The Chiang Mai Vibe

by Sally Clark

Chiang Mai, founded in 1296, was once the capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom in Northern Thailand. There is much to write about this area's rich cultural heritage and its popularity as a tourist destination but I'll leave that to the travel writers.

I want to share my personal feelings about Chiang Mai's intrinsic and magnetic qualities - its VIBE so to speak.

The epicenter of Chiang Mai exists in a one mile square area surrounded by a moat and crumbling ramparts. While the streets immediately outside the walls are just as inundated with shops, restaurants, hotels etc. the beating heart of this gem is the "old town" located within the ancient walls.

Remnants of the ancient ramparts & a beautiful old tree with sprawling roots

I would never describe Chiang Mai as a pretty place. Many old buildings are eyesores and roads & streets could use some upgrading. Gentrification is happening though - posh new shops, hotels & restaurants are popping up all over town. The juxtaposition of old and new creates an interesting and eclectic blend. Selfishly, however, we worry that too much enhancement of the aesthetics of the area will irrevocably alter Chiang Mai's funky VIBE.

THE VIBE - Chiang Mai is a fabulously colorful vibrant amalgam that serves as a panacea for both physical & emotional ailments. Let me explain.......

Decompression upon arrival is almost immediate. Admittedly, it may take a few days to adjust to the inevitable jet lag & the chaotic traffic - but the effect of perpetual sunny blue skies, warm temps, friendly people, wafting aromas emanating from the street food and the sheer vitality of this little city start seeping into your soul pretty quickly.

Thai people tend to be easy going & gentle. They are super friendly and very welcoming. I attribute a lot of this to the fact that this country is about 90% Buddhist and the tenets of this religion (which I think is actually more like a philosophical guide for living) permeates every aspect of this country and the lives of its people. It's obvious why Thailand has been dubbed "The Land of Smiles"....and it's contagious - once tourists are deprogrammed they smile more easily too!

Freedom to be who you are is a wonderful thing. Here you can be straight, gay, trans, white, black or purple - nobody cares. Tolerance abounds - no one is judging you. Actually, the Thai people serving the public are incredibly patient considering the diversity and multitude of languages and accents they deal with. Ladyboy (aka drag queens) cabaret shows are popular and we would love to attend one but we can't seem to stay up late enough - they start at 9pm when we're already in our jammies!

Kathoey (pronounced Ga-toy) drumming up business for their nightly show

Judging by her expression, I'm not so sure she was thrilled with Michael taking her photo!

Open air markets & street food are literally ubiquitous and lend an air of festivity to the general ambience of the area. Always something happenin!

The Chiang Mai Sunday Walking Street attracts thousands every week. A lot of fun but you need to get there early to avoid these crowds.

Despite the heavy traffic and burgeoning humanity at this time of year, there still remains a calm that pervades society here. As mentioned previously, the Thai people are over 90% Buddhist. Temple grounds occupy a significant amount of land. There are over 300 temples in the city and many of those are in the old town. They are lovely peaceful spots to duck into and take a rest and if you're lucky you'll hear the monks chanting which is (for me) such a cathartic sound. In fact, the mere presence of the monks in their orange robes strolling the grounds and streets adds to the spiritual aura of this very special place. This calm I speak of starts creeping into your veins the longer you are here. I have heard that Chiang Mai fairies sprinkle stress relieving pixie dust on the tourists when they're sleeping - nah just kidding - but isn't it a lovely thought?

Wat Phra Singh - this is just one of several buildings on the temple grounds

Interior of a Thai temple. Monks on binderbaht - morning ritual of walking through town barefoot, collecting food offerings and bestowing blessings on the locals

This peaceful attitude is so evident in the general Thai population. While I don't claim to know how they behave behind closed doors I do observe them enjoying one another, taking care of each other and treating everyone with respect - as long as you understand that pedestrians do NOT have the right a way!

Chiang Mai still retains a nice balance of extremes and everything in between - from cheap tasty food to first class dining with a dizzying array of scrumptious ethnic cuisines.....inexpensive dorm rooms to stunning high end world class hotels.....hole in the wall massage parlors to pricey spas for full on body treatments. Whatever level of funkiness or pampering you desire, you'll find it here in Chiang Mai. For the tourist used to paying western prices for everything, the cost of self-indulging is a bargain. You can luxuriate body & soul in whatever your pleasure for a pittance compared with the west.

Typical inexpensive Thai meal - Pad Thai & Mango Smoothie

Just a quick word about the political situation in Thailand as I don't want to ruffle any feathers. There is a continuing power struggle between civilian and military factions and a constant push, especially by the younger generations, for a more democratic form of government. There have been a gazillion coups in the past and as such military leaders hold a lot of sway. Thai military recruits, however, are enlisted from within this gentle culture and as such are not exactly your macho, Rambo Isis types. There is absolutely no military presence in the community and no evident feeling of suppression. Still, it's not ideal for the Thai people and hopefully change will come with time but the situation as it is doesn't dominate the locals day to day existence or quell their spirit and ability to enjoy themselves.

Having given this glowing report of the Chiang Mai Vibe, I get that this is not an ideal environment for everyone - especially long term. As we all know, vacationing is one thing - living outside of our nostalgic comfort zone is another. There are definite negatives and irksome customs that we foreigners complain about (to each other) but they don't come close to outweighing the positives so I'm not even going to mention them. Besides, who are we (I) to complain about anything when in another country as a guest and have the freedom to leave at anytime. Michael and I feel very lucky to have stumbled upon this tiny little corner of the globe as the time we spend here is so rejuvenating and cathartic on so many levels.

I would like to have included more photos but my resident photographer has been a little under the weather lately and has been shirking his duties!

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Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow - Helen Keller