by Daryle Rico | Aug 31, 2026 | Cooking, Culture, Favorite Tours, Food, Thai Smiles, Thailand
If you ask me, the next best thing to eating Thai food is learning how to cook it. Fortunately, Thailand makes that remarkably easy. Whether you’re in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hua Hin, or some tiny village whose name you can’t pronounce without...
by Daryle Rico | Aug 24, 2026 | Krabi, Thai Smiles, Thailand
It was about day five of my trip to Krabi when I decided to take a break from island-hopping and explore some of the province’s inland attractions. On the itinerary were the Emerald Pool, famous for its crystal-clear waters, and a few other local sights. But my...
by Daryle Rico | Aug 17, 2026 | Ayutthaya, History, Temples, Thailand
One of the things I enjoy most about exploring Thailand’s ancient cities is discovering that every crumbling stone seems to have a story to tell. Few places tell those stories better than the ancient capital of Ayutthaya. Founded in 1350 by King Ramathibodi I,...
by Daryle Rico | Aug 10, 2026 | Ayutthaya, History, Thailand
There are places in Thailand where history announces itself with trumpets. Ayutthaya isn’t one of them. Here, history whispers. About fifty miles north of Bangkok lies the ancient city of Ayutthaya, once the capital of the Kingdom of Siam and one of the great...
by Daryle Rico | Aug 3, 2026 | Culture, Food, Hua Hin, Thailand
Just three short blocks from my condo sits one of my favorite discoveries in Hua Hin: the ever-delightful Cicada Market. Now, calling it a “night market” feels a bit like calling the Grand Canyon a “nice ditch.” Technically correct… but wildly insufficient. Cicada...
by Daryle Rico | Jul 20, 2026 | Bangkok, Culture, Thai Smiles, Thailand
One of the great joys of living on the opposite side of the world is discovering that things you assumed were universal are, in fact, not universal at all. Take grocery shopping. Back in America, grocery shopping generally involves a shopping cart, a parking lot, and...
