Chiang Mai, in a way, turned out to be quite remarkable in my worldview. Not exactly the city I had imagined, but still pretty awesome. First impression: There's no 'honking' of horns here!?😱And I happened to be the only one honking on the first day of driving in the city. Honked the first time out of habit to alert the person in front of the lane change, and quite a few people already found it odd. Honked the second time in a different situation, and people just kept staring. That's when I noticed, people don't honk here.Secondly: Top-notch traffic etiquette 🙆 Always stick to the left lane (which is opposite to Vietnam's right-turn convention). No sudden lane changes, stop at intersections with priority lanes, stop before the stop line, and no impatient honking at red lights. It's like everyone here drives with a sense of calm, yielding to others in any situation.It's not just in Chiang Mai; every place I visited in Thailand during this trip left me impressed with the traffic awareness. I know at where also have people this people that, but the numbers are quite low.Chiang Mai Old City is technically the remnants of the former Lanna capital. Besides the ancient city's remains surrounded by canals, there are numerous Buddhist temples reflecting the rich Lanna culture. Unless you're into Buddhism and history, there's not a lot to explore.Because my time in Chiang Mai was limited, and I'm not one to hop from one café to another for exploration, here's my sole recommendation for the city: - 'Stories' Café right next to the historic Tha Phae Gate, an impressive spot for soaking in the city's vibrancy. - The best 'Khao Soi' in Chiang Mai (according to my review 🤣), 'Khao Soi Khun Yai.' The place opens only from 10 am to 2 pm and closes afterward. It's a single branch, no franchise or brand licensing. Truly, really, really delicious. ------ Written by Hoang Minh Duc Translated by Dan