And the Final Stop: Chiang Mai
That sense of belonging, of knowing, and remembering–that’s how I felt when I woke up that morning on the train
Home means different things to different people. In the most literal sense of the word, it’s defined as the place where you were born or the place where you grew up. Home is also defined as a roof over one’s head, or that it’s family.
No matter what it means, they all have one thing in common—a feeling of warmth. That sense of belonging, of knowing, and remembering.
That’s how I felt when I woke up that morning on the train to Chiang Mai. I spent the night reading a book before bed and committed to finishing at least one chapter. But the sound of the train and the gentle rocking were enough to send me to sleep.
This misty landscape dominated my window all morning, and it bore a resemblance to the mountains back home.
I stayed in a Beatles-inspired hostel run by a young artist couple. They worked together as an independent photographer-stylist team outside the business.
Small coffee shops and street food scattered the neighborhood. I saw a couple of food trucks parked on the streets but didn’t have the chance to taste them. I was too full stuffing my face with small bites I came across.
Wat Doi Suthep
There is a Buddhist temple in the mountains with an enthralling legend. Even though it’s a popular tourist spot, I still wanted to see it for myself. Plus, it was in the mountains, and I love mountains.
In one of the rooms, we knelt in front of a monk so he could give us his blessings. I had no idea what he was chanting. Everyone in the room was clueless and had to be instructed by the temple staff on what to do next.
I remember a time when my family and I visited one of the Buddhist temples in Cebu. We sat in a room while a monk shared a story, sort of like when a priest preaching a sermon. My siblings and I would pretend we understood what the monk was saying. And once it was over, we’d ask our dad to translate the whole thing for us. After the mass, there was a free vegetarian lunch, which I wasn’t so happy about. Especially the ones that were made to look and taste like meat.
Stumbled upon
The day before I left Chiang Mai, I wandered upon a haven of hipster shops and small cafes. Think Park was obscurely hiding behind a mall. I was bummed that I found it on my last day, but was also happy that I now had a reason to come back to this city.
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