Day 6: Chillin’ in Chiang Mai
To the North, we go!
7:05am
It’s amazing to think that I’ve been to three different cities in two countries in less than a week. I finally get the best sleep thus far and wake up late by my own standards (around 6:41am). The morning is uneventful, food-wise, as I munch on longan that my mom purchased at the fruit market. I head to the hotel’s breakfast buffet, and nothing is vegan. I eat the fruits instead — watermelon, dragon fruit, melon, pineapple. Their orange juice is fantastic and although I’m not entirely satiated, I am okay with that.
The morning is spent going to the Grand Palace, which is super-crowed and highly-trafficked, ringing in eight million visitors annually. Despite consciously avoiding shorts and sleeveless tops for the day, leggings are deemed inappropriate for women so I need to buy a sarong. Entering the complex feels a bit like being transported into an ethereal world, and is nothing short of stunning. I could wax poetic all day about the murals, the Angkor Wat model, the gilded stupas and temples — but at last, I am here for the food. (Plus, you get one too many reality checks here when rude tourists whack, bump, and shove you).
2:20pm
After checking out of the hotel, we head straight to BKK to avoid traffic and I find a vending machine where there are salted cashews and peanuts to hold me over. ฿80
3pm
Once we are finally in the gate, the good ol’ food court offers Subway sandwiches (six-inch toasted veggie delight, hold the cheese) which I accompany with an iced chai latte with almond milk from The Coffee Club. Something is amiss with my drink, perhaps too much of a spice, and I’m not the happiest camper but at least I have my first meal of the day down. ฿130 (sandwich) + ฿150 (drink)
5:45pm
After a quick flight where I start season three of The Crown (I miss Claire Foy), we’ve finally arrived in Chiang Mai! Hungry, bæ and I book it to Asa Vegan Kitchen. The space is bright, open, and the menu is extensive with Western breakfast options and plenty of Thai ones. We decide to split three dishes — khao soi, chickpea and mango curry, and tum kanoon rice bowl — which I down with iced Thai tea. The drink was unsweetened and even after adding agave, still wasn’t exactly the best I’ve ever had. Both the curry and rice bowl are simple, yet delicious. The red curry is creamy and smooth, bringing together the tanginess of the mango and chickpeas. The rice bowl includes carrots, red cabbage, green onions, tomatoes and ripe jackfruit to form a filling dish with a kick of spice. So good! ฿615 (for two)
Afterward, we saunter to Ploen Ruedee Night Market which is vibrant and fileld with vendors. A vegan stall catches our eyes, but we are full so we decide to pass this time. After walking through two night bazaars, I find myself craving sticky rice with mango at Vegan Heaven. It does the job just fine. ฿80
฿1055
