Thursday, 25 December 2025: Chiang Rai.

Merry Christmas to all.  

I finished my second book for this trip.  The first was The Women by Kristin Hannah.  The historical fiction piece follows a nurse in Vietnam throughout her tour and then when she returns home to learn that "there were no women in Vietnam." The second, 

The Lincoln Conspiracy, by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch is a non-fiction work detailing the first and foiled assassination attempt on Lincoln.  

After a visit to Amazon, I selected two books on meditation and a new Nora Robert’s trilogy.  Nora Robert’s has been one of my go to authors for a long time and it’s been a year or two since I read anything from her.  Now is the time.  

Haircut for Justin. Then on to another night market.  They are everywhere.  

We got in and out of Bangkok without even looking at jewelry.  That’s a first.  

We’d selected our restaurant for Christmas dinner. I had my eye on boeuf bourguignon at Surf 'n' Turf Restaurant. We ordered our Caesar salad and a nice bottle of Shiraz before they asked us to accept fries since they were out of mashed potatoes. I’m not a mashed potato girl, but, no.   We finished our salad, took our wine and, wa la, we’d started a progressive dinner.  We ended up at a local izykaya. Justin had miso ramen. I had Japanese beef curry.  So I still ended up with beef stew. 

Meanwhile, the Lions lost to the Vikings!?  What! The Lions lost to the Vikings.  That means we are in the playoffs.  There is life left in this season!

Christmas tree in our hotel lobby

Wednesday, 24 December 2025: to Chiang Rai

Our driver picked us up at 9am and we were on our way north for a 🎵three hour drive🎵. (I know that song is going through your head now.)

It has been significantly cooler here in Chiang Mai and now we are continuing north.   The biggest take away from Chiang Mai was that maybe I am not so much a city girl anymore.  Who knows?  I was here many, many years ago and , truthfully, I don’t remember it at all.  This trip, I’ll remember.  The city was manageable. The food was good, the markets were reasonable.  Our elephant experience was phenomenal and the cooking classes was great.  We didn’t get out to the old city walls so, no problem, we will save that for another trip perhaps.  

Today’s driver, Chian, drove us to the elephant rescue site a couple of days ago.  Justin was intrigued by his all electric JAC.  When he asked him, Chian told him he’d only had the car five days.  

Three hours out, so, really now in Chiang Rai, we stopped at The White Temple, Wat Tong  Khun. This was Disneyland. Wheelchair access makes it totally different that almost any other temple we’ve seen. That is good. But too new and too plastic. Designed and funded by a local rich businessman trying to gain his way to nirvana. 

my skirt was too short so I had to
rent a skirt -- the skirt of shame. 
At least it was white to go with the temple.  

The bridge that leads to the temple crosses over a sea of hands reaching up and skulls.  Way creepy.  We learned these hands beneath the bridge symbolize human desire, greed, and suffering (hell), representing souls trapped in the cycle of rebirth.  Crossing the bridge signifies giving up these temptations to enlightenment, purity, and nirvana.  The temple's white color reflects Buddha's wisdom.  Way too out there for me.  I’d much prefer the old stones even if crumbling.  

Next stop, The Blue Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten. Designed by a local artisan who worked on the White Temple, construction began in 2005.  The architecture is considered unconventional “notational Thai art.”  Also, too weird for me. 

We passed on the opportunity to go to the long-neck village. It seemed too much of a tourist trap. 

Upon arrival in Chiang Rai, we checked into the Wangcome Hotel and about ten minutes later we were downstairs ready to explore.