Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle
Even though this post is about Chiang Rai, most of the time I was there, I wasn’t there. What I saw on the way from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, and what I saw when our group did pretty much … Continued
Chiang Mai: Elephants (and other things)
If you walk around the street markets in Chiang Mai, you’ll find an amazing variety of artifacts. Wood carving, silk-screen prints, paintings, t‑shirts, and so many other items. Of course there is some cheap, tacky stuff, and there are also … Continued
Three days in Ao Nang were plenty
I’ll start with a disclaimer: I’m not a beach person. I don’t like lying on the beach under a hot sun. Taking a dip is nice for a quick cool-off, but then I’m done. And I don’t drink a lot, … Continued
Ajijic to Ao Nang: Chronicle of my long journey
Saturday, 08:15 Central Standard Time I’m at Guadalajara Airport awaiting the departure of my Alaska Airlines flight to LAX. This is the first of four flights that will take me to Ao Nang, Thailand. So my plan, to help pass … Continued
Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam
It feels like I just got back from my last trip (and in fact, I did), but I am less than three weeks away from my next adventure. OAT calls it “Ancient Kingdoms,” but that doesn’t explain a lot. So … Continued
Νάξος: by eBike, by Car, and on foot
Here I am at the end of a five-week trip. I started in Rome, where I had eleven days on my own. From there I went on an OAT tour with fourteen other travelers to Greece, Albania, and North Macedonia. … Continued
North Macedonia: Охрид and Скопје
I spent four days in North Macedonia to finish my OAT tour. Now I’m back in Greece, on the island of Naxos, to finish my trip with some quiet and solitude. The North Macedonia portion of the trip consisted of … Continued
What is Macedonia?
I’m currently in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. And that simple statement is actually very complicated
Tirana: A Becoming City
I’ve never been to a city like Tirana. At the beginning of the 20th century, the population of Tirana was about 10,000. It became the capital of Albania in the 1920s and grew throughout the century, but growth slowed during … Continued
Gjirokaster, Butrint, and Berat: Albania does UNESCO
I stayed three nights in Gjirokaster. We took a day trip to Butrint, and we spent a few hours in Berat yesterday on our way to Tirana, where we are now. Gjirokaster, Butrint, and Berat are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. … Continued