Ajarn Citylife
You wouldn’t believe if I told you that I’ve been using Citylife (“Chiang Mai Newsletter” back then) issues since 2000. My reading classes in particular are much more fun with sections like “Thai Tales” as reading passages. We’re skimming, scanning and reading those tales, extensively analysing the words, sentences and expressions; we even do tests on those texts! Every part of the magazine is a teaching aid for me and I’m so grateful that I have such a teacher resource that used to be and is still my own English improvement tool. Thank you!
M. Emin Onuk, teacher of English
Three Cheers for Nudism!
[Re: Naked Bunch, November 2013] Thank you, Hilary, for such an honest and well- written article. Now you understand what millions of naturists all over the world already know – that naturism is natural, good for self-esteem (particularly for women) and a healthy lifestyle. If more people could just overcome the initial fear of being naked in a social setting, they too would understand. I just hope that more people will try it now after reading your article. Maybe they could start by being naked around the home to get that feeling of freedom.
Glenne
Thank you for presenting such a nice article. Each of the points listed here are very brief, and are explained very nicely and clearly. It was such a wonderful time spent with you and other naturists as well. See you next time and enjoy Naturism!
Paulo, The Oriental Village
Really honest and readable story. The whole idea of [naturism] seems less weird now.
Scott
Not the Only Noise
Response to Noisy Neighbours [Your Say, October 2013]: I also live very close to the Attakawa mosque. I was woken by the call to prayer for a short time when I first moved here but no longer notice it unless I am already awake. I have friends living in a high rise condo nearby who find the noise from the bars along the river a far greater annoyance. I can hear it now as I write. It is great to live in such a diverse neighbourhood!
Dot Andrew
Additional Advice
[Re: This Is Thailand, November 2013] About having common sense at night in Chiang Mai – you forgot to add, “Don’t be obviously, stupidly drunk.”
William
Kaleido-whoops!
[Re: Many Stories to Tell, November 2013] What a wonderful article you wrote for Cosmos in this month’s Citylife. Kudos to you! May I request a correction, please? My scarves are called Kaleidoscarves, not Kaleidoscopes as written. Thank you!
Howard Barry Weiner
[Ed. Sorry about the error! Readers, check out www.kaleidoscarves.com to learn more about this wonderful shop on Nimmanhaemin Soi 3.]
Vandalism by Any Other Name…
Hi Citylife, I am quite surprised in the current issue that you are running a complimentary feature on the illegal activity of vandalism [If Walls Could Talk, November 2013]. Graffiti isn’t art, it is unwanted vandalism which makes Chiang Mai look like an inner city slum. It isn’t appreciated by the huge majority of people and it is an aspect of Western culture that Thailand can do without. Vandals have no right to deface other people’s walls and Citylife shouldn’t condone this illegal activity.
Peter West
[Response to Peter West] Did you not just read the last three paragraphs of this article? Graffiti is art. Soper graduated with a degree in fine art and is being socially responsible through her work and trying to make a difference to the youth of her country. After all, the youth are the future and not people like yourself, living in the past.
Yogi Blair
In many places, graffiti is more vandalism than anything else, but in Chiang Mai I would say that 75 percent of them should be called street art. The most beautiful are on building sites, temporary fences, on walls ready to be demolished. They are very nice and probably took hours and hours to be made and won’t last because of the poor material they are made on and of. I rode through almost every single street of Chiang Mai to take pictures of them (www.facebook.com/chiangmaigraffitis). Honestly, we cannot call this vandalism!
Stephane Canal
Fairly Fabulous
We had a blast at Citylife’s Garden Fair! It was fantastic fun and we came home overloaded with Christmas shopping. What a great event; now you just have to do them more often. How about once every three months? We really enjoyed the sense of community and how many businesses from the poshest, such as Le Meridien and D2, to humble secondhand stalls jostled and joked next to each other. This is what Chiang Mai is all about to me. Nothing pretentious, but steeped in value and quality. More please. Oh and what about your Ladies’ Nights, are you reviving them again soon? I can still remember the sexy Polish Santa.
The Robertsons
[Ed. Thank you! But I think that we are only going to do it once a year so that it is truly special…and because it is exhausting! As to the Ladies’ Night, I would like some more feedback because we started it over ten years ago when expat women complained that this was a man’s town, and they wanted something just for the girls. I have seen such a growth of late with so many social groups, I didn’t think that dedicated ladies events were necessary. Please share your thoughts. We were thinking of doing more targeted interest events going forward. Ideas welcome!]