Chiang Mai for the Creative Soul

Are you expressive, rhythmical and alive? Are you willing to open your heart and eyes to receive the many blessings of life? Well, get your artistic butt to Chiang Mai and feed that amazing spirit of yours! This place is truly a crafty and colorful mecca for imaginative souls. Whether you find yourself at the famous Sunday Market surrounded by street music, or in the middle of a field with a huge lantern above your head, Chiang Mai won't fail in making you feel as radiant as ever! The potential for locating and purchasing artistic coolness at a reasonable price is just overflowing. Textiles, jewelry, clothing, paintings, wood carvings... Here, you will find what you're looking for. And if you're like me, this feeling of being so ALIVE will launch you into complete expressiveness. You might even find yourself doing bizzare things like dancing in the rain at Tha Pae Gate, or sampling as much street food as possible, or having rational thoughts about buying bed frames even though you'd probably never get them home.

Part of this craziness was inspired by spending a day in Baan Tawai, the woodworking village. As an interior designer, this place made my heart squeal. Everywhere you LOOK there is handcrafted furniture, and the artists who create these pieces are working right before your eyes, eager to share their techniques and design approach with you. Sometimes you're lucky enough to see 3 or 4 generations working together in one tiny shop, passing down knowledge to younger artists who carry on the legacy. Baan Tawai quickly reminded of my keen passion for spatial design. In fact, during my travels and time spent in various hotels, villas, cafes, shops and studios, I was reawakened to the incredible role these spaces play on our overall happiness and creative energy. How can we use design to liven ourselves? Can we learn to appreciate how much the appearance of a ceiling effects the way we feel? Or at least notice it's participation? Can we recognize the effectiveness of natural building materials such as stone and wood in the spaces we inhabit? Can we cherish the way they bring us back to nature?

The Loi Krathong lantern festival handed me the beauty of nature in a way I'd never experienced before. To lay in a field surrounded by good friends and watch thousands of lanterns drift up towards the full moon was absolutely magical. The feeling was so strong and special that it was almost overwhelming. To share in the experience of sending lanterns up into the night sky along with thousands of others was empowering and also truly exhausting. A great big mix of emotion, shouting, silence, and a whole lot of coordinating with friends made for a sacred night that I'll remember always. Later on, we spent some time down by the river, setting off fireworks before making our way back to the city. That process was kicked off with at least an hour of swaying back and forth shoulder to shoulder with a million others, (some of which I got to know quite well, as you can imagine). After all, we were moving like one big mass; no one in charge of directing crowds, traffic or keeping things under control. Westerners were looking around at each other like, "is anyone gonna tell us what to do here???" But you know what... complete SILENCE. It was incredibly strange. My friend Stef and I realized that there is more regulation in other parts of the world because there HAS TO BE, not just for fun. Even in my impatience, I enjoyed watching the Asians navigate this process with such grace until we finally made our way out. What a night. The next couple of days were filled with a whole lot of blissful nothingness as we rested up.

My schedule looked something like this for the following Sunday, Monday and Tuesday...

To Do:

Thai Massage

Oh yes, I am SO impressed with Thai Massage! A very complex and brilliant system that I couldn't even begin to accurately explain with my little bit of knowledge on the topic, but if I had to, I'd say that it's something along the lines of "having yoga done to you." Whatever it is, it's friggin' AMAZIN'! No need to ask for "deep tissue" like in the USA, these Thai women don't mess around. They use their own body weight to throw you into various yoga poses and make your body do things you didn't know possible! Then they massage your muscles during the process. I mean, what could be more effective? Talk about opening of joints and tissue, WOW. I'm hooked! It's interesting how you find the things that work best for you when you explore various types of body work. My yoga practice for example; deepening in the area of slow and relaxing Yin yoga, but my Vinyasa Flow practice (or power/yang) has turned into freeform dance! Yep, every time I roll out my mat for some self practice, I just end up just shaking my booty to some wild music. So, at this time, the combination of dance and Yin complimented by Thai Massage is totally sweet. My body is loving it! I even credit some of it to letting go of my healthy nutritional approach a bit and just eating some damn good food. That's right! I'm talking wheat, dairy and even SUGAR. "Did she just say sugar?" First of all, I wouldn't be able to truly explore the beauty and tastiness of Thai food if I didn't give in a bit. More importantly, don't you think we all need to feel like there's no limit sometimes? Doesn't that allow us to feel freedom to be? Doesn't it help us open to the natural flow of life? It does for me, and putting on 5 pounds has been downright empowering!

All these days filled with nothing other than Thai massage and delicious food and my parents are beginning to say things like, "you're gonna have a hard time when you get home!" My response... "traveling is exhausting!" It really is. I feel SO grateful for the opportunity but it does wear you out. Always living out of a suitcase and moving around certainly makes you appreciate that place called home. Nevertheless, these parental comments have lead to some incredibly entertaining conversations with the rents. We have had so much fun Skyping, I feel blessed for the opportunity each time I sign on. Really! The connection always sucks and there's a solid delay of about 10 seconds and a lot of interrupting each other which often leads to irritation and sassy responses on my part like, "UM HELLO? Are you listening?" The other night we got absolutely hysterical. The conversation became unbelievably aggravating. I had just started a stream of important information about some feelings I was having and dad begins to talk about a "special guest at the Casa geezer breakfast," then mom shouts, "I can hear fireworks!" I could not believe my ears and I started laughing so hard I had tears running down my face. They started laughing too and all the laughing only led to MORE LAUGHING. It was the best. Even now, I'm sitting in a cafe just cracking myself up as I write. People are looking at me, smiling, AND BEGINNING TO LAUGH! It's contagious and so revitalizing. It made me wonder, can we find humor in our lives more often? Can we "laugh things off," as cliche as that sounds? Do I really need to fly around the world to find that kind of outrageous enjoyment and connection with my amazing parents? No way. I'm so blessed to have it available to me at all times!

Just like art, expression and the makeup of your creative soul, this one is a variety of things that I have been inspired by. Creativity, nature, spaces, silence, Thai massage, dance, letting GO... and laughing... All things that can happen anywhere and everywhere we are, always.

Sawadee Ka Spontaneity!

Or "hello spontaneity!"

I just completed the last of 762 curves on my motorbike between Pai and Chiang Mai, and I'm finally "home." Yipeee! Damn, it's good to be back. I can't say that Pai is heaven on Earth, but the open road adventures surely made it all worth while. Looking back, that is... Now I'm writing from a cozy garden restaurant in my favorite place in Thailand, watching lanterns float above Chiang Mai city in preparation for the famous Loi Krathong festival. I can giggle and sigh as I daydream about my wild and crazy adventures from the refuge of what's familiar and safe... 

One week ago, I put a Buddhist flower garland around my motorbike handlebars and set off into the mountains. Wow... Open road, wind in my hair, sunshine... all things beautiful and free. This dream of "freedom to be" finally coming true! I must say, I felt so empowered, adventurous and prepared. I enjoyed leisurely exploring each and every waterfall and hot spring I came across, playing with new friends that I collected along the way. First stop was Mok Fa Waterfall; truly amazing and for sure one of those experiences that usually doesn't evolve into much more than just a dream. I hiked about 15 minutes through the jungle until I reached a massive opening with sheer rock walls, and of course, a GORGEOUS pounding waterfall, descending among lush green vines and colorful birds into a sandy celadon pool. Best part, I was the only one in sight... and of course I just had to skinny dip! I also sobbed with happiness as I stood under the pounding water thinking, "how did I get so lucky!" Absolute magic.

After the waterfall, about 2 minutes went by on the road before my wet clothes started to feel cooler than comfortable... Oh wait, is that a hot spring? Yep! Pong Duet Hot Springs just a few kilometers away, down a long gravel road. A geyser that continuously erupts like a collection of natural fountains in the jungle, sending steamy water into a series of riverside pools of varying temperatures. I got pretty comfortable in one of them and watched the sun go down and the stars come out... Three Thai women showed up with smiles for a little bathing session. A blissful evening, indeed. But then, the reality of time... "OH SHIT, ARE THOSE STARS? It's dark out! And I'm only half way there!"

Ahhh, the moment when spontaneity came back and bit me right in the ass! I guess it was only a matter of time. Certainly a moment I'll never forget and a reality I hoped would never prove itself. I mean, this has been my "mantra" for years and I've thoroughly enjoyed it! But even I know that driving a motorbike over an unfamiliar mountain pass after dark isn't smart... So, a kind Thai guy offered to drive me and my bike back to the main road, but then I was on my own... literally. Accept for the herds of cattle of course, which I had to dodge throughout the remaining two hours of my completely sketchy road trip. And the men with machine guns strangely standing at the divide check point! Freezing, low on petrol and hungry as hell I continued on. Even in my misery I couldn't help but laugh a little when I thought of the way I felt hours earlier. I indeed progressed through a full range of emotions during the course of the trip as my invincibility dissolved into feeling pitiful, frozen and afraid. I explored various levels of bliss, fear, excitement and anger during those two hours in the dark. I even did some howling at the moon... really! Under truly the brightest starry sky I've ever seen. And I highly recommend it! I think I unloaded a decade of built up frustration and threw it RIGHT over the ridge. Ahhh, if only I had a picture of me cruising down the road howling at the moon, I'd insert it <here>! :)

Luckily, when I finally DID arrive in Pai, I was in one very cool little adobe mountain bungalow. Which made me feel like I was in New Mexico, home country! There were recycled glass bottles in the mud walls along with an open air hot shower. Breakfast included in my $8/night rate and I could even hook up to FAST wifi, which is a real luxury in Southeast Asia. As an added bonus, they threw in a few geckos which would crawl around on the ceiling feasting upon any obnoxious moth that decided to drop by. This was the place!

And it's a good thing because I wasn't too crazy about Pai's Western culture... It's truly impossible to sit at a cafe without overhearing one husky voice or another talk about how "awesome their mushroom trip was last night... duuude." Or seeing a gang of dread lock hippies roaming the streets barefoot with jingling gypsy anklets. (Sorry for the incredible stereotype!) Nevertheless, Pai probably does have some really wonderful people. It's a backpacker's paradise and mecca for adventurous travelers. You can't avoid meeting people in this tiny place. Best of all, it's home for many of what I like to call "alternative Thai" peeps - tattoos, rebellious women and interracial families, all of which might be frowned upon in neighboring towns (and countries). Pai is a place where truly, "everything goes," and with a smile! Not to mention the gorgeous mountain scenery.

If nothing else, going to Pai JUST for the raw carrot cake at Om Garden Cafe makes the trip worth while. Seriously! This is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Organic breakfast, smoothies, green juice, the list goes on. Best of all, young owner Anon who's a very talented Thai chef made me feel like a regular on day two, which of course only kept me coming back for more! He would handle the floor, the kitchen AND the register, making periodic trips to the market when more fresh fruit was needed. Now THAT'S how you run a restaurant.

So during my relatively organized journey home, taking those 762 famously rugged curves in daylight I asked myself, "did you learn anything Emily?" Honestly, I don't know that I did. I mean, I'm not going to stop being spontaneous, and I probably won't stop driving my motorbike after dark either. Maybe the message is quite the opposite... Get out there, live!

After all, it's what we DON'T do that we regret.

Smart or stupid, I'll remember this trip for the rest of my life!

Elephant Enlightenment

So I moved into a mountain sanctuary near Chiang Mai about a week ago to help rescued elephants. It has been the most challenging and enlightening experience imaginable! Arriving, you'd think you'd reached paradise. Elephants wander around a secluded open-air restaurant surrounded by pink vines, lush majestic mountains and a rushing river. Trees with trunks the size of vehicles stand nearby. Even puppies can be found sleeping on the table tops (yes, paradise for me anyway). But before I can set down my bag or process the beauty before me, I'm unloading a 4 ton truck of watermelons, and then bananas! It's a good thing they bring in the sweetest Thai massueses from a local village for the evening hours. They charge $5 for a 60 minute massage AND a dutch crown braid for the ladies, included upon request! So after a few watermelon hours, I'm reclined with hot oil on my shoulders thinking, "oh yes, this IS paradise."

The next morning, I'm out in a bamboo field with a machete and a couple of Thai guys, panting, sweating and even bleeding as I cut down grass for the elephants, gather and wrap it, haul it on my shoulder across the field to a truck, and yes, load it. 280 bales. So much for the massage! I can't help it, I'm thinking, what the fuck have I gotten myself into? And I'm PAYING for this? But then I'm humbly reminded that these men do this every single day. And so I feel grateful, and inspired again by the mountain breeze, the smile on a Thai workers face, the sound of the elephants eating the bamboo right outside my my totally cool treehouse accommodation. Obviously, I fell asleep that night thanking god for the John Deere tractors and plows which can easily be found on farms in the U.S. And I smile as I remember what my fairy godmother said to me...
This is "the real thing." This is life. Enjoy every minute!

So I do. I soak up all the coolness involved in the epic experience of working directly with an old Thai man on a welding project. He speaks no English, and since I don't speak Thai, the ability to communicate verbally is completely unavailable. So we take another route; body language. And what a cultural learning experience this poses! It took no time at all to flow right into the groove of things, and we were moving quite efficiently, passing each other tools as needed and lending a hand for carrying heavy equipment under enormous umbrella leaves which cast decorative shadows on the gravel land. We spent the afternoon constructing rebar columns to discourage the elephants from crossing the river and wandering into private farming land at night. The experience was a solid reminder of what I'm here for; culture, to interact with the natives and to be showered with the natural beauty of this environment. After the job was done, it was time for swimming and bathing elephants in the river. Nice!

But of course, the next morning it's shoveling poo, followed by more shoveling of poo, and then wheeling of poo barrels to the poo pile. Evil thoughts begin to enter my mind. I say to myself as I'm musceling around elephant shit, "you know what, after all that unloading of watermelons, I deserve to take a few for myself. I'm going back after dark." and even worse, "damn, these elephants are so spoiled! I can't believe we wash the fruit for them. My horses never got that kind of treatment." for a moment I almost feel resentful when my intention was to offer my skills and help them. And then as if the Universe can hear my thoughts, I'm surprised when I look up and directly into the eyes of an elephant named Medo. She reaches her trunk towards me and hobbles over with a broken hip. She was injured in a lodging accident in the 60's, then lost part of her foot when she stepped into a land mine. As if that isn't enough, she was purposely blinded in one eye by her owner for "not listening." I touch her aged skin and I melt. She's so old and wise. I think to myself as I look to her, "I know nothing compared to you." Medo is in her 80's and has been through the kind of hell I can't even begin to imagine. The least she deserves at this point is PERFECTLY washed fruit, hand fed to her throughout the day whenever she likes. And that's exactly what she'll get from me.

In the evening, workers gather by the river and surround a campfire while mahots play their guitars and we all sing. Passing a bottle of authentic Thai rice whiskey around a circle of world travelers isn't a bad way to end a hard day's work. I'm even receiving German lessons from a new friend, and one phrase in particular has been literally and sarcastically applied to various situations throughout the week;
"geile scheisse!" or "great shit!"

Well, so far I haven't gone back to steal any watermelons after dark, and I haven't lost my leg to a machete. Instead, I'm bonding with elephants and building some muscle while I'm at it!
Yep, this is paradise. 

KOH LIFE

Here I am in Southern Thailand, and it's mind blowing. I keep thinking, "how did I get here, is this real life, am I really on the opposite side of the WORLD?" I guess some of it is the jet lag, but it's also simply that beautiful, and truly surreal.

I landed in Koh Samui after 36 hours of travel, and hopped on a boat to Koh Tao with my friend Kelly who I met during our yoga training in Bali. We decided the little Turtle Island would be a great place to pamper ourselves and relax on the beach for a few days while we recovered, and it was. After checking into our lovely 3rd story room ($12/night with beautiful ocean views), we crashed... at 7pm! And once we woke the next morning, after 12 hours of sleep, we were ready to explore the island by motorbike!

 (By far the best way to get around Southeast Asia). 

We were faced with overwhelming amounts of lush greenery, flowers and white sandy beaches, just as you'd imagine. And not a single stop sign! Tiny Koh Tao is a special place, the kind of place where cool people from around the world gather for outdoor adventure. In fact, one of them that I know quite well happened to be sitting several feet away from me in a little cafe! Here we are, a couple of yoga pals from Athens Ohio, enjoying breakfast in Mae Haad Bay!

So, once we'd gotten our fill of fresh coconut, Thai massages and spontaneous run-ins with friends from around the world, it was time for the next - Koh Phangan, a neighboring island where we got to visit MORE gorgeous beaches, do some yoga, enjoy spectacular sunsets and catch up with our treasured friend Roni over dinner at Macrobiotic World. 

Some would say we should have done more sight seeing, day trips to famous attractions, hopping around to other islands, but for a couple of coconut girls, just enjoying the beautiful ocean views, salty breeze, delicious Thai food and even a little snorkeling right off the beach was just perfect.