And luxuriates in the air-conditioned store.

No, the title wasn’t a set-up to a joke. This lil’ fella was overheating one morning and trotted into 7-11 and splayed himself on the tile floor in an amazing hip opening pose (my youngest sister would call this “pancake butt” and I can’t refute her.) The best part is no one batted an eye; not the employees, not the customers. Hey, we humans in Thailand are famous for browsing every aisle, up and down, just to cool down–without any intention to purchase anything. The employees are well aware of this when they see sweaty foreigners meticulously reading the ingredient label on bars of soap…

Chilled-out

Seriously, is this little guy the CUTEST furry thing in the world? After his thermal temperature reached a bearable temperature, he sat outside 7-11 watching the world go by.

Charming Chiang Mai

I continue to revel in the aesthetic sensibilities of the locals who decorate their office with this plant in a single pot, to how they use nature to decorate their spaces.

Thai Massage Spa

Woven God’s Eye ornaments match the color palette.

Even a tree gets love

Colorful paper lanterns decorate this tree.

The yellow flowers are the natural decoration on this tree.

5:30am in my neighborhood

So what was I doing up at 5:30am? I might have a Zoom call, in which case I take the call in a laundromat and thus, multi-task and do a load of laundry. 24-hour restaurants, early morning vendors, late night partiers and people buying food to go converge at this hour.

Burying their cat

Someone in the apartment building across the alley buried their cat in a plot next to the parking lot. I was surprised that they were allowed to dig there, instead of having to go to a dedicated pet cemetery, especially since that particular plot is the garbage area. Over two days, I saw people digging, then laying offerings on top of the mound.

Laying flowers.

Close-up of flowers, a bag of sticky rice with pork, a glass of water. That same day, a Buddhist monk gathered with the family and chanted blessings and final rites.

Helmet antiseptic machine

This machine was recently installed in front of 7-11. It shows a photo of a person scratching their head, and lists pests like mites and lice. I’ve never seen this in the US. I wonder if it’s effective.

Gourmet donuts in an outdoor garden

I wandered into this garden space not knowing what it was. The proprietor sells handmade gourmet donuts–think matcha, mocha, almonds and chocolate–with an open air seating space. Charming, with thoughtful natural materials used as decorations.

My espresso came on a wooden board with a glass of water, dried decorations, and on a page of prose and poetry.

This arrangement brings a sense of abundance and coolness. A refreshing aesthetic.

Sandwich or Sandwish?

The apartment cats are alive and well

They’re seen perched in different areas, but always comfortable!