January 18, 2018

January 18, 2018

The mountainous north of Thailand was its own independent kingdom for centuries. It became a prize in the long war between Burma and Siam. In 1920 it formally merged with Thailand. Called the Lanna Empire, its first capital was Chiang Rai. The capital was soon moved to Chiang Mai (aka New City). Modern Chiang Mai is an escape for southern Thais because of its higher altitude, drier climate and abundance of outdoor activities in the surrounding mountains.

This morning we drove to the top of a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai. It is a slow drive for a big heavy bus navigating steep switch-backs. At the summit is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of the most sacred temples in Thailand because of its legendary origin and significant Buddha relic. All of our travel mates took a funicular lift the last few hundred yards to the temple. Instead Aimee and I climbed the 309-step Naga Serpent stairs.

At the summit we should have a nice view of Chiang Mai, but it is cloaked in smog. We first circle the exterior of the Temple and its many decorations. There are several small chapels, lots of bells and several Buddhas.

Inside the Temple, we find a gleaming gold Stupa almost completely filling the central courtyard. A unique feature is a large gold umbrella, a sign of royalty in Burma. The surrounding portico contains Buddhas and wall paintings relating the story of his life.

Before departing the mountain, we visit a Jade factory. Aimee gravitates toward the jewelry section. She gets me worried when she keeps trying on a very expensive Thai Sapphire ring.

Descending back to Chiang Mai we make a short stop at Wat Suan Dok. This is a temple with a large columned hall containing a standing and sitting Buddha. To the side of the property is the cemetery of Northern Thai royals.

The old section of Chiang Mai is an almost perfect one-mile square city protected by a moat. A few sections of the city wall are still standing. The moat has been turned into a ribbon of decorative ponds. Our bus circles the old city and then enters it. At the Three Kings Monument that commemorates the founding of the city, we leave our tour group and spend the afternoon exploring. For lunch, I have a Northern Thai specialty of Khao Soi, a tasty yellow curry noodle dish.

As we walk west, we window shop in between three temple visits. The first Wat Phantao is a wooden temple honoring the Teak industry.

The second is the old royal temple of Wat Chedi Luang. This temple complex has several interesting features. There are three very tall Asian trees with huge trunks, that remind me of Sequoias. Aimee is kind of miffed when she finds no women are allowed into the tiny but very colorful City Pillar sanctuary. She wants a refund of her admission. Another building has an attractive Reclining Buddha. The main draw of this site is the ruins of a huge medieval Stupa. It collapsed in a 16th century earthquake. Even damaged it is very tall and still has a few of the elephants that used to encircle it.

To recharge, we sit and share a fresh coconut. The juice is watery with a hint of sweetness. We scraped the coconut sides and followed it with a coconut ice cream bar. Our last stop is at the uninteresting Lion Temple of Wat Phra Singh

After leaving the old city via the west gate we intended to take a Tuk-Tuk back to the hotel. Seeing the rush hour traffic at a standstill, we instead walk back passing through a lengthy hospital complex.