Chiang Mai Thailand part 1

The trip to Chiang Mai included a surprise Buddhist Wat (temple) called Wat Rong Khun, or the White Temple.  This place was bizarre and represented the thinking of its builder, an artist and temple guru, Chalermchai Kositpipat who opened the first buildings in 1997. It is continuously under expansion. 

White - for Buddha's purity. Crazy detail - for crazy artist mind.

ornate (inside and out) wishing well

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Spiderman typical for this place

The Turk radiates!

just a dragon shooting water

gruesome faces and body parts along the walkway into the temple

A bit overwhelming walk into temple across the Bridge of Cycle of Rebirth

front door - Gate of Heaven guarded by creatures: Death, Rahu (decides your fate)

gold restrooms - considered the most extravagant in all of Thailand. Very nice inside too!

architecturally notable - multi tiered roof

 No photography inside the temple which is a shame. Typically, Buddhist  temples have murals depicting the life of Buddha. In this temple, the back wall is covered in a mural of modern images including Elvis, Michael Jackson, the bombing of the World Trade towers, Spiderman, Hello Kitty, etc.  Not typical temple topics!

More gold buildings - likely the crematorium

Liking cemeteries is a problem in Thailand where Buddhists cremate their dead and dont have cemeteries. But, we found the unique Wat Suan Dok where there are a group of white chedis (stupas). The temple was built in 14th century by a king to hold a shoulder bone relic of the Buddha.From here, we could see the glistening gold chedi of the temple Wat Phra That atop the Doi Suthep mountain.

walking around the small chedis

Stupas closeup

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All are jade!

carving a Hindu god  Ganesha - remover of obstacles

We stopped at a gem factory where various types of jade were being fashioned into jewelry and statues. I learned that jade is not just green!  Lavender is one of the rarest.









I tried some bugs, washed down with Thai iced coffee. You have to get that buggy taste out of the mouth somehow!

yum

checking out the bug before eating..tho I dont know why

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is an important and popular temple atop the 8th tallest mountain in Thailand, and overlooking Chiang Mai.  The surrounding forest is a national park which is the backdrop for the glistening 79 ft tall gold plated chedi that can be seen from the town below.  The temple was built in 14th century in the spot an elephant was to have deposited relics.
This temple is very sacred to Thai Buddhists.

the golden stupa that can be seen from Chiang Mai below the mountain

Kids dress in costume to visit the temple

they mystical elephant

families receiving blessing from monk

we donated and signed a gold cloth that will wrap around Buddha

I liked that the monks were active in the International Buddhism Center to answer questions and present blessings to people who came to them.

atop the mountain!

ornate Naga - the multiheaded water serpent whose body stretches down the staircase

beautiful flowers presented as offerings to the Buddha

me and Sara - being not pious!

Longest naga balustrade in Thailand, over 300 steps.