Last Days: Chiang Mai

Please note: If you want to follow my journey in Thailand from start to finish, please go to the bottom of this page and click "older posts," and go back to the beginning.
We end this part of our journey where we began: Chiang Mai. Back in the old city for 4 days, we enjoyed wandering the alleyways, exploring markets and temples, eating at street stalls and relaxing with 2 hour Thai massages (costing $7Aus). We went to the largest temple in Chiang Mai to meditate alongside about 40 chanting monks.....quite a powerful experience! I also did a 1/2 day Thai massage course, learning some techniques for the back of the body. 

We stayed in a quaint guesthouse right in the centre of the old city and our room looked out at the temple across the street. The Thai woman who owns the place, Pat, created a beautiful serene environment with crystals and water features. We felt the warm, loving energy the moment we walked into the place. I had many interesting chats with Pat while we were there and bought a special crystal from her.

  

On our second day there, as I was just about to leave the lobby to return to our room, I heard a familiar voice asking the receptionist if she could use the internet.....I turned to look and met eyes with Fleur, a South African girl I had met last year at the permaculture course in Australia! She stayed with Tony and I during her Australian travels. Such a small world! We ended up having a few meals together, swapping books and catching up on all our travel experiences. She was on the last leg of her year away and will head back to Cape Town in a week to pursue permaculture.

 

So, today we flew to Kuala Lumpa and are staying the night in a hotel at the airport. Tomorrow we fly to Borneo to visit the orangutans! Can't wait! Check out the new blog for this part of the trip. Click on my profile at the right and scroll down to the blogs.....see you there!

Wat Rong Khun or The White Temple

Six kilometres south of Chiang Rai is this most amazing modern white Buddhist temple, created by a rather eccentric visual artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat in 1999. His work depicts the nature of Buddha: white for his purity and the reflective mirrored glass for Buddha's wisdom.

Tony being greeted by the artist himself! He spent about one million US dollars from proceeds of sales from his paintings, which are on exhibit in a separate hall.

As you walk over a bridge to the temple gateway, there are hundreds of grasping hands pleading for help from each side of the floor. I assume this represents Hell.  Menacing looking devils guard each side of the temple gates. Then as you walk up the bridge, you notice a pond with water fountains, before passing through the entrance to the Temple itself, with a huge statute of Buddha meditating. All around the walls are modern depictions of Buddha's teachings. There are images of the twin towers collapsing, space ships, mobile phones and Superman. We stood and examined the murals for ages as we saw more and more interesting icons of our modern world. Photos were not allowed inside, so you will have to use your imagination.

The Golden Triangle

Not much to see really except the Mekong River and a few river banks, boats and a some fishermen.

Maybe that's why they built a huge Buddha and an amusement park right on the Thai bank, so tourists would have something to enjoy.

Tham Luang Caves

Only 6 kilometers from Mae Sai is a group of 3 caves, and because we weren't tired of exploring caves yet, we decided to have a look. The main large cave goes for several kilometers; I think we trekked about 300 metres and I got claustrophobic and suddenly had to get back out to the light! 

Can you see the group of people in this formation???

How about this angel or old monk with his staff???

Mae Sai, Thailand's Northern most tip.

We called this our pixie house! It was actually quite spacious inside and overlooked the Mae Sai River and Myanmar (Burma) on the opposite shore.

A chilly morning on the Mae Sai river. This is our trusty little Toyota Vios.

On the Left is Myanmar; on the right Thailand. Notice the rubbish on the Myanmar side.....we witnessed people throwing bags of garbage over their fences straight into the river! Also, their grey water pipes emptied into the water. Thailand has a pretty good recycling system and the people are educated about keeping the place clean.

Royal summer palace gardens (near Mae Sai)

What a surprise we got when we traversed yet another mountainous track and came upon these beautiful gardens! At the age of 80 and with her own finances, the king's late mother (Princess Mother) built a beautiful holiday retreat in the mountains. She had a love for embroidery and gardening, so she commissioned these incredible gardens using labour from the local hilltribes, thus encouraging them to participate in something other than the opium trade. She obviously was a socially conscious woman and has left an incredible legacy.

The gardens and palace are between Mae Salong and Mae Sai.

Picking Tea in Mae Salong

Candied fruit and a free toilet! What more could you ask for?