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Published: August 2nd 2014
Today - off at 8am to see the most famous temple around Chiang Mai...located outside the city, 3,500 feet above sea level. The setting is fabulous, and I particularly like the part of the story that says the site was chosen because a white elephant was selected to find the appropriate location...and after walking a long way and resting in various places, he got to the site, turned around 3 times, and lay down and died - so the decision was made to build the temple there! It has 300 steps to get up to the actual temple...but...and I love this - it also has 'an elevator' or a cable car kind of arrangement, but inside a tunnel. So naturally my guide suggested we 'cable' up and walk down! The temple is known for its gold color (this time, not real gold I'm told but gold plate). It's an 'active' temple with monks praying, and you can get blessed by the monks. It also has its share of wildlife...about 10 temple dogs - check out the one sleeping on a wall - like a cat! And I also got a photo of a giant bug...I think it's a cicada. The views
are lovely, but it was too hazy and my pix did not come out well. My guide was trying to take a photo of me in front of the temple, and it wasn't going well apparently - or not in the eyes of the temple photographer...he took over, cleaned my smudged lens, adjusted my settings, moved me to a new spot and took some nice photos...no charge. Try finding that in the U.S.! And yes...you might recognize my skirt - I've decided it's my temple skirt, long and comfortable! We climbed down the 300 stairs, then headed to the adjacent jade factory...beautiful stuff, but the items I liked started at $750...so we went back down the hill to town to the higher end shops and related factories. Uh oh!!
I had been telling my guide (and my friends) I didn't expect to buy much/anything...unlike some folks I know who bring back duffel bags, I really didn't need or want anything, and the items at the night bazaar and the like are fun but not very good quality, and I guess I'm too jaded to buy what appear to be mass made souvenirs. The shops at the factories are different...and
I fell (knowingly) under the spell of one of the best (and pretty cute) salesman I've ever encountered...oy vey!!! He was a charmer...and ultimately I bought a cool hand carved (I hope) wooden elephant that is hollow, and inside is a baby elephant - and it's all ONE piece!! They carve the baby elephant through the holes of the big elephant. The salesman, Ali, showed me the 'big' elephant in the store which has 8 babies carved inside the belly and two baby elephants carved inside EACH LEG! - for a total of 16 babies! Anyhow...bought the smaller elephant, and a small wall hanging with a pair of elephants, and then fell for the sapphire necklace...yes I bargained and the prices all came way down...I've no idea if I got a good deal, and I'm too embarrassed to tell anyone what I paid, but I had a good time. Ali wants me to send him a picture of where I place the elephants (but not the necklace). i was in there so long my guide, Moiua (I'm sure that's not how it is spelled) almost came to look for me! By the way - just wanted to mention - she
was very good and very knowledgeable. After that - my intention initially had been to go to the silver store, but we'd switched that out due to the large bus of Chinese tourists...so that's how I got in trouble with Ali. I did nip into the silver store...and bought a ring, but not very expensive...and then checked out the lacquer ware offerings...and finally was shopped out.
Collapsed briefly at hotel, then went over to the Oasis Spa for a two hour Thai massage, along with regular massage and aroma treatment of some kind...one word - AWESOME! Took a shower there, had some tea then wandered around the old part of Chiang Mai for about an hour...sort of trying to find an appealing restaurant, but had absolutely no idea what I was doing...had the map upside down...but found nice side streets, a few temples and a beautiful park. Finally hailed a tuk tuk and hibernated back in the hotel with room service!
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Claudia
non-member comment
subway?
Hard to believe sleepy Chaing Mai has subway.. do you get metro card? Love elephant part. You are seeing some of the best places on earth, dont you agree?