Rolling up the extra-wide driveway, a massive city gate looms into view. The uniformed sentry waves us through. Hmm, a full parade with floats and marching bands could easily fit on this road. It’s a sign of things to come.

In the distance, a sprawling complex appears with the main reception building in the center. We have been transported back in time and space to a recreation of a Lanna kingdom. The buildings are super-sized and rich in architectural detail. No, it is not a theme park but the impressive Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai.

I have to admit that I was quite unprepared for an entire village comprised of Asian-style palaces and villas plus colonial mansions within this 60 acre lush tropical landscape. We were only here for a one hour inspection tour and not staying overnight. But I can certainly tell you about every category of accommodation and all the facilities since we saw them all. Several things are apparent: large quantites of teakwood were used in  the construction of this resort. There are no mere hotel rooms here. The suites, single story villas and double story villas are all sumptously decorated.

The grounds are so extensive that guests are given a map and complimentary golf cart shuttle service. You could easily spend a week just exploring within the gated walls. There is an organic vegetable garden, working rice paddies (with water buffalo!) and a crafts village. The Thai cooking classes take advantage of the home grown produce as do the many themed restaurants on site. Of course, there are swimming pools, tennis courts, a fitness center, yoga and tai chi classes and even a championship golf course nearby (off property).

The real jewel in this crown is the Palace of Wellness, their Dheva Spa and Holistic Center housed in a separate Mandalay-inspired grand palace of its own. The center offers an extensive menu of Ayurvedic treatments, massages, aroma and aqua therapies.

This is truly a fantasy resort. A little over the top for my taste. But it all makes me wonder what heaven looks like.

For now, heaven can wait.

The Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai is probably the most famous shoppertunity in Thailand, although the open air market is actually open for business both day and night in the downtown area. The sidewalk is lined in both directions with tiny stalls selling cheap Thai souvenirs and counterfeit designer goods.

Bypass these for the real finds. Inside the main market square, vendors have tables set up in a grid offering everything from local foods to cotton clothing to handicrafts. According to everyone I spoke to in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, this is the BEST place to shop for locally-produced items.

You can outfit yourself in a new wardrobe with shirts, skirts, a shoulder bag or backpack, sandals, a watch and jewelry. Redecorate your home with hand-carved wood furniture, glossy black lacquerware or pale green Celadon potter. Toss in some matching pillowcases and quilts with some strings of colorful miniature paper lanterns.

I was intrigued by some iconic images of Thailand, available for sale,  ready to frame and display. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the owner of the booth to inquire about the photographer. And I even noticed a few individuals dressed in hill tribe garb selling the type of richly textured hand-loomed fabrics and embroidery we had just seen in the upcountry village.

Care to take a break from all this power shopping? Well, there are local treats in a food stall nearby that seem to be very popular although I couldn’t identify most of them. Small restaurants can also be found at intervals along the perimeter. One even allows you to select your fresh fish from the tank.

If you would like to sit down and put your tired paws up, you can get a foot massage for less than $10 (U.S.) cash. Really. Right here and now. Fully clothed. In public.

 It’s a bargain. I just can’t vouch for the quality of the massage. That would depend on the person providing it. And whether he/she understands and heeds your requests for  lighter pressure. They do seem to be a little too enthusiastic. Some patrons seemed to purr with pleasure while others grimaced in quiet pain.

American expat Jim Thompson is credited with reviving the Thai silk industry, introducing dyes that produce many of the vibrant hues we see today. As an interesting side note, his silks were used in costuming the 1956 Oscar award winning musical The King & I. It is possible to visit his former residence in Bangkok where his collection of Asian art is on display. The cluster of houses contain scroll paintings, carvings, sculptures and porcelains. If you are more interested in seeing and purchasing silk, the main store is in another area of the city.

However, a stop at the Jolie Femme Thai Silk Company in Chiang Mai offers a fascinating back-of-store tour where you can see silkworms, what they consume and what they produce. Here, you are welcome to observe and speak with employees as they work in each stage of production from raw material to spinning to dyeing to weaving.

The front showroom displays the finished products in a mezmerising rainbow of brilliant jewel tones. The staff did ask that I not take closeup photos to protect their inhouse designs. I understood the reason and I honored that request. No one likes to have their creative efforts “borrowed” without permission.

Believe me, the selection was so extensive, I almost couldn’t think.  I would recommend making a shopping list beforehand as a guide – a silk tie for the husband, a silk scarf for the best friend, a silk purse for me, etc. You may see a few other items to tempt you and make your birthday and/or holiday shopping easier (hint with a wink). Everything from clothing to accessories to housewares is available at prices much friendlier to the wallet than those in Bangkok. Of course, you can also have items custom made to your specifications, if you don’t see a ready-to-wear that is ready-to-go home with you.

Just be aware that sometimes synthetics are passed off as silks. Stick to reputable stores and this will not be  a problem. If you are looking for the heavier textured fabrics handwoven by hill tribes, the night market is where you want to look. That’s where we are going tonight.

It’s 6am. It’s predawn. Why would anyone be boarding a small van to go to a fitness park at this hour? No, we’re not going to run a marathon or even a 10K, not even a 5K. We’re on a mission.

We need to arrive before the tak bat or early morning procession of Buddhist monks from their temple. This ritual is the daily opportunity for people, local residents and foreign visitors alike, to offer alms to the orange-robed monks. The monks have no worldly possessions and rely on the generosity of others for their needs. These offerings are the only food and drink they will receive for the entire day.

The monks walk single file down the sidewalk in one direction, stopping when signaled by those offering alms. The owners of Window of Thailand have once again worked overtime, preparing dozens of food bundles for us to give to the monks. They briefly described the thoughtful selection of home cooked foodstuffs contained in each. It cleared demonstrated their care and compassion for others.

Since women are prohibited from direct contact with the male monks, we were instructed to carefully place our small wrapped packages into the center of the recipient’s food bowl. We would then kneel to receive their blessing in unison.

Once they were finished chanting, they would continue on in formation to the next person or persons, eventually returning along the same route back to the temple.

I zoomed in and framed a perfect shot of a simple and elegant bowl just as the young monk turned and started to walk away. Just a moment too late. At first, I was going to discard it. It was not the still photo I had intended to take. It still intrigues me as an unintentional “action” shot.

You may call it blurry. Tell me what YOU think

All the children were dressed in their finest traditional Hmong clothing for the occasion, nervously awaiting the cue to begin their cultural performance as we, the honored visitors, finished our delicious lunch of northern-style delicacies.

Once the performance began, we were treated to traditional music, song and dance by brightly costumed groups of children as well as solos by individual girls and boys.

As I edged closer to the pavilion to get closer shots, I looked down and noticed slippers casually abandoned at the doorway. I was reminded that adults and children rehearsed and prepared, investing time and effort into this event for our benefit. As soon as we left, they would change back into their regular everyday clothes and slippers, resuming their normal school day routine. The beautiful costumes would be put away until they were needed again.

Just before we departed, I watched several children running in a circle on top of raised wooden posts. After the “work” was done, they were doing what children do everywhere – playing with their friends.

Some things are universal.

First, a member of this hill tribe took us on a short walking tour of the village. The inhabitants live as they have for generations in simple huts. Families still cultivate crops of staples such as corn, rice and soybeans.

With the assistance of our guide as translator, we were able to speak with a local woman spinning thread outside hers. The thread would be used in the distinctive and intricate handmade Hmong weaving and embroidery they are known for. Of course, fine examples of this colorful work were available for purchase.

I was suddenly reminded of  childhood fairy tales involving spinning wheels. A princess who pricked her finger while spinning wool into yarn, falling into a deep sleep for a hundred years. Apparently, it was just a hobby and no one was relying on her handiwork for their livelihood.  A girl spinning straw into gold based on someone else’s greed until she could cleverly gain her release. Fabric is nowhere near as profitable as precious metals.

Today, machines have taken over textile manufacturing in uniform mass quantities. Garments produced by the thousands in factories are shipped all over the world. But here and now in Thailand, needlework is still done by women in a labor-intensive process with attention to detail.

Remember those young girls waiting. Patience is an important skill in this type of work. These crafts will be passed down to them from their mothers as they were from their grandmothers.

Hurry up and wait. It’s difficult to sit backstage, fully costumed and ready to go. Expecting small children to do the same is asking for patience worthy of a saint.

I spied these two little girls sitting quietly outside ”in the wings”, as it were. They both turned simultaneously, casting a glance over their shoulders at several classmates who were expending their nervous energy in  a very different way, by playing a rather rough and tumble game of chase and tag.

We had come to Khun Chang Kien, a Hmong village with a prearranged purpose.  The owners of a local Chiang Mai tour company, Window of Thailand, had worked with a local charity to set up our visit. The company is a family business run by three sisters and a brother-in-law. Two of the sisters, Mayuree (left) and Chintana (right) Suwawan, who spent the entire day with us are pictured here. They went out of their way to accommodate several requests and certainly exemplified the best of Thai hospitality.

We had brought reading books and school supplies to donate to the local elementary school. The school administration had several things planned for us before the donation would be officially made and formally received.

We have flown north to the ancient cultural and religious center of Chiang Mai. Driving up the slopes of the Soi Duthrep mountain, we arrive at the Wat Phra That. The dramatic sacred snake staircase leading up to this famous mountaintop temple is unique in Thailand and instantly recognizable from photos in travel magazines and guidebooks.

Standing at the base of the naga staircase, scanning the long  ascent to the top, the thought of climbing all 306 steps can be daunting. Consider this your Stair Master workout for today or just slip around to the right, take the funicula and glide upward for a small fee. I’ll tell you a little secret. The descent is actually much easier so let’s compromise. We’ll ride up in the tram and walk down after our visit.

The original chedi is at the heart of the temple complex. You will see visitors making offerings of flowers, candles and incense after they have walked around its base three times. Inside the prayer hall, worshippers kneel in slient prayer or meditation. You may also line up to receive a blessing from a Buddhist monk.

On a clear day, the summit terrace offers views of the city below as well as the surrounding forest cloaking the mountain. Due to rapid expansion in recent years, Chiang Mai is contending with growth issues such as construction, rush hour traffic and pollution. Some days there is an industrial haze hovering over the city. Unfortunately, on this particular day, remnant smoke from forest fires also hung inthe air, obscuring the view.

You will feel a slight drop in temperature at this elevation which is a welcome relief from the tropical heat in the south. The climate in the north is temperate and very comfortable. In fact, you might want to have a light wrap or sweater handy for the evening.

Next we head farther up the mountain to visit a Hmong village.

Thai cuisine has gained worldwide popularity for its unique blend of flavors: sweet, sour, salty with fiery spice.  Dishes combine the best Asian ingredients with fragrant spices such as lemongrass, mint, cilantro, coconut or citrus and of course, ripe red or green chilis. These tasty concoctions are served over rice or noodles.

Some famous menu items include satay, appetizers of charbroiled chicken, beef or pork on bamboo skewers with a side dish of peanut sauce; tom yum, a hot and sour shrimp soup; pad thai, a noodle dish stir-fried with shrimp, chicken, eggs, bean sprouts topped with peanuts as a garnish; and various yellow, green or red vegetarian or meat curries.

This is not the time to be macho and ask for your meal to be prepared “Thai hot” unless you enjoy the sensation of a mouth on fire while sweat pours down your forehead onto your bright red face. They can provide as much heat as you can or cannot endure. The point is to enjoy ALL the flavors.

For dessert, coconut sticky rice is offered with slices of sweet juicy mango. Many other exotic tropical fruits are widely available. We are all familiar with naturally sweet pineapples, bananas, papaya and watermelon. You will also find guava, lychee, rambutan  and jackfruit. Mangosteen has a hard purple nut-like shell protecting the soft white delicate flesh inside. And pomelo is akin to grapefruit.

If you care to participate in the sensory experience of preparing and enjoying an authentic Thai meal with a Thai chef, there are 2 very famous cooking schools in Bangkok: the long-standing program at the Bangkok Oriental Hotel and another at the Blue Elephant Restaurant and Cooking School.

Whether you live to eat or eat to live, bon appetite my friends!

Attention to detail. Everywhere I went I noticed this – in the adornments of temples and palaces, the intricate design elements of handicrafts, the dozens of tiny blossoms woven into a wristlet.

In a labyrinth of sidewalks inhabited by florists, I saw this again. On one side of the walkway, small individual store fronts and on the other individual trestle tables.

People concentrating on their handiwork within an explosion of beautiful and fragrant flowers, an overwhelming, almost dizzyingly abundant selection. This is the Bangkok Flower Market where you can buy a bouquet or an entire floral arrangement for a few (U.S.) dollars. A wristlet cost a mere 10 baht or approximately 30 cents.

In Thailand, we were welcomed at the every hotel with a sweetly scented jasmine wristlet and I wore each one continuously. Flowers adorned public spaces and guests rooms in the hotels/resorts with their natural beauty. Of course, they were also purposely present in spas as well for their soothing aromatherapy properties.

We usually only give and receive flowers for special occasions. Bangkok city dwellers come here to buy flowers to brighten their urban apartments and homes,  flowers for offerings for their spirit houses, flowers for offerings at their neighborhood temples, flowers for someone special. Ah, the pure pleasure and power of these beautiful blossoms.

Being born on a tropical island, one of the things I miss most is tropical flowers. When I am in Tahiti, I wear them in my hair every single day. It feels entirely natural to me. Alas, not something I can indulge in Northern California.

If it had been earlier in the stay or a longer stay, I might have scooped up several bunches just for the sheer luxury of a hotel room filled with flowers, something that would be cost-prohibitive anywhere else. But we would be traveling north to Chang Mai the next day. Not to worry, there would be no shortage of flowers and other riches on the rest of this journey.