Around Chiang Mai
Saturday May 19th
Last evening we dined with all the young travellers in a Lonely Planet recommended spot which had live music. It was jumping! It had an enviable situation on the riverside and was tiered so that everyone had a river view (if it hadn't been dark) We were lucky to get a table - (all of the Buddha visits obviously helped) We ate surprisingly well and reasonably priced considering the surroundings and clientele. It did make us feel our age (nearly)
We had a long lie today. We didn't start until 09.00 although our guide Sutthi and driver Sart were keen to get started at 08.45 as we finished breakfast. We could get used to chauffeur driven! Today was to be a temple day - again. What we don't know about temples isn't worth knowing.
The first temple Wat Jedee Luang was in the centre of the old town of Chiang Mai. We were told that there are over 400 temples in the four square kilometres of the old town.
This temple housed the university of Buddhism for monks. It had the biggest Pagoda of all of the temples we have seen but it had been damaged in one of the frequent earthquakes which affect this are.
It was only 09.30 but already it was difficult to move around for the thousands of Chinese tourists all armed with smart phones and all taking selfies. Being Saturday the student monks were doing chores around their quarters which have gradually become grander and now include air con. It seemed incongruous to see a young monk on a scooter with a smartphone. Sutthi explained that it is a route for boys from the countryside to gain an education after primary school.
After a fascinating visit to a local covered market we headed up a mountain pass to be 1000m above Chiang Mai looking down on the urban sprawl which is spreading in all directions. Strangely the airport is in the city and the airforce, which has a base there doesn't want to allow it to move outside the city.
The market was a bit more refined with less unusual parts of unusual animals. There was much more packaged goods and the local delicacy was what looked like a big Toulouse sausage. There was a huge selection of dried and fresh fruits, noodles and things that looked like pop corn but were pork scratchings. Pauline was in her element.
We were not sure that the 1000 metre climb was worth it. Wat Doi Sutep which was dedicated to a famous monk had spawned a small village of stalls selling what can only be described as Chinese tat. On
entering the temple there was a funicular railway to the top of the hill where commercialism had gone mad. The only reason to make the climb was for the view. Buddha wasn't forgotten, there were hundreds literally of statues of him ever bigger and grander and shinier but he was definitely relegated to second place. There were more sales people than monks and the monks we could see were selling blessings. One was reminded of a certain Jewish temple in the Christian tradition - there were no money lenders but......
Fortunately the morning was saved by a visit to a forest temple Wat Pha Lad - the hidden temple. But as Sutthi pointed out it can't stay hidden for long when it is reviewed on Trip Advisor.
However it was gloriously quietly and peacefully hidden from the Chinese tour buses. It was a haven of peace and tranquility much more what we expected and what a temple surely should be like. The plants and the forest environment with gently splashing water sat much better with what we have come to know about Buddha and his teachings. Buddhism is full of symbolism and this Wat had peacocks above its entrance gate. We nearly tripped over three peacocks dozing in the nearly mid day sun.
Next stop was lunch which was ruined by swarm upon swarm of flies which were crawling all over the food. Pauline was apoplectic and ate little. It was partially rescued when Sutthi produced the favourite local dessert which he had bought at the market - mango and sticky rice with coconut milk. It was deliciously sweet and sticky and moreish but couldn't quite make up for the disastrous invasion of the flies.
We visited two craft factories in the afternoon, which were, in all honesty, sales opportunities but done very gently and subtly. We watched amazing woodcarvers at work on panels which took a month to carve from a single piece of teak and some fantastic teak furniture which was not to our taste. Upon polite inquiry we were told that one of the panels would cost three thousand pounds - including transportation!
Next was a ceramics factory where we saw all of the stages of pottery production from throwing to glazing to intricate painting - all done by hand by skilled craftsmen and mostly women. Although the designs weren't to my taste, apparently.
Last trip of a busy day was to the San Kam Paeng hot spring park about half an hour outside Chiang Mai. As with all of the parks we have visited it was immaculately presented and scrupulously clean and tidy. There were several hot springs around which had grown up an infrastructure of stalls to boil eggs in the hottest part and dip your feet in the coolest part. Very commercial but very nice. 100% Chinese we were the only westerners but on the whole they are friendly and on holiday and so relaxed. Even the oldest great grandmother has a smartphone and has to have several selfies of everything.
When it was cooked we washed our eggs down with Chrysanthemum juice over crushed ice. Very refreshing.
Last evening we dined with all the young travellers in a Lonely Planet recommended spot which had live music. It was jumping! It had an enviable situation on the riverside and was tiered so that everyone had a river view (if it hadn't been dark) We were lucky to get a table - (all of the Buddha visits obviously helped) We ate surprisingly well and reasonably priced considering the surroundings and clientele. It did make us feel our age (nearly)
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| nearly 100 metres tall |
We had a long lie today. We didn't start until 09.00 although our guide Sutthi and driver Sart were keen to get started at 08.45 as we finished breakfast. We could get used to chauffeur driven! Today was to be a temple day - again. What we don't know about temples isn't worth knowing.
 |
| Buddha 139 |
This temple housed the university of Buddhism for monks. It had the biggest Pagoda of all of the temples we have seen but it had been damaged in one of the frequent earthquakes which affect this are.
It was only 09.30 but already it was difficult to move around for the thousands of Chinese tourists all armed with smart phones and all taking selfies. Being Saturday the student monks were doing chores around their quarters which have gradually become grander and now include air con. It seemed incongruous to see a young monk on a scooter with a smartphone. Sutthi explained that it is a route for boys from the countryside to gain an education after primary school.
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The market was a bit more refined with less unusual parts of unusual animals. There was much more packaged goods and the local delicacy was what looked like a big Toulouse sausage. There was a huge selection of dried and fresh fruits, noodles and things that looked like pop corn but were pork scratchings. Pauline was in her element.
We were not sure that the 1000 metre climb was worth it. Wat Doi Sutep which was dedicated to a famous monk had spawned a small village of stalls selling what can only be described as Chinese tat. On
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| Guardians of the "Hidden" Temple |
Fortunately the morning was saved by a visit to a forest temple Wat Pha Lad - the hidden temple. But as Sutthi pointed out it can't stay hidden for long when it is reviewed on Trip Advisor.
 |
| Peace perfect peace |
Next stop was lunch which was ruined by swarm upon swarm of flies which were crawling all over the food. Pauline was apoplectic and ate little. It was partially rescued when Sutthi produced the favourite local dessert which he had bought at the market - mango and sticky rice with coconut milk. It was deliciously sweet and sticky and moreish but couldn't quite make up for the disastrous invasion of the flies.
We visited two craft factories in the afternoon, which were, in all honesty, sales opportunities but done very gently and subtly. We watched amazing woodcarvers at work on panels which took a month to carve from a single piece of teak and some fantastic teak furniture which was not to our taste. Upon polite inquiry we were told that one of the panels would cost three thousand pounds - including transportation!
Next was a ceramics factory where we saw all of the stages of pottery production from throwing to glazing to intricate painting - all done by hand by skilled craftsmen and mostly women. Although the designs weren't to my taste, apparently.
 |
| Hot spring |
Last trip of a busy day was to the San Kam Paeng hot spring park about half an hour outside Chiang Mai. As with all of the parks we have visited it was immaculately presented and scrupulously clean and tidy. There were several hot springs around which had grown up an infrastructure of stalls to boil eggs in the hottest part and dip your feet in the coolest part. Very commercial but very nice. 100% Chinese we were the only westerners but on the whole they are friendly and on holiday and so relaxed. Even the oldest great grandmother has a smartphone and has to have several selfies of everything.
When it was cooked we washed our eggs down with Chrysanthemum juice over crushed ice. Very refreshing.
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