Seems like Lisbon has been everywhere lately. It was even named one of the top 10 cities in the world to visit. So, one long weekend, Chad and I decided to take a trip over to Lisbon and see what all the hype was about.
Lisbon is the second oldest capital city in the world, the first being Athens, Greece. It is also built on seven hills, and trust me, after a weekend of walking around the city, you will feel each and every one of them in your calves! Lisbon is divided into six main districts, but the most popular districts in Lisbon are: the Baixa District, which is the heart of Lisbon; the Alfama District, which is a maze of beautiful streets and seems to be the artistic district; the Belem District, which has many of the popular tourists attractions and for which you need to visit via transportation; and Bairro Alto & Chiado, which has all the nightlife and shopping.
BELEM DISTRICT
We started our trip with a visit to Belem. Belem is west of central Lisbon, and is worthy of a half day visit. You can get here by taxi or by tram from central Lisbon. We started our visit at the Monumento aos Combatentes do Ultramar, to watch the changing of the guard. This war memorial honors Portuguese soldiers who died during the African independence uprisings of the 1960-1970s. The name of each soldier who died is inscribed in the walls that surround the memorial. This monument is en route to Belem Tower.
Just a few feet away is Belem Tower. The tower is the ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. It was commissioned by King John II to be part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus river. It also played a significant role in the Portuguese maritime discoveries of the era of the Age of Discoveries. There is typically a line to get in, but we got lucky and had no line! The cost of the entrance ticket was 6 Euro per person.
A short walk along the promenade brings you to a beautiful monument called Padrão dos Descobrimentos, or the Discoveries Monument. The monument is dedicated to the adventurers and explores who helped establish Portugal as a 14th century superpower. For 5 Euro per person, you can climb up to the top of it and get some great views!
Just behind the monument is a large marble map of the old world.
We did not climb up because one of us is scared of heights, but if you did, Mr. Google says that this is what you would see:
Across the street from this monument is a neighborhood where we came upon a little gem called Descobre. It is not only a restaurant, but also a wine shop. Even though they weren’t open yet, the owner welcomed us in and did an impromptu port wine tasting for us!
By this time, we were ready for a little snack break. So, we headed to Pasteis de Belem, the most famous bakery in all of Portugal to try a Portuguese classic– Pastel de Nata, an egg tart pastry. These tarts were created by Catholic monks at the Jerónimos Monastery, which is just down the street from the bakery. Apparently, the convents and monasteries used large quantities of egg-whites for starching clothes and had a bunch of yolks leftover, so they created this warm egg custard party in your mouth! This is probably the first time that something amazing is credited to the chore of laundry! If you do just one thing in Belem (hell, in Lisbon!), then make that one thing a visit to this place to try this pastry. Do not let the hoards of people out front scare you away. Go inside and sit down for service. The place is HUGE with many dining rooms. You can enjoy lunch here or just pastries. We ordered a bunch of snacks and pastries.
After eating such a dreamy little custard, we couldn’t not visit the monastery that invented them, so it was off to Jerónimos Monastery we went. The monastery has a beautiful courtyard. It is also the resting place for Vasco da Gama. In fact Vasco da Gama spent his last night here before his voyage to the Far East.
The cost to visit the monastery is 7 Euro per person. While the line to enter the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos is very long, there is rarely a line to visit just the church, plus there is no entrance fee! We had pre-bought tickets thanks to Diogo, our fantastic guide from Sintra Magik, so we did not wait in line at all.
Our next stop was to Lisbon’s greatest food hall at the Time Out Market at Ribeira Market. This food hall has a collection of Lisbon’s best chefs with both traditional and modern dishes. It is top chef stands at low-cost prices with communal tables. This was also the first place that we would try Santini ice cream, what some call the best ice cream in the world.
The only sites we didn’t see in Belem was the pink Belem Palace, which you can only see from the outside anyway, but which also has a changing of the guard ceremony, and Jardim da Praça do Império, which is one of Europe’s largest plazas and close to the monastery.
BAIXA, CHIADO, AND BARRIO ALTO DISTRICTS
Up next, we explored the Baixa District and parts of the Chiado District. Our first stop was to Igreja de São Domingos. This church has been destroyed by two earthquakes and one massive fire, yet it still stands.
Outside of the church, we had the most unusual encounter that we have ever had in any country. As our guide was telling us the history of the church, a young man came up to us in broad daylight with a Ziploc bag full of oregano and wanted to know if we wanted to buy hashish, marijuana, or cocaine, which he assured us “very nice” and “very good price.” I had many questions, like who actually though that gigantic bag was real weed for 10 Euro and why did they feel so comfortable just openly soliciting us to buy drugs? Apparently, intent to sell is not illegal in Portugal, so if the cops stopped them and the drugs are not real, there is no problem. We would be approached to buy drugs two more times during our stay. Here’s the moral of that story: 1) don’t be surprised if this happens to you in Lisbon (that is the only place we experienced this in Portugal), and 2) the drugs aren’t real, so if you are into that kind of thing, don’t waste your money.
Anyway, our next stop was just around the corner of this church to a little spot called A Ginjinha. This is a small walk-up bar in the theater district that is home to the traditional Ginja liqueur. Ginja is a sweet cherry liqueur that originated in Lisbon. It is a fortified wine infused with Ginja cherries and a whole lot of sugar. There are two ways to drink Ginja: with or without cherries inside. The cherries are sour and give the already strong drink and extra kick! Also, you can get your drink served in a chocolate cup, and I highly recommend you opt for that! Since this place was the first to sell the Portuguese favorite, there is usually a line to get a taste.
Just across the plaza from A Ginjinha is another ginja bar called Ginjinha Sem Rival. Some say that this is the better of the two, so Chad tried both. We both liked the second one better. Also, at this bar you can get another drink called Eduardino, which is actually sweeter than ginjinha. Eduardino can only be found here. It is made from herbs, fruit, and aniseed.
Right next to the bar was a small traditional shop that sold salted cod and sardines. Both are a favorite and staple in Portuguese cuisine, especially for the dish Bacalao.
Our next stop was to the beautiful Rossio Square. The dizzying tile work makes this square so unique. It was my favorite square in the city!
But the best views of the square, ans the whole city really, are from the Santa Justa Lift. The lift takes you from the steep hill of the Baixa district to the Largo do Carmo and the ruins of the Carmo Convent.
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This is a very popular attraction and this is what the lines look like on a good day:
But, I don’t like lines, so I have a little secret for you. The better way to do this is to start from Largo do Carmo. Just behind the Carmo Convent (pictured below) is an entrance to get to the platform that takes you to the view point that all these people are waiting in line to visit. See the left hand, bottom corner of the picture below to see the walkway to which I am referring.
Once at the platform, you pay 1.50 Euro per person to climb this winding staircase:
Which leads to a platform that has these views:
Then, instead of paying 5 Euro per person for a return ride on the elevator, you just ride it down to the street level. In other words, do the opposite of what the crowds are doing and save time and money! You’re welcome! This also put us in the perfect location to walk down Rua Augusta, which is lined with shops and restaurants. At the end is Arco Da Rua Augusta, which leads to Praça do Comércio.
You can actually visit the top of this arch by taking an elevator nearly to the top, and then a steep spiral staircase to reach the terrace. We did not do this, but Mr. Google says the views from the top are as follows:
From Praça do Comércio, you can walk along the waterside and see some artists at work, like the guy behind me who constructs massive sand statues and then charges people to take photos of it. I mean, who doesn’t love a sand puppy!
Or the rock sculpture garden that stretches for quite some way.
Our day ended with a stroll through the Chiado District to do a little shopping before dinner.
And that is where we came upon Sant’Anna, a ceramic factory dream come true! Their factory is actually in Belem, and you can arrange a visit there if you call ahead.
Lisbon is pretty much an outdoor tile museum, but there is actually a National Tile Museum that we did not get to visit. It is definitely on my list for next time, because it looks amazingly beautiful, and I am OBSESSED with tiles.
We also visited A Vida Portuguesa, which is a small boutique that sells authentic Portuguese products. I bought the most divine hand and body creams as gifts for myself and for others! We ended the day at one of Lisbon’s best, Belcanto, in the Barrio Alto District.
For dinner, we reserved Belcanto. The restaurant, by chef José Avillez, has two Michelin stars and is considered the best gourmet experience in Portugal. The mulit-course menus are modern takes on classic Portuguese dishes, including barnacles, a Portuguese delicacy.
After dinner, all I wanted to do was visit Pink Street, but considering we hadn’t slept in two days, had just gotten off a transatlantic flight, had spent the entire day touring the city, and had to get up early to do it all again the next day, we retired to our hotel and crashed. But, in case you are interested, here is what pink street looks like, I found this photo online:
ALFAMA DISTRICT
Alfama is one of the oldest districts of Lisbon. It is a maze of narrow cobbled streets and ancient houses. It also has a very boho, artsy vibe. The best thing to do is to take the famous number 28 tram, which costs just under 3 Euro per person and runs all over the city. You can take the tram to Alfama and spend an afternoon wandering the neighborhood streets and admiring all the tile and street art.
Just make sure that at around sunset, you make your way over to Miradouro de Santa Luzia, a beautiful terrace next to the church of Santa Luzia to catch the beautiful sunset from the terrace and see the gorgeous views of Alfama.
You might just catch some local musicians playing Fado, a traditional folk music genre unique to Portugal and which got its start in Lisbon. You can also opt for a famous Fado dinner where you can hear and watch a live music performance while enjoying dinner. The most famous places for such an experience are Clube De Fado and Sr. Fado de Alfama, both in the Alfama district.
After our short little weekend trip to Portugal, I can say that I agree with the hype. Lisbon is an overlooked city in Europe; but, it is indeed one of the most unique and charming, and provides one of the best bangs for your travel buck! Lisbon is very affordable. The food and wine are fantastic, and at a fraction of the cost of other European cities. It is also easy to navigate (by walking or using trams, tuk tuks, and Uber), it is clean and safe, accommodations are affordable, and there are a lot of free or low cost attractions to visit. Take my advice and at it to your list of European destinations. You will be so glad that you did!
If you have a thing for tiles on the walls and on the floors, love Port wine, or are a foodie, then this is the place for you. Porto, or Oporto as the locals call it, is a modern city with iconic building facades and dynamic gastronomy.
They still use the traditional method of cleaning their wine storage units, which means that someone who is small enough to fit in this hole, climbs in and cleans by hand. They have one dedicated employee for this task! 
They also have one dedicated employee who hand-makes their wine barrels at this on-site workshop.
After tasting several varieties of port, including a port rose (there is such a thing and it is splendid!), we were in need of some food, so we headed back over the bridge to sink our teeth into a sandwich for which Porto is famous: the 
We even went to a tile museum, kind of. This place is a government owned and operated tile cooperative. While it does display all of Porto’s traditional tiles, it also supplies tile. So, if you have building that has traditional tile, and you are missing a few pieces, you come in, they verify that you are legit (as in you own the building and you are restoring it), and then they just give you the tile. As in, for free. They will also take tile if you are remodeling and getting rid of the tile (why you would ever do that is beyond me). They will not, however, sell you tile (trust me, I tried).
We also visited some of Porto’s most famous food shops. These are legit shops that sell traditional Portuguese products. The most famous among them is 
Alas, our day in Porto was coming to an end. We headed back to the airport with full bellies and achy feet; but it was worth every minute (and every calorie)!
There are some beautiful properties to choose from for an overnight stay. You can go wine tasting in this region, and, I am told that once the day-trippers leave, Sintra becomes a different place, and the sites stay open to allow the people staying there to enjoy them without the crowds.
Once you are at the top of the Acropolis, you enter from here to see the Parthenon:
And now, for the main attraction: The Parthenon!
Don’t forget to spend some time visiting some of the other temples on the Acropolis.
By the way, on your way out, don’t just pass by this olive tree without stopping to admire it. It is the oldest olive tree on the Acropolis! Also, 
This sculpture is my favorite in the museum. It is a replica of what used to sit atop the entrance to the Parthenon (the darker pieces are original).
A few minutes later, you will be at the beautiful Plaka, where you will have your pick of excellent taverns for lunch.
In my heart, I am a wanderluster with a gypsy soul who craves a life of clean eating, knowledge through exploration, and satisfaction derived from simple pleasures. Unfortunately, my real-life and my day job are not conducive to living the life I crave. But, a short trip to Tulum gave me a taste of that life. Calling all wanderlusters, gypsy souls, boho babes, hippies, yogis, beach babes, juicers, holisitc chicks, and wannabes of the aforementioned; I have found your haven!
The hotel is fairly new. It has an on-property restaurant called 
The room comes with a beach bag to use while you are there, which was very helpful, and their toiletries were amazing, all organic, and smelled like heaven. The staff was friendly. Housekeeping replenished the bottle water that was provided for brushing your teeth daily and accommodated requests for extra pillows. The hotel also helped with reservations to restaurants and rental of snorkel equipment. They also offered yoga every morning for an extra price and could arrange in-room massage services.
The most surprising thing we saw at Chichen Itza is that they allow a regular ole’ flea market to operate within the grounds of the ruins. Hundreds of vendors set up selling all kinds of trinkets, art, t-shirts, magnets, and other souvenirs. If you are going to buy them, this is as good a place as any. You can haggle on the price, and it is cheaper than the shops in Tulum (including the downtown shops), but you need to pay cash. Also, who doesn’t want to buy a Mexican souvenir, from a Mexican, in Mexico, wearing a Mexican sombrero?!? Nobody!
From there we made a stop in Akumal Bay to swim with the sea turtles. Akumal Bay is a small town between Playa del Carmen and Tulum on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. While there were some sea turtles, I would skip this. First it is uber touristy. The beaches are very crowded because there are a lot of resorts here. The best part of Akumal Bay was this bar with swings. I love swings. But even this bar would only serve guests of its resort, so it was a fail. Seriously, just skip Akumal Bay. Go to a cenote instead (see below for what that means).
Our last stop was to the 
On our next trip, we plan to visit 
Other cenotes that are close to Tulum include Manatee, Carwash, Zacil Ha, and Crystal and Escondido. I even found a 
There are also no shortages of spas in Tulum. While I did not get to visit one this time, when I return, the spa at 
We also tried 
We kept hearing over and over that Be Tulum also had an amazing breakfast, so that is on our list for next time.
Also, the famous 
Other than the perfumes at Coqui Coqui, the one thing I wish I would have brought back is a beautiful, handmade dream catcher. If you want to buy one too, there was a shop directly across from our hotel that sold them for about $30.00 (all cash) or you could go into downtown and get them from the shops there for way cheaper than at the shops in the Hotel Zone.
If you have ever thought about crossing the pond to visit London, now is the time. London is Europe’s New York. It is a city that never sleeps with 24-hour restaurants and lots to do. It has history, sites, world class museums, an dynamic dining and foodie scene, theater, and some of the best shopping. It is surprisingly walkable. The whole country speaks English (obviously). And, contrary to popular belief, the weather is pleasant (when Chad and I were there it only rained one time and only for a few short hours in the afternoon). It is perfect for families (i.e., European Spring Break anyone??), for couples, for girls’ trips, for solo travelers, for first-timers to international travel, and for long weekends. That’s right, I am suggesting you go to Europe for a long weekend. Why not? You are going to live those days anyway, might as well live them at a destination. But here is the best part: it’s affordable!! I bet you never thought that London and affordable would be used together in the same sentence where affordable was the adjective for London. But, thanks to 
On the way there, she told us about the 
From there we proceeded to 
From there, we took the garden route to the palace, where we happened upon the filming of the 
Charley timed our visit perfectly so that we would catch the 
The 
It starts with a band and then there is a whole lot of procession! 
We got the pom-pom hats! 
And the red coats! 
And it culminates in a parade around 
Unfortunately, 
While 
You are on your own to see the jewels, and it is a pretty quick little exhibit, culminating in this beauty:
If you like contemporary and modern art, then head to the 
If art is not your thing or you only have the time (or patience) for one museum, then make it the 
Our visit was focused on seeing the Parthenon Marbles, because unfortunately, Greeks have to go to London to see artifacts that belong in Greece. The Parthenon Marbles, more commonly known as the Elgin Marbles, are a collection of 
The British government has given numerous excuses over the years for why they won’t return the marbles, including that Greece did not have a proper place to display and care for them. So, Greece built the 
The pub culture is strong in the U.K., so you kind of have to visit a local pub to get a true flavor of the city. You can stop for a casual meal or just for pints.
And, you simply cannot leave London without first having fish and chips. It’s like the national dish. 
If you want fine dining, then there is no lack of options. The city is teeming with Michelin starred restaurants and hard to snag reservations. We chose 
But if you’ve got a sweet tooth and an affinity for pink, then it’s 
We also did an afternoon tea at 
If you are after high-end fashions, then 
But if you prefer to stroll charming little streets lined with posh boutiques and a quaint little flea market, then a visit to 
So there you have it. As you would expect, London offers everything you could ever want in a city vacation – no matter what your particular tastes, interests or budget may be – and, best of all, you can do it all in as little as a long weekend! So, do yourself a favor and hop across the pond and see for yourself. Cheerio!
Chances are that 
We arrived in Luang Prabang just in time to visit the night market. Apparently, there are a lot of unexploded ammunition left over from the Indochina and Vietnam wars. The locals take these wartime leftovers, turn them into keepsakes and jewelry, and sell them at the local markets. 
We had some action packed days in Luang Prabang! Along the way, during our all-too-short time in this magical little place, we had some very meaningful experiences and encounters with locals.
On the two hour journey down the peaceful Mekong River, we got to see a lot of rural everyday life along its banks.
After a couple hours, we arrived at the caves!
The caves overlook the Mekong River and are hidden in a mountain side. Inside the caves are hundreds of old Buddha statues. There is something very spiritual and peaceful about climbing into a cave full of treasure! Little golden Buddhas glittered from every corner. 
The caves are guarded by monks… 
After our visit to the caves, we stopped at a local village, the Muangkeo Village, to try rice whiskey. We came to a village where we were greeted by an older woman who makes the rice whiskey at her home.
Rice whiskey in clay barrels: 
I’m not gonna sugarcoat this part– the village rice whiskey is not smooth. It is unlikely to ever win any tasting awards. It tastes like liquid fire. But it’s all part of the experience, so, by all means, drink up!
The best part about this visit was stopping in at the local school house, where we got a chance to visit the local children at school. 
They were so cute that we ran out into the market and bought them all snacks. Word gets around fast in this little village because the next thing you know, little kids were coming out of everywhere lining up for their snack! It was like Christmas came early for these little kids! They were so happy and appreciative that they sang us songs as they ran around eating their treats! 
At last it was time to bid adieu to our new village friends and get back into town. After a long day on the Mekong, we came back into Luang Prabang to visit the museum and have some lunch.
During lunch, we saw a group of monks crossing a make-shift bridge. We decided to follow them and explore the temple on the other side. By the way, the reason why this bridge seems so ill-constructed is because it only exists for several months. Every rainy season it is destroyed by flooding, so, every year, they construct a new ramshackle bridge to replace the one destroyed the year before.
The next day started way before dawn! This was probably my favorite day because we got to do three very cool things that gave us a more authentic experience. The first, and probably my favorite, is that we got to participate in the daily ritual of 
As the sun rises in Luang Prabang, around 200 Buddhist monks depart from their various temples to gather their daily meal (as monks only eat once per day). All the food that is collected is shared by the monks of each temple.
Offerings are typically rice and fruits. We had traditional offerings, but we also brought along some American treats, like peanut butter, almonds, and snack bars, which the monks were very excited to receive. 
The monks carry a large bowl which they keep open, and you place your offering in their bowl as they pass by. This processional goes quickly and there are a lot of monks, so you need to be on your game, as they will not stop and wait for you. Here’s a pro tip: when you get your big bowl of sticky rice, roll it into balls so you are ready make an offering at lightning speed! 
At the end of the processional, the monks line up in front of their temple and chant a prayer before heading into their temple to share their food and eat their daily meal.
After the ceremony was over, we were invited to explore the inside of one of the temples.
First, we left an offering of sticky rice in the tree.
When the locals visit the temples, they typically bring an offering of marigolds, and our guide came prepared. She gave us this beautiful cone of marigolds that we offered to the temple.
Our next order of business was to go to the morning market and buy all the ingredients we would need in order to cook a traditional meal at our guide’s home which we would share with her family. She gave us our lists and our money, and we were on our way.
The morning markets are fascinating. They are a great way to get a glimpse of everyday life and interact with the locals. 
There is an array of fresh vegetables, fruits, and fish on display.
And then there are these: 
Insects and snakes?? My adventurous spirit only goes so far… No thanks!
We arrived at the village with our goodies in tow!
The 
The children were so excited to receive their treats and clapped along as we sang the English ABCs. They were very curious and excited to see Western tourists in their village. 
We happened to visit when 
On the way back from the village, we stopped at the famed 
The cost to get into the park is about $2.50 per person. There are a series of trails and bridges that you can use to walk among the falls. You can even swim in them, although when we were there in late November, the water was cold; but that didn’t stop this spectacle. Allow me to introduce you to the Amazing Asian Man, with whom I fell in love. Not only was he wearing a magnificently small Speedo, but he would climb up to a tree or rock, strike a pose, and demand that his friends photograph him before he jumped into the water. I was mesmerized by this creature, and he has inspired in me a book idea!
After studying this jewel for a very long time, we made our way over to the bear sanctuary on property. These black bears are an endangered species because their bile is used by the Chinese for medicinal purposes. This sanctuary rescues them and houses 23 bears. I love animals, so I just loved watching these bears roam and play.
Our next stop was to 
But, our day of learning was not over. It was time to go to our guide’s home and learn to cook a traditional meal that we would share with her family, which is where we had the third coolest experience!
Then we got to work cleaning, chopping, mincing, and cooking. 
While we worked in an outdoor kitchen, inside, the elders prepared the centerpiece that they would use to offer a blessing to us. 
They used banana leaves, marigolds, and sweets for the offerings. Candles were placed in the center and poles of white string were placed in the center. Our guide’s uncle, a former monk, led the blessing ceremony as the elders sang.
One by one, each elder removed a set of white strings and came around in a circle placing one string on each of our wrists as they gave us a blessing. 
At the end of the ceremony, they offered us the marigolds. 
After the ceremony, it was time to eat and party! We shared the lovely meal we prepared with her family.
You see the guy in the back row, third from the left? We nicknamed him “Uncle Crunk”! He kept coming around with a growler of Beerlao (the main, locally brewed beer in Laos, which Chad says is actually a pretty good lager) and doing the ‘ol “one for me and one for you!” It wasn’t long until Uncle Crunk, was well, Crunk! He turned on the tunes and then it was time to dance; and, let me tell you, Uncle Crunk LOVES to dance, especially with his new American lady friends. Here is also where my sister, whose name is Haroula, solidified her nickname: Colorado, Asian Temptress. If you are wondering what I am talking about, then you need to read 
No trip to Thailand would be complete without a visit to one of Thailand’s breathtaking islands. I strongly urge you to skip the overly commercialized Phuket and opt for one of the less developed islands. During our trip, we chose 
We chose the 
I am going to shut up now and let the photos tell the rest of the story (although these pictures don’t do the natural beauty of the island justice, nor do they properly convey the absolute peace and tranquility that this resort provides to its guests; I HIGHLY recommend that you make it to this Heaven on Earth sometime soon!)…
Private foot path to the nearly private beach:
The sunsets were unreal: 
Relax, snorkel, float…
It has been over 800 days since Chad and I were last in Chiang Mai, but the memories of our time there are fresh. We often think back to a moment or a experience we had in this magical little city. It was certainly our favorite city in Thailand, and one of our favorites of all time. Chiang Mai is peaceful, spiritual, friendly, and beautiful. It is a place that stays with you. It is worth a trip to Thailand just to visit this serene city. Allow me to share with you a perfect three-day itinerary for Chiang Mai, Thailand’s principle northern city.
The next morning we were met by our private guide, Nikki, who, together with our driver, would be with us for the rest of our time in Chiang Mai. Nikki, like most of the Thai people, was so warm and friendly. Her goal was to make sure we were having an amazing time, and, she succeeded in that goal. No ask was too great a feat for Nikki!
On our first full day in Chiang Mai, a city tour with plenty of temples were on the itinerary! Chiang Mai has some very beautiful temples right in the heart of the city. If your are going to visit the temples, here are some things you should know. First, bring a scarf to throw over your shoulders. It can get pretty warm in Thailand, but bare shoulders for women is a no-no. Second, wear shoes that you can easily take on and off and which you do not mind leaving outside while you visit the temples. Shoes are not allowed to be worn inside the temples. Third, and probably most important, bring a good pair of socks that you don’t mind getting dirty because you will be doing most of your temple walking in socks!
Now we ready to temple! Temples, or wats as they are called in Thailand, are the backbone of Thai culture. Our first stop was to Chiang Mai’s best known temple, 
We next visited 
We also visited 
We visited some other smaller temples as well:
One of the coolest experiences we had while visiting the temples was a chance to sit with a novice monk and have a monk chat. You can ask the monks anything you want about life as a monk, and it gives the monks a chance to practice their English. While becoming a monk is sort of a process, it is voluntary, and a monk can return to civilian life whenever he chooses. This 
Throughout the day, we had some other monk encounters, like this one:
This may be a good place to tell you about one of the stranger Thai customs we encountered: Thai public restrooms. The Thai are concerned with cleanliness, so, at some of the temples, in addition to paying to use the restroom, you also have to wear what they call toilet shoes. Yes, you read that right, toilet shoes. Oddly enough, toilet shoes are public shoes that they loan you in the restroom facilities that are worn only when using the toilet. You leave your regular shoes outside. Seems kind of opposite of sanitary, right? Also, this is where you become thankful for those socks. Another odd bathroom custom are the signs that instruct you not to stand on the toilet seat and squat, but rather, to sit on the seat. I am not sure why this needs explaining, but I assume that local or indigenous people who do not have indoor plumbing sometimes take a pilgrimage to the temples and are unaccustomed to using an indoor toilet facility. I don’t know; all I know is that I was amused and grossed out at the same time. 
After a morning of visiting temples, we decided to spend the afternoon at a weaving cooperative where we learned about ancient weaving techniques from Thai weavers.
Our next order of business was to get a famous Thai foot massage! Not only was this cheap, it was an hour of pure bliss.
In the evening, we visited my favorite temple in all of Thailand, 
I thought it was going to be hard to top our first day in Chiang Mai, but I was wrong. On our second day, we visited 
Before I tell you about out incredible experience here, I strongly encourage you to read my post about being a 
After a couple of hours of that, we were taken to another part of the park where we were assigned a uniform and an elephant whom we would be responsible to care for that day. Our elephant’s name was BunJin. He was the largest elephant, the only adult male, and the baby daddy to all the other elephants. Needless to say, he was a pretty popular guy. But, even popular guys need to eat and be cleaned, and that was out job! We also learned simple hand gestures and commands in Thai that the elephants knew, like telling them “Didi” which means that he or she was a good boy or girl, that helped us interact with our elephant.
This is my sister, Haroula (Ha-Rue-La), and this is a fun story that would probably embarrass her! Needless to say, her very Greek name isn’t the easiest to pronounce for American people, let alone the Thai! Well, they guy who assigned to help her decided that since he couldn’t say Haroula, he would just call her Colorado! And then, to top it all off, as the day went on, this young Thai boy fell in love with Colorado, so we began calling her Colorado, the Asian temptress. This name turned out to be pretty appropriate as the trip went on!
After BunJin was groomed and fed, it was time to ride him for an hour through a hillside jungle where we would find a pool in which to bathe him in. Have you ever mounted and dismounted an animal that is taller than you standing on your head and weighs as much as house? It ain’t cute, I can tell you that. How do you get up? Well, you climb onto his head from the trunk or you hoist yourself onto his back from his leg. Getting off? Now that is the sexy part.
Don’t we just look like an advertisement for visiting Thailand? If you could only hear the expletives that we were whispering to each other as we were trying to stay balanced on this gigantic creature who liked to look down, chase lady elephants on the trail, and always (without fail) tried to shove himself between two trees because the scratch felt good! Remember, we are riding bare back, so there is nothing keeping us on this elephant but pure balance! Also, he’s got coarse little hairs poking us in the butt, and, as Chad will later learn, a colony of fire ants on his back! 
Alas, we made it to the pool alive! BunJin just walked us right in, rolled over and then demanded to be bathed. 
After splashing around with the elephants for a while, we were treated to a delicious picnic.
This truly was an incredible experience. Nonetheless, I continued to wonder whether riding an elephant at all was ethical. I have read several articles about this since then, and while it is probably best to not ride an elephant at all, the safest way to ride an elephant is bareback and on the neck, like we did at Patara. Also, I can honestly say that I did not see any of the elephants being mistreated, and all the locals truly seemed to care for and have bond with these animals.
On our final day in Chiang Mai, we decided to indulge. We spent the day at the best hotel in Chiang Mai, the 
We next indulged in a nice long massage followed by tea!
We ended the night in one of their fabulous restaurants where we enjoyed a traditional Thai dance and dinner show.
Chiang Mai is like Shangri-La. It has beautiful scenery, friendly people, and amazing experiences just waiting for you. It is a clean, budget friendly city with relatively mild temperatures and serves as the perfect place to start your journey of Northern Thailand. Chad and I truly loved our time there and would like to return to experience the 
The 
Once you arrive, you will take a winding path to the entrance. Just before the entrance are little trails you can take to see the outside of the lagoon.
When you walk in, you will line up based on the package you purchased to check-in. At check-in, they will assign you your towel, robe, and slippers, and give you a bracelet that acts as your locker key and your credit card on the property.
From the check-in, you will be escorted to the locker room where you will choose a locker. You must shower before entering the lagoon. The locker rooms have restrooms and shower facilities, but don’t expect the same amenities as a spa. They have a soap and like one blowdryer, so bring your own toiletries and blow dryers if you need them for afterwards. 
The locker rooms lead out to the lagoon entrance area. There are two ways to enter the lagoon: from the inside pool that has a door that leads to the outside or from the outside using a sloped ramp. There are places to hang your towels and robes inside and outside, but space is very limited. 
Once inside the lagoon, there are shallow and deep areas. There are also saunas and steam rooms as well as swim up bars where you can buy drinks and from where you can get your mud and algae masks. If you plan to take pictures while inside the lagoon, make sure you bring a waterproof case for your camera or phone.
The water temperature is between 98 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit (37-40 degrees Celsius). Apparently, there are 9 million liters of water in the pool that renews itself every 40 hours. It is about 2 feet at its shallowest point and 5 feet at its deepest point. There is no visibility under the water. Because it is so hot, it is important to stay hydrated before, during, and after your visit. Also, the sulfuric water can really dry out your hair, so load it up with conditioner and try not to get your hair wet.
In addition to their exclusive lounge, there is a rest and relaxation area, a gift shop, conference rooms (so you can hold a meeting or event here!), and a full service hotel (as in you can sleep at the Blue Lagoon, which has its own set of perks!).
Also, if you are going to get a massage or other treatment, you are taken to a secluded pool that has these floating beds where your treatment takes place. Every few minutes they dip you into the water to keep you warm.
Although it is majorly touristy and pretty pricey, the Blue Lagoon is certainly worth a visit. I loved that we went during the winter. There is something sort of surreal about being in your bathing suit while the ground is covered in snow, and you are bathing in super hot water while snowflakes hit your face. It was definitely a memorable experience!
