Today I am heading to the Golden Triangle. This place located at the confluence of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, has played a very special role over the centuries. The Golden Triangle refers to the region where opium was intensively cultivated. Yellow gold was used as currency for black gold (opium). Given the huge amount of gold that passed through the region, it was proclaimed "The Golden Triangle". The opium poppy grows well at altitudes above 3000 meters above sea level. Th

Since I arrived in Chiang Mai five weeks ago, I've been taking it easy. Life is a long, quiet river that is shared between long walks in the city, culinary discoveries and... foot massages. But this morning I'm leaving for a journey that will take me I don't know where. We've rented two motorcycles and we'll let the wind take us. Only my first stop is known, Chiang Rai, located further north, very close to the Burmese border. I chose it because someone is waiting for me there

Today I'm going on an adventure. Since my destination is quite far from Chiang Mai and I'm renting a motorbike for just one day, I decided to "treat myself" and rent a nice little 400cc Triumph. I get on my bike and leave Chiang Mai heading south towards the roof of Thailand, Doi Inthanon. This mountain is part of the foothills of the Himalayas and is the highest mountain in Thailand. 2565 meters Crédit: landscapesUHD Let's take a walk in the woods... Doi Inthanon Park is luc

When you travel a bit, you notice that people are the same everywhere. Be polite and smile and... you will get smiles and kindness. Even today, I met an old lady in an alley in Chiang Mai. I saw her, she smiled at me, I did the same... the connection was created. Even though she spoke very little English, she still told me that she came from Cambodia, that she was now Thai and that she was 82 years old. For my part, I told her that I came from Canada and that I found her coun

In Chiang Mai, a city of over a million inhabitants, it is very easy to get around. You can easily rent a car, motorbike or scooter at a very good price but it doesn't stop there. There are the Songthaew. These are "shared taxis". They wander the streets looking for customers. If there is no one in the cabin, they will take you wherever you want. If there are people... well it is to be discussed according to the destinations already requested. The price is fixed at $1.20. The

Tonight is Christmas Eve. It’s always a bit sad to be so far away from my family and friends but fortunately, my partner and his unfailing love are there. We decided to attend Christmas mass to meditate, celebrate the birth of Christ and… feel a bit like home. We are lucky. Our home is very close to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Chiang Mai and Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana is presiding tonight. So it is well surrounded that we accompany the Christmas carols that we

I saw an elephant… my first elephant. Well, it was far away and it was a domestic elephant but still… it was impressive. So, back at my accommodation, I read to learn more. Emblematic animal of Thailand The elephant is the emblem of the Kingdom of Thailand. It is represented everywhere, really everywhere. Sculptures, paintings, literature, national emblems, paper money,... It is everywhere, as much in temples as on the street or in parks. It is known to bring peace, success a

Eating... You must repeat this gesture 3 times a day. At home, it’s simple. I open the refrigerator or the cupboard… and I choose from a multitude of foods that I have known since my childhood. When traveling, in a foreign country with an unknown language and alphabet, it’s something entirely different. Just buying coffee is an adventure. In front of the supermarket coffee display, I wonder. Well, I know it's coffee, but still... Espresso coffee, normal coffee, whole beans, i

I'm leaving, once again. Over the past 5 years, I have visited about ten countries (Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, United States, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Colombia, Costa Rica, Portugal) and the taste for adventure continues to inhabit me. My memories are more and more abundant and my luggage lighter and lighter... The part that stresses me out the most, the plane trip and the visas, is now behind me. It must be said that each time it is a new adventure because each count

My departure to Thailand whit Air Canada

It all began ... 215 million years ago when an immense meteorite (5 km in diameter) crashed into the earth. The impact forms a crater, the 5th largest crater in the world (100 km in diameter). A hole... a very big hole that fills with water. 215 million years later, visionary Quebecers decided to use this water hole by filling it even more. To fill it... nothing better than creating a dam, but not just any dam, the largest multiple-arch buttress dam in the world (1,324 meters

To end my trip, I decided to "take it easy" and settle in the Algarve, more precisely in Armação de Pêra. It's a small village that explodes with tourists in the summer and... it's the main reason I visit Portugal in the spring. The hordes of tourists have the same effect on me as the hordes of Mongols... they make me want to run away. After settling into a cute apartment, I set off in search of deserted beaches... and pirate caves. Portuguese pirates wreaked havoc on all sea

As a Quebecer, I know a little about the history of France and England, where my ancestors come from, but Portugal had passed under my radar. Well, I know that it has a common border with Spain and that the capital is Lisbon, but it's little, very little, and I like to understand a country before approaching it. When I decide this is my next trip, I remember a few facts and learn several others. Vasco da Gama, a great Portuguese navigator, was the first European to reach the

Bem vindo ao restaurante “A Sardinha” Before my departure, I read all kinds of reviews about Portuguese food. Everyone agrees that the ingredients are exceptional but some say that the cooks are less so. There's nothing like judging for yourself, so here are my findings. When I arrived in Peniche, I was tired. The Quebec-Péniche trip took nearly 40 hours and I feel a great need for beauty and goodness. Obviously, I did my little research before arriving and I have already cho

Today I'm going to take a walk through History. Monsaraz The hill of Monsaraz occupied an important place in prehistory and history. Its position on the highest hill in the region as well as its proximity to the deep Guadiana valley, made it a strategic place for all those who wanted to play Tug of War. It all started 9000 years ago. Some definition Prehistory : Period which goes from the appearance of Man, 2.8 million years ago, to the invention of writing. Since writing was

After two days in the mountains, I'm leaving again. In fact, the mountain was a "nice" accident. I thought I was booking accommodation in the Douro Valley but my fingers got tangled during my search on the internet. Fortunately, because otherwise, I would not have discovered the “stone house”. So, yesterday, I checked twice rather than once, before booking my next accommodation. Perafita, Alijo We are driving quietly through valleys and mountains when my companion decides to

Today I'm heading to the mountains in the north of Portugal. In fact, I'm trying to save myself from the cold and rainy weather, with rare breakthroughs of sunshine, which has accompanied me since my arrival. Tonight, I'm going to sleep in a stone house but first, I'm going to visit. Braga First stop in Braga at the Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte. Besides the huge sanctuary, there is a monumental staircase called the “Sacred Way of Bon Jesus,” a forest (the Bon-Jésus Park),

On the way to Porto Travel is always very rewarding, as long as we are open to the unexpected. This morning, while driving towards Porto, I see two huge backpacks on the side of the road. Two backpacks? No, it's more like two young Germans who are quietly traveling around the world. Emmie and Joschka, nothing, really nothing can stop them. They began their journey in 2020. Remember,... 2020. They had to navigate health regulations while traveling from one continent to anothe

That's it, I'm leaving again and I can't wait. This time, I am going to discover Portugal and, as usual, I am preparing intensely for...

Today the trip will be a little longer. The mountains of the Dominican Republic are as attractive as its beaches and I fully intend to discover them. I head towards Santiago without intending to visit it, the cities generally having less attractions for me than the winding roads. First observation, it is much cooler in the mountains and it is very pleasant. The road is beautiful, the landscape magnificent, what more could you ask for. A little feminism and politics, by the wa