2 Weeks, 4 Hotels in Thailand

Hard to believe it's been just over two weeks since leaving Mandalay.  I started in Bangkok, at The Key Hotel, near Sukhumvit/Asok.  I've stayed there before.  Nice hotel, great location and a familiar neighborhood.

After a week, I changed to the Chatachuk area, across town.  I stayed at the Plim Place, another nice hotel and only about $20.  The room was huge, very clean and while far from the BTS stop, it was near shopping and restaurants.  I moved because two of my favorite people from Mandalay were staying there that weekend.  It was perfect - sort of like being neighbors back in Mandalay, with amenities.

Next I flew north to Chiang Mai, where I spent several days (most of them rainy) in another huge hotel room.  Prestige Chiang Mai Residence is new and while outside the old city center, was a great place to stay.  And, at $25 a night, another bargain.

Today, I moved to the Villa de Chiang Mai.  It is a 3 minute walk (if you're a gazelle) from the Thae Pae Gate into the old city.  It's also very near where I stayed when I visited Chiang Mai 12 years ago.  This hotel is very nice, but more expensive - about $36.  Still, location, location, location.

I Skyped with a friend this week.  She spent over a week in Italy recently.  The six weeks I'll spend in Thailand and Vietnam before coming home will cost about the same as her week in Italy.  Both are terrific options - just different in price.

I'm doing a mix of going for walks, eating street food, reading, watching marathon sessions of cooking shows, handling business via internet and just relaxing and thinking.  I'm still confident that I made the right choice.  I think it was best for everyone.  Everyone except my poor housesitters who thought they had months more of comfortable living and instead are scrambling to find another place to live.  I feel bad about that.

Here are some photos from Chiang Mai.

The fanciest presentation of mango and sticky rice I've ever had.  From a street vendor.  There was a little bit of puffed rice on top which added a nice crunchiness.

Villa de Chiang Mai - my latest hotel room.  At $36, this is high end.  It was also the smallest room so far.

Nice bathroom.

I was standing in the door of the hotel, facing toward a wat (Buddhist temple).  Wat did you say, Mary Lou?

Beautiful but I've seen enough wats, pagodas, etc. to last a lifetime.

On the other side of the alley was this door.

I was sitting inside this Italian restaurant.  I took a photo of the seat on the small porch because that's where I had my first dinner in Chiang Mai.  In 2003.