Thursday, November

We had some fruit in our room and a driver picked us up (in a nice SUV) this morning at 8:30. We headed northwest from the Old City to a mountain called Doi Suthep.  About 20 KM later we arrived at the King's Palace atop the mountain.  Built as a Winter Palace (Bhubing Palace), the building itself was under renovation, but the surrounding gardens were large and beautiful.  Beautiful roses, and many flowers we recognized, also many we didn't. Many water features and statues.

We got a kick out of these trash cans along the trail.    The poinsettias here are small trees!

It was cool on the mountain, felt wonderful to us but the Thais were wearing jackets and knit hats! 16 degrees Celsius.  Spent two hours walking around, then back to our car and a short jaunt further down the mountain to the temple Wat Phra Thai Doi Suthep.  300+ stairs, with a colorful nagga on both sides of the stairs.  Many people, including tour buses from Bangkok.





















This is Northern Thailand's most revered temple and many were there to worship and pray, lighting candles and presenting flowers and other tributes.  Gorgeous gold everywhere!

Lotus flowers are most often those placed before the Buddha.  At various shrines you see anything from a glass of orange juice to food to elaborate floral creations.  Believers walked clockwise three times around the pagoda (chedi) repeating set prayers.

 There are dozens of side altars.

 In any of the shrine areas they asked you to sit to take photos, as you are never to be taller than the buddhas.

 

Many bells of all sizes around the temple.  The fruit above is jackfruit, I believe.

The view of the city was a bit hazy today.  ChiangMai has about 1 million people.  Bangkok about 13 million. Between the humidity and the smog, it is hazy most days.

Ran into the Holland lady we rode elephants with!  Also talked with a group who were running up and down the stairs as part of a boot camp adventure they were part of.

We stopped at Huaykeaw Waterfall Park, part of Doi Suthep National Park, on the way down.  Pretty falls.

Back to town.  Our driver was very informative and we hope to use him again sometime.  Had a late lunch at Gai's Thai Cafe, which is very near our hotel and quite good.

Later in the afternoon we walked to the Silver area - many shops and we watched some people making reliefs.  Sue and I found some earrings.

 We got cleaned up a bit and went to We's for dinner again.  Good food and reasonable.  We met a woman who was also there last time we were there and chatted with her a good while.  She was laid off from her job in the UK and has been traveling and volunteering and working in India, Cambodia and now Thailand.  Very interesting tales....