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Published: October 12th 2015
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Chiang Mai Walking Food Tour
Friday 24 July - Chiang Mai Walking Food tour with our guide Rain - so much food!! Chiang Mai has over 200 wats or temples to visit. met at Wat Chiang Man in the walled city. Chiang Mai's oldest temple was established by the city's founder, Phaya Mengrai, sometime around 1296. The temple contains two famous Buddhas, which reside in the small sanctuary to the right of the main chapel. Phra Sila is a marble bas-relief Buddha that stands about 30cm high and reportedly came from Sri Lanka or India. Phra Sae Tang Khamani , a 10cm high, crystal image, is thought to have come from Lavo (Lopburi) 1800 years ago. In front of the ordination hall the stone slab, engraved in 1581, bears the earliest known reference to the city's founding. We began by walking around the Wat, where Rain was able to explain some of the Buddhist stories depicted on the walls, and then we visited a market where Rain bought Ab Moo: pork, egg and spices wrapped in banana leaf and grilled for 20 mins. After a short walk we sat outside a quiet Wat, tucked away down a narrow street, to
eat it. Then we headed off to Sai-Oau Pa Pun for Auntie Puns Northern Sausage with sticky rice - very popular shop where they produce 70kg of sausage per day or 100kg on a holiday. Also sold ribs and pork cheeks. On to Wat Champoo and Khao Soi by Grandma. We had Chicken Khao Soi ( spicy noodles) with Longan juice to drink. On the way to Wat Monthian, a small wat with a giant Buddha statue in red and gold, we tried coconut ice cream at the 3 Kings monument, the three former rulers of Chiang Mai: King Mangrai of Lanna, King Ngam Mueang of Phayao and King Ramkhanhaeng of Sukhothai. Then to Huen Pen restaurant for lunch!! We tried 3 northern dishes: Naam Prik Hung, Lai curry & Laab Moo - (not so nice) walked to hotel Macca's for Afternoon Tea!! Had lovely cup of tea with our coconut desserts Khanom, Sod Sai and Mung Bean Crepe. We visited Chedi Luang and then got the local red bus back to hotel, absolutely stuffed! great tour but you certainly don't need breakfast!
Chiang Mai Temples
Saturday 25 July - am We were on a private tour to
Wiang Kum Kam in the morning and Chiang Mai Temples In the afternoon. However we had finished the 'morning tour' by 10 am! At Wiang Kum Kam, the ancient buried city, we visited the excavated temple of Chang Kam by tram. According to history King Mangrai relocated the capital of the Lanna Kingdom from Chiang Rai to the old city of Wiang Kum Kam on the banks of the Ping River in 1288. Whilst the new riverside location offered many advantages, the area was low-lying and prone to sever seasonal flooding.By 1296, King Mangrai had chosen a new site for his capital on the higher opposite bank of the Ping River and declared the newly constructed city of Chiang Mai as the capital of the Lanna kingdom. Years of flooding subsequently left Wiang Kam Kum buried metres below ground. The whole site is too large to cover on foot as it is now basically spread out. Among the sites, the two which are still in the best condition and in use today are Wiang Kum Kam and Wat Chedi Liam which apparently was never affected by floods! From Chang Kam we drove to Wat E Kang, so called because of
the number of monkeys which used to live there. The highlight was the Wat Chedi Liam, the temple with angular Chedi.over 700 years old, built around1286, it has 5 tiers with 60 Buddha niches and renovated it 1992. It is still the site of a working monastery.
Back in Chiang Mai, on the 'afternoon' tour we visited Wat Chedi Luang, which we had briefly seen on the previous day during our food tour. Originally 85m high it is now only 25m high due to earthquakes in 1545, but is still the tallest structure in Chiang Mai. Construction started in the 14th Century when King Saen Muang Ma planned to bury his fathers ashes there but it remained unfinished after 10 years and was completed after his death by his widow. It originally housed the Emerald Buddha but this was moved in 1551 to Luang Prabang. In the early 1990s the Chedi was reconstructed, financed by UNESCO and the Japanese government.
Next Wat Phra Singh (Lion Buddha) built in 1345 and famous for its Classic Lanna Art and architecture. Finally we drove up to 1050m above sea level to Doi Suthep. This temple, built in 1383, has a commanding
view over Chiang Mai. You can walk to the temple or take the funicular. The Golden Temple holds Buddha relics. We walked down the steps and had our photo taken with a girl in Akha costume, beautiful! Full day tour completed by 1pm!
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