17 Hours

After almost 17 hours of flying nonstop from Bangkok, we are finally home in NYC. We were happy to upgrade to Premium Economy which was just like Business Class on most U.S. airlines. The seats were wider, there was more leg room. The recline was pretty nice and included an elevated leg rest. We each had personal video screens with lots of movies: current, old, international, Thai. They also had some prerecorded TV programs, games, and flight information. Thai Airways has great service and the stewardesses have gorgeous outfits. They change 2 or 3 times during the flight. You get hot towels, a Premium Economy menu with a choice of entrees, free wine with your meals, all night snacks of crackers, fresh fruit, chocolate or cup of noodles. They also keep the bathrooms clean every few hours.

Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai

Today was the actual day of the Loy Krathong Festival. This is a beautiful celebration that takes place all over Thailand at the end of their twelfth lunar month which fell on November 16 this year.

Marc and I stopped by the Wat Kate, which is the buddhist temple near our hotel in Chiang Mai. We bought a "fire balloon" which is a paper lantern that is lit on the bottom, which you then float into the night sky. There were hundreds of them floating in the sky with the full moon in the background. You cannot capture this beautiful sight on film or video.

In these photos, Marc is lighting his fire balloon with a monk from the wat (temple). Then theylaunched it together.

Wat Kate

I am walking in a fun maze that is at Wat Kate, the temple that is a few doors away from our hotel. After finding your way through the maze, there was a child monk sitting in the center. Everyone stopped, kneeled, and made offerings and prayers in front of him. The senior monks were very jovial and invited everyone to enter the maze or to light some fire balloons with them.

More Celebration Photos

Fire Balloon Launch

The pictures cannot even capture the magic of the evening. It is similar to how you cannot capture photos or videos of fireworks. Hundreds of people bought fire balloons, wrote and decorated them, then launched them into the sky all night. You could see them rise with the full moon in the background all night long. It was magical and beautiful. Simply breathtaking.

Fire Balloons for Loy Krathong

Delicious Chiang Mai Noodles at the Festival

I haven't been able to stop thinking about these curry noodles. This was a section near another temple with vendors set up in the lot. There were foot massage chairs lined up on one wall. There were stalls selling food, snacks, and drinks. Other stalls were selling souvenirs and goods. I kept standing by this particular food vendor who had about 4 tables and stools set up. I didn't even know what kind of food it was since I couldn't read the signs. The tables were always full. One person would finish their bowl of noodles and someone else would occupy the vacant stool. Two diners saw me standing there and motioned to me to sit down. I just pointed at the fresh egg noodles and they just did the rest. They topped it off with homemade chicken and curry, crispy noodles, all sorts of condiments and then handed me the ceramic bowl with chopsticks and a spoon. I added more condiments from the side of about 20 different bowls, including a hard boiled egg. It was so good. I went back the next night to have another bowl. I didn't see anyone else selling this at any of the other food stalls anywhere near the festival. I still can't stop thinking about this dish and it cost me all of 50 cents.

Beautiful Loy Krathong Evening

These are photos that were taken as we were walking from our hotel along the river. We were walking past the flower market across the river from where we were staying to see all the homemade krathong floats. Marc picked that big one that he is holding in the picture.
As we walked along the river banks, we saw groups of people praying before adorning their krathongs with coins and other items. Then they would light it and float it on the river together with the other lit krathongs. This festival takes place all over Thailand. It is truly beautiful to experience in person.

Buying Candles to Float on the Ping River - Chiang Mai

More beautiful pictures of various handmade krathongs for sale at the flower market and pretty much everywhere else in Chiang Mai.

More Favorite Street Food in Chiang Mai

We miss all these yummy snacks!

The top photo are homemade rotis which are sort of like naan pancakes. We usually get ours filled with sliced bananas, cream and chocolate. These are made to order.

The second photo is one of my favorite street vendors. She is making these fresh crepes which she would stuff with cream and bits of corn. After making the crepes and stuffing them, she would seal them into these pockets which you can see on the pan in the right. They cost 2 baht each or 5 cents each.

The third photo shows these stuffed "fish crepes." The crepes were made in these fish mold pans and were stuffed with various ingredients such as: cream, chocolate, red bean paste, etc. They were very yummy. I had the chocolate one which was also straight out of the pan.


In the bottom photos, these are fresh egg noodles with BBQ pork slices and vegetables. They sell them in plastic bags with another little plastic bag with sauce so you can take them to go. We couldn't wait so we asked for chopsticks and just ate them straight from the bag.

Favorite Street Food in Chiang Mai

The food is so delicious, healthy, and cheap. Many famous NYC chefs (like Jean-Georges, Gary Kunz, Anthony Bourdain, etc.) have gotten their inspiration from Southeast Asian street foodcarts such as these. Everything is anywhere from 5 cents to 50 cents. Yes, you read that right.

Loy Krathong Parade - Chiang Mai

A week of celebrations for Loy Krathong. Tonight there was a beautiful parade in the streets of Chiang Mai, ending at the River Ping where it will be celebrated in full tomorrow evening, the night of the full moon.

Wood Furniture Factory - Chiang Mai

This factory was our hands down favorite. Every piece in this showroom is handmade and handcarved teak wood or rosewood. Some carved pieces take six months to make. This place has been around for many years and ships worldwide. As you walk around the store, you see tags showing furniture sets that have been sold including the country that it is being sent to. Marc is standing next to a cut down piece of teak wood tree, and then next to a rosewood tree. The teak wood tree is about 300 years old. He looks tiny compared to these trees.