Chiang Mai - Part One

I'm so tired my face hurts. It's 4am and I lie there disorientated as the alarm clock screams cruelly in my ears. Due to rescheduling at work, I missed the overnight train Northbound and I'm forced to take an early flight the next morning. I'm disappointed to be denied the romance and discomfort of the fifteen hour sleeper, as well as the views of Chiang Mai and it's surrounding countryside at sunrise. However, I'm happy to escape Bangkok for a few days, and the only child in me looks forward to the comfort and familiarity of solitude. 

As soon as I land in Chiang Mai I feel the burden of worry fall away. The heavy smog of the Bangkok skyline is nowhere to be seen, and the tree lined streets and delicious fresh air come as a welcome change. There's something vibrant and carefree about this place and it oddly reminds me of an Asian Venice Beach. Shabby chic shop fronts, adorable coffee shops and stunning boutiques give you the feeling that Chiang Mai is stylish, relaxed and quietly confident. Yes, there are a lot of tourists but the city is so full of personality that you don't mind sharing it.

I drop my bags at the hotel and resist the urge to sleep in favour of A Lot of Thai - Chiang Mai's top cookery school and host to Gordon Ramsay. Run by Yui and her husband, this course is the perfect blend of facts and fun served up in a wonderful home environment. The tone is set when Yui swings by to collect you in the family campervan, a glorious VW from the mid 1960's. After dropping her daughter off at school, we head to the the local market to pick up the ingredients for my lesson. This exotic wonderland can only be described as a circus of the senses, and I amble distractedly through the maze of foreign goodies. Yui guides me through my shopping list and patiently answers all of my questions before we hop in the van and head home to meet the rest of the family. Over the next few hours I make (and eat) an impressive feast of Pad Thai, Red Curry and Tom Yum. Under Yui's expert supervision I manage to create three authentic and surprisingly tasty dishes that got me so excited, I broke my personal rule of not photographing food. 

Sleep deprived but blissfully happy I head back to the hotel for an early night. As I turn into the street a traditional Thai funeral begins it's journey from a neighbouring house. Desperate to photograph the life and colour that spills onto the road, I think better of it and quietly stand back to let the procession pass. It's one of those moments you commit to memory... The vibe is carnival, and to a soundtrack of heady music, a sea of smiling faces greet me warmly as they dance by en route to the temple. I'm fast falling in love with this soulful city and before I even get a chance to remember the day, I tumble onto the crisp white sheets and slip into a contented sleep.

Temple Colours

Market Food

A Lot of Thai Cookery School

Pad Thai Triumph

Three Kings Monument