, even if I never learn how to cook Thai food.

2020 Timelapse // 1 Photo Everyday

Home cooked Thai Food

Chiangmai Market

I’ve been doing a lot of shopping in markets since I got to Chiangmai and I wouldn’t want it any other way. They have everything from kitchen supplies, fresh fruits and vegetables, raw fish and meat, sweets, as well as dishes that you can order for takeaway. Plus, these markets are super cheap. I couldn’t believe the amount of vegetables I bought for less than $5. Markets like these are one of my favorite places to go in Thailand and I will continue to visit them as long as they continue to stay open.

Magnus Fitness Center

This is one of several gyms I have gone to and all of them have been great. This was is only 90 baht per day or 900 baht for a month.

Mini Golf & Thai Food

Some Saturday afternoon mini-golf and then outside BBQ was a great way to ring in 2021