Pictures from our First Day in CM

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So here are some pictures that were taken on our first day in Chiang Mai. Yeah, it was a little over a week ago, and I guess I didn't post these pics on previous blogs, so here they are.

They are from this hotel that has a really nice garden. Aj. Ji, one of our CMU mentors picked us up from the airport and took us directly here to enjoy our first Thai food. It was a really good buffet and there was actually a wedding reception going on when we got there. You'll notice in the pictures the gazebo we were in. It was still decorated from the wedding, so we were lucky enough to enjoy some of scenery.

The other pictures are from when we were going to visit the Walking Street, which is every Sunday from 4pm-late. At one of the street is a famous wat, which I can't remember the name of right at this moment. Gorgeous architecture and colors. We are surrounded by these wats all around the city....it is so cool to observe how one moment it can be a rundown house and right next door is a gorgeous well-kept wat with shiny gold and clean white walls. Amazingly, these structures remain in superb conditions even the rainy and humid environment, and I have yet to see anyone actually painting or cleaning any of the wats....I wonder how it stays so nice......

Enjoy the pictures!

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Photos

Lobby View
The initial view when you walk into the lobby of the pool.

Gazebo
Gazebo in the garden set up for a wedding that just happened.

Garden View
View from the garden looking towards the lobby. The pool is just on the other side of the building, while the gazebo is just to the right.

Good ole WiFi
Pic of WiFi in the garden.

2 Wats and a smaller one
The white structure is not considered a wat, but holds figures of buddah. To the left and right are the archways of two different wats.

Wat something something....
This is the other wat to the right of the white structure. Looks like they were working on some kind of construction, but when we were there, we didn't see any workers actually working...

Vihara Laai Kham
View of Vihara Laai Kham.

Vihara Laai Kham
Another view of the front of Vihara Laai Kham

Serpent Stucco
serpent along the steps of the Wat

Vihara Laai Kham (in Thai)
Description of the Wat Vihara Laai Kham in Thai script. This bronze plaque has the description in Thai on top and in English on the bottom.

History of the Vihara Laai Kham (English)
What is says just in case you can't read it:
Phra Muang Kaew (A.D. 1495-1525) commanded to build it for enshrining the Buddha image, Phra Bhuthasihing or Phra Singh of Lanna art. The Vihara was mainly restored particulaly in the period of Chao Kawila and Chao Kawiroros Suriwawong (A.D. 1853-1870). At present, the Vihara faces the east and measures 8 meters wide and 30 meters long. It has a Naga staircase and two lions stucco built on the front side. Its pediment is decorated with golden painting of spirla style, and teh pillars are pattern of red gilt lacquer technic. Its superstructure is made of wood and roofed by earthen tiles. Built in bricks and coated with lime, the both walls of Vihara are decorated with mural paintings; the south wall depicts the story of Suwannahong while the north wall exhibits the story of Sangthong. These two old Thai literatures in painting are dated to the early Ratanakosin period. It is a magnific picture of superb art representing Lanna life style and northern culture. Vihara Laai Kham is the one of the most beautiful artistic Lanna architecture in Chiang Mai.

Buddah inside of Vihara Laai Kham
View of the alter when you enter Vihara Laai Kham.

Closer view of Buddah
A closer view of the Buddha figure in the center of the alter inside Vihara Laai Kham

Window of Vihara Laai Kham
This is the view inside of Vihara Laai Kham of a window door that is obviously open. Check out the detail of the "engraving" or however they managed to get these scenes onto the wood.

Walkway to/from Vihara Laai Kham
Leah, Jon, Jeff, and Dr. D walking away from Vihara Laai Kham. It is behind us and to the left of us is the other large Wat. We're heading towards the Walking Street which is just outside of these walls.

Worship/Spirit House
This highly decorated worship/spirit house in front of the Chiang Mai Police Station. Most homes and businesses have similar houses just at the entrance of their premises. Most are smaller in size, but just as highly decorated.

Thae Pae Gate
This is the Thae Pae Gate into the old city of Chiang Mai. The old city was surrounded by a brick wall. Some remains still exist, but does not exclude the Old City from the rest of modern Chiang Mai. This is one end of the Walking Street, while the opposite end is where Vihara Laai Kham (about 1-2 miles long). A moat also still exists just outside of the Old City Wall.