Chiang Mai, Thailand

There are 762 curves on the mountain road between Pai and Chiang Mai. I managed to squeeze onto the local bus, the driver directing me to a seat that was already full. Two monks sat in front of me while a mother and toddler sat on the floor in the aisle to my left, the little one tickling my toes and tugging at my skirt. The woman next to me sat with her head propped out the window, losing most of her lunch from what I could tell. The young boy between us dozed in and out of sleep, his head flopping back and forth with each new curve between my back and his mother's shoulder. Four hours later, we arrived in Chiang Mai!

Chiang Mai, surrounded by beautiful mountains and lush countryside, is a busy city with an easy-going, small town feel. A large mote and portions of the remaining stone wall separate the new-city from the old-city. I spent most of my time within the city walls. With a large expat population, Chiang Mai buzzes with Eastern and Western amenities - coffee shops with outdoor seating, used bookstores on every street corner, hair and nail salons, Thai and fish massages, internet cafes and travel agents, and food of any origin - Mexican, Italian, Thai, Burmese, Middle Eastern, Indian and an all-American hamburger!

Only a few steps beyond these familiar streets, you will find monks lounging on the street corner and fresh chickens hanging from the store front. At any given intersection, you find yourself gazing at one of the lovely temples that litter the city. There are more than 300 temples in Chiang Mai and its outskirts, 30 of which remain within the city walls. These temples are beautiful and brilliant in color and design, demonstrating Burmese, Sri Lankan and Lanna Thai styles.

With a fresh strawberry fruit shake in hand, I had the chance to stroll the streets of the Night Bazaar and the famous Walking Street Sunday Market. Crafts of all sorts lined the street stalls. I wandered from stall to stall, stopping to enjoy street performers - artists with a pencil in hand, flutes and karaoke boxes, Thai dancers, living statues, and puppet shows!