January 24, 2008
Chiangmai: Outside the city walls
Our visas for China are ready. The efficiency here contradicts everything I had heard about getting visas. After the short ride to the Chinese consulate, we continue past the city moat surrounding the old part of Chinagmai towards the west. The traffic is dense and the air is heavy with exhaust fumes. After this ride, I feel my lungs will be tarred as if I had chain smoked for forty years.
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Our first destination is Wat Umong, built by King Ku Na in 1380 and located on peaceful, wooded grounds. It is known for its series of catacomb-like tunnels once adorned with murals of forest scenes. As the legend goes, Jan, the King's favorite monk and adviser, loved the forest and was often not available when the King needed his advice. Therefore, he created a facsimile of Jan's preferred surroundings in tunnels underneath the chedi. Unfortunately, the murals have now deteriorated and we can't judge how tempting these tunnels might have been.
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As at many wats, a number of the trees on the temple grounds have Buddhist maxims, some with English approximations underneath.
We also see a statue showing the emaciated Buddha after six years of fasting: He then renounced all extremes and proclaimed the Middle Path as means to enlightenment.
On the way back we stop at Wat Suan Dork, the Garden Temple. The main golden Chedi is surrounded by a garden of smaller white chedis, reminiscent of wedding cakes, which house the ashes of deceased members of the royal family. On the grounds there is also a smaller temple with elaborate murals depicting scenes from the Buddha's life.
We have found a simple and cheap restaurant a few steps from our hotel. If they could keep their promise on the sign, I might always eat there. But we have been going farther afield as there are so many tempting places to eat in this town.
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1 year ago