Mushrooms may be deadly or delicious, beautiful or bland, magical or mundane but one thing’s certain: the fungus among us are anything but anonymous! These 10 strange & beautiful mushrooms span the imagination while spanning the globe when it comes to location. Turkey Tail Mushroom (images via: USI, Medicinal Mushrooms and Bunkycooks) Turkey Tail mushrooms (Trametes versicolor) are common worldwide and often are seen growing in quantity…
First of all, tipping is not customary in Thailand. There is absolutely no mandatory requirement to tip anyone who gives you service in Thailand. If you notice you will rarely see any Thai service staff waiting for a tip. However, small gratuities for great service are very much appreciated as service staff in Thailand are often not paid very well. At cheaper restaurants, it is…
Worshipping goddesses like Mae Phosop (โพสพ), the rice goddess, has been a part of Thai culture and tradition since prehistoric times. Even though the role of female deities became subservient since the introduction of male-dominated faiths such as Hinduism, Brahmanism and the official religion Buddhism, the power of the matriarchal spirit has always played an important role in Thailand. She is also known as Mae…
Woodcarving can be regarded as a characteristic decorative Thai art form. It reflects the fertility and vitality of nature in technique and subject matter. Wood has been primarily used for furniture and religious objects, and thus not so much for creating Buddha statues. Hence, woodcarvers have sought their inspiration primarily in nature and mythology since they have been free of restrictive iconography. Thai Woodcarving Carved wooden facade at…
The pros and cons Chiang Rai is slap bang in the middle of Laos and Myanmar, which gives you the perfect opportunity to visit these countries for a weekend retreat. This however means that there is no coast and therefore no beach in Chiang Rai. There is a river area where locals like to visit but the water is best to be avoided. Over the…
6-7 minutes When the plane finally landed, we exited into the steamy, humid air. My droopy eyes could tell this experience would be something totally new. My sister and I had travelled from our small hometown in Colorado, where the air is too thick to breathe and the mountains rise high around each crack of the town. After thirty hours in airports and planes, we…
As unfathomable as most might think it is, western men marrying Thai bar girls or prostitutes in Thailand isn’t an uncommon occurrence. In fact, for a sizeable percentage of western men in Thailand, whether on vacation or living here, the only Thai girls they date are bar girls from the local sex industry. Some western men even marry Thai bar girls only to discover there…
If you have lived in Chiang Rai long enough, you probably already know lots about the province, but here are some random facts about Chiang Rai that you might not have known. Ok, not all items are facts. I add some of the most famous phrases local people say about something in Chiang Rai, mostly in a funny way. As for the “saying” items, some…
Chiang Rai in general is very safe city. It’s an easy place to travel and is a safe city to visit from both the health and personal safety aspects. However, that doesn’t mean nothing can go wrong here. Like in other cities in the world, there are always dangerous things we need to avoid. This post presents you with the 5 most dangerous things in…
Chiang Rai is one of the Thailand’s most romantic cities to visit. A reality show, The Bachelor 2013, had filmed the finale here. Sean Lowe, the Bachelor 2013 said about Chiang Rai, the following. “Chiang Rai is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. It’s really an amazing place and I really built a lifetime of memories in those few days.” Ok, we…