SUKHOTHAI, THAILAND

After seeing so many friends visit the ancient capitals of Thailand (Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Lopburi), we had to make the trip for ourselves. Sadly, the roads getting there were almost more eventful than Sukhothai itself, dangerous drivers on even more dangerous roads and a whole host of backwoods paths that had us guessing at directions even with a GPS.

We arrived at Sukhothai Treasure Resort and took a welcome respite after the four hour trek-drive to the Unesco World Heritage site. The view from our hotel's yard was beautiful, the setting sun creating what was probably the most beautiful view we saw during this escapade.

Just before we lost the sun completely and the clouds started to gather, we headed to Sukhothai's Historical Park, where we walked and saw the ruins amidst manicured lawns and ponds full of lily pads.

Though thankful that we had the opportunity to see such a historic place, the eerie feeling of the site and the overcast skies left us disappointed and feeling a bit weary. The intricate work put into the centuries old temples was immaculate, impressive by anyone's standards. Knowing what we do, that God reigns supreme and that one day the whole world will see and honor him as Lord, it was hard to walk through the temples without feeling drained and burdened for the lost of Thailand. "To be Thai is to be Buddhist" isn't a popular saying without cause. The contrast of Katie's bright colors against the darkness of this place is probably the most intriguing thing about this evening.

When we finally ran out of light, we grabbed a quick dinner and called it a night (a night with lots of reading and movies and such). The next day we didn't hesitate to head home, choosing a more direct highway route and stopping along the way to admire views we happened upon and to buy a few pieces of cheap local pottery.

CHIANG DAO, THAILAND

Before our weekend trip to Chiang Dao, I thought I had seen some beautiful things. Maybe I had, but nothing could prepare me for the shock of finding out that the most breathtaking views I have ever witnessed were less than three hours from my (albeit temporary) home. After hearing from friends and driving halfway there multiple times, we finally managed to make the entire trip, and it was just magic how it coincided with our one-year anniversary of moving to Thailand. And it was the best weekend for that celebration, in all honesty. It was the embodiment of rest, celebration and... well, perfection.

We lucked out about a month before this trip, finding the deal-est of deals on Sibsan Resort & Spa in Maetaeng. It was almost exactly halfway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Dao. We felt a little out of place in such a nice resort, but it was fun to play the rich tourist card when we knew we got 80% off our room!

In the morning we headed into Chiang Dao, our first stop was Wat Tham near the famous Chiang Dao Cave. The wat was unlike anything I've ever seen, blue with white carvings all over the exterior. We walked around admiring the flora and the pools beside the wat and outside the entrance to the caves before heading inside.

Inside the caves there were two options: walk along a lit path for the flat entrance fee of 40 baht, or hire a tour guide to take you deep into the cave armed with only a lantern for 100 baht more. We chose the latter, our 70 (or more)-year-old guide walking us through low ceilinged tunnels and around endless abysses. We walked into the cave for about 30 minutes before turning around, our guide expertly maneuvering around in his tread-less slippers while I stumbled around in my Chacos. A wooden cross at the beginning of the tour sparked some good conversation as well as things our fearless leader pointed out like a rock formation that looked like a rhino, a chicken, and a few bouquets of orchids.

Gulping down the fresh air once we left the caves, we found ourselves at Chiang Dao Nest for a delicious lunch and some refreshing drinks. We sat in the open air, gaping at the mountains surrounding us on all sides, the mist and cool air making it actually feel like fall.

Before my camera died, we took in some of the most incredible views, thankful for reminders of God's glory and how small we are in light of his unsearchable and unfathomable greatness. There were quite a few moments were we decided to spend "60 seconds with no pictures," which proved to be some of the best moments. 

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND • OLD TOWN, PART 3

So, obviously we took a little break from the moat hopping. What can we say, things got busy, fast. This past weekeng Becca stayed the night with us and since she's been short on photos of downtown, we picked it back up, this time venturing to the east side of the moat and starting at Wat Phra Singh.

Wat Phra Singh was one of the first Buddhist temples that I visited when I moved here. I hadn't been back since, and this time there was more time to spare. Of all the temples I've seen, I would say this one has the best gardens and the most color around its grounds. We saw so much orange that our eyes hurt, and so much green that I felt like I was hiking.

After the temple tour, we headed down the main street and stopped at Akha Ama café for a pick me up and some A/C. I'd heard about this place as the best place to go in Chiang Mai for coffee, and of course, I didn't even order coffee. Becca's macchiato was good, but I had a peach tea. Either way, there's motivation to go again.

We wandered tither and thither, passing the Chiang Mai police station, seeing plenty of pretty homes and cool patterns. The moat is full of 'em. We checked out another wat, a few hipster stores and discovered a beautiful little guesthouse called Inn Oon Chiang Mai. I may be booking a room there soon. Absolutely adorable, affordable, and the owner loves to speak Thai with foreigners. Check!

We finally stopped for lunch at Jane's Kitchen, a healthy restaurant about a block in from the moat. Jane's was cute and fresh, the owner had switched summers with a friend and was covering her restaurant in NYC while her friend relaxingly ran her café in Chiang Mai. Talk about a set up. This place was simple. Becca ordered the Green Goddess juice and a panini, and I had the Funky Monkey smoothie (SO much peanut butter) and "The Special," a delicious plate of fresh vegetables and soft-boiled eggs. We then proceeded to haggle a songtaew driver down to 30 baht for a cross-town ride. All in all a pretty good hop, and it didn't rain until we were through!