Perhaps the most well known drink in Thailand is cha yen. Literally this means “tea cold” or iced tea. Cha yen is often referred to as “Thai tea” by foreigners. Whatever you call it, cha yen is absolutely delicious. Cha yen is traditionally made from strongly brewed Ceylon tea and may include orange blossom water, …
Monthly Archives: April 2014
Wat Pha Sorn Kaew, Phetchabun
On the way back to Bangkok from Songkran in Chiang Mai we decided to take a little detour to Phetchabun and see Wat Pha Sorn Kaew. Phetchabun is not visited very often by foreigners since it is off the normal tourist trail. Phetchabun is in the “mountains” of Thailand, so it is relatively cool and …
Happy Songkran!
Songkran, the Thai water festival, just finished. Two years ago I celebrated Songkran in Bangkok where they celebrate for three days. This year I celebrated Songkran in Chiang Mai, where the festival is celebrated with exceptional zeal. The festival starts early and ends late—five days of throwing water! Songkran is not specifically a Thai festival, …
Security & Limitations While Traveling
One of the most inconvenient and least helpful things about traveling is the “security” and regional issues you encounter. Credit cards block you from using your card (even if you warned them up front), accounts are blocks because of “suspicious activity,” and a host of other annoyances. Want to watch Netflix or listen to Songza? …
Galle Fort & Unawatuna Beach
I wrapped up my trip to Sri Lanka with a visit to Galle, pronounced “gawl” in English. I chose to stay in Galle Fort, which in retrospect was a mistake. I am sure I would have enjoyed staying at nearby Unawatuna much more, despite it being overrun by tourists. I hadn’t even planned on visiting …