Wonderful and relaxed Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai was my last stop in Thailand before Hong Kong and I chose this location instead of Phuket because I was told it’s a much nicer place. It suited my interests, especially having good mountain walks, food and ancient Buddhist temples everywhere. This old city is not dominated by high rise buildings and the central district is surrounded by a moat on all four sides with parts of the old fort walls still remaining. Like my native Adelaide I found this square aligned city quite easy to navigate without my smartphone. It recently started its own modern bus service which I found very convenient for exploring the many venues. Even more convenient is that you can walk to the airport from the south east boundary of this small city - are you joking? I hear you say - why walk? Well I did because I can.

Brand new service - nice timing for me

Please excuse me while a make a Divine connection

I like to leave the indoor venues for poor weather days but the forecast was clear sunny skies for the four days so I had no pressure for the order of my itinerary. The Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple is a very important one located in the mountains to the west so I took the new bus service up to the Zoo and caught a 10 km Songthaew from there to the temple.

Riding in the Songthaew

Chiang Mai

 

After the Songthaew ride and three hundred steps to the entrance you can instantly tell from the cooler moist air at the temple you’ve gained some height. Once your inside the main grounds there’s a good view of Chiang Mai below to the East and you can see the square perimeter around the old city district. The Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple has quite a long history spanning several centuries and a significant spiritual location for the Thai nation and Local Lanna culture. The typical ornate decoration of these temples is a real testament of the craftsmanship and patience of the many skilled architects and designers who have left their legacy for all to enjoy in times of reverence, dedication, celebration and strong commitment of their culture.

We’ve all heard about the expression ‘white elephant in the room’ - the temple has one but does not come with any sinister subtext or surprises. The legend behind this is quite significant and basically states that a white elephant carried a fragment of the shoulder bone of the Buddha to this place where the elephant died. So a temple was built here as an important spiritual icon.

My roomy and comfortable abode

Mmmmm... do I keep my Tuk Tuk or buy a ute? Ute sounds Like a Mongolian carriage.

Thank you Trip Advisor

After lunch I decided to explore the mountain tracks and waterfalls and look for a few sights of the 300 bird species, Macaque monkeys and whatever else presented itself. After some forest exploration I decided to casually walk the downhill 10km track back to the city with a cup of tea and cake break along the way. I finished at the hotel in time for a refreshing nap before the evenings street food rewards and chatting with the locals. Others may also prefer a massage before dinner but walking and a nap is my therapy.

Night markets and street food

Thai Green Curry

Setting up for Friday night