The beaches of Phuket were nothing short of amazing but I was ready to explore another side of Thailand to get a better idea of the diverse culture and climate of the country.  We headed up north for our last week to Chiang Mai.  Chiang Mai is one of the oldest cities in Thailand and used to be the ancient capital.  Only a few hours from the Myanmar (formerly Burma) border it is an amazing contrast from the white sand and blue waters.  Surrounded by mountains and soaked in culture, Chiang Mai meaning “new city” was founded in 1296 so there is a constant mix of the ancient and the…