2018-11-01_The_Simple_Things

ESCAPE (^) | MY CITY
How long have you lived in Chiang Mai?
More than five years. We live within walking distance
ofthecitycentre,knownlocallyastheOldCity.It’san
almostperfectsquare,onemilebyonemile,
surrounded by a moat, with five towering brick gates
andremnantsofancientwallsalongitsperimeter.
Tell us what makes your city unique.
ChiangMaiisablendofEastandWest,andoldand
new.There’sastronginternationalcommunity,so
Japanese,ChineseandIndianpeopleminglewith
Americans, Brits, Australians, and Germans. It’s also
possibletositonthefrontstepsofamoderncoffee
shopwithaviewofanancientBuddhisttemple.
What is it like in November?
November is our favourite time of year in Chiang Mai.
Thehotrainyseasonisofficiallyoverandwhat’sleft
arebalmyafternoonswithrobin-eggblueskiesand
puffywhiteclouds.Thisisalsothemonthofthe
magicalYiPengLanternFestival,whenhundredsof
thousandsofglowingpaperlanternsarereleasedwith
awishintothenightsky.Thisyearit’son22November.
What time of day do you most enjoy and why?
Weenjoythelateevening.Theheatofthedayhas
dissipatedandlightsaroundthemoattwinkle.Thai
tunesfloatoutofbarsandrestaurantsintothecity
streets,vendorsplayfullycallouttohungrypassers-by,
andthecolourfuleveningmarketscomealive.
What’s the nature like?
Chiang Mai’s Old City is surprisingly green thanks to
thetreesliningitsnarrowstreetsandpottedplants
alongitspavements.But,takea30-minutedriveout
andyou’llfindstretchesofshamrock-greenrice
paddiesandsilverygreenpineapplefarms.Youmay
even spot fat-bellied water buffalo. Doi Inthanon
NationalParkisagreatplacetogobirdwatchingand
youcanfeedelephantsintheElephantNaturePark.
Where’s your favourite outdoor space?
Huay Tung Thao Lake, just a short ride north-east of
theOldCity.It’sawonderfulplacetoenjoyacheap
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*There’s no better way to get to the heart
of a city than through the people who live
there. Every month, we ask someone,
clearly in love with their city, to take us on
a personal tour and tell us what makes it
so special. You may feel inspired to visit
one day or to rediscover the charms of a
city closer to you, but for now just sit back,
relax and enjoy some vicarious travel.
(^1) Twin peak s: the t wo
chedis that sit atop
Thailand’s highest
mountain.
(^2) Chiang Mai from
the air.
(^3) Putting salt and
pepper to shame:
atrayofThai
condiments.
(^4) An elephant at the
Elephant Nature Park,
inside Si Lanna
National Park.
(^5) Lanterns being
released as part of
the Yi Peng festival