Temples ...

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Geo: 18.6247, 98.8944

Nice lie in this morning followed by a fried breakfast. Nice change after the early morning walks to the market for some fried bread things. Drive a few minutes up the road to the village temple. Just outside the entance is a huge well some 15m in diameter and who knows how deep. This used to be the sole source of water in the village until piped water arrived or, like Cliff & Tukta, you drive your own bore hole and supply yourself. The well gives the temple its name Nam Bor Luang, big well. We spend a good hour walking around the gounds which cover about 100 rai of land. IT is now a meditation temple that appears to only house nuns and the old girls were most welcoming. We were taken to one shrine where the old nun, who told us she had been here for >45 years, claims to have meditated gold onto a small wooden Buddha. True, it did have a few golden coloured marks on it but ... We returned to the house for lunch then drove out to Doi Sa Pan Yu (or similar ?) where 4 standing Buddhas stand tall atop of a hill that is reached by climbing a long steep staircase. Alternatively you can drive to the top - guess which we did. A bees nest had established itselg beneath the alms bowl of the one Buddha exactly the same as we had seen years ago on a similar Buddha at Thaton. Great views from the top. We drove through the woods to the temple associated with the Buddhas where much work was underway. Like everywhere here they seem to start so much work at the same time that none of it ever gets finished. We watched the craftsmen moulding concrete animals for wall decorations and drawing oujt stencils for wood carvers to add to the doors. There is not much rice grown around here but it is the main area of the country for growing longans and their are trees everywhere. We pass a farm that appears to be growing rice but it is actually onions and garlic on a huge scale. We drive back to the house for an early evening meal before Tukta drives us back into Chiangmai and drops us off at the bus station. We say our goodbyes and then sit to wait an hour or so for our bus to arrive. We have good seats in the front row downstairs and settle ourtselves in for the night. Leave Chiangmai on the dot of 20:00,

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