Doi Suthep

There are many rules which apply to visiting a Wat and although many tourists choose to ignore them I like to follow them as a mark of respect. For women you must be covered to the elbows and the ankles. I have shorts and a tshirt on under my fisherman pants and top in the picture. I usually carry these around with me so that I can cover up if I need to.


















High above the city of Chaingmai there is a temple that is very special to Thais. We took a truck-bus up there yesterday to see it. A temple compound is called a Wat. After walking up hundreds of steps you arrive at the top and have a wonderful view of the city.
There was a huge terrace with all the temple buildings around the outside. A majestic gold stupa was in the middle. Around three sides of the perimeter there was a wall lined with Buddhas and murals depicting his acention from a King to a pauper, monk and then the Buddha. I read the story of the Buddha the last time I traveled here so I can recognize the story when I see it. I suspect the mural was hundreds of years old.
Around the stupa was a sort of fence and then about three feet out a wall with beautiful Buddhas around it. Thai people were walking between the fence and the wall making offerings and of flowers and hanging small brass bells on the fence.
We walked into one temple and there was a monk sitting in one corner. I was generally tip toeing around and not looking directly at him. Eventually I realized he was made of wax. He was so life like that I was completely fooled. Must have been the likeness of a famous monk.
Along one side of the stuppa there was a row of huge brass bells which people were ringing as some kind of prayer. You see these in many of the Wats.
There were many alters set up with candles burning which people were also praying at, offering flowers and incense.
After a few hours at the top we walked down the steps and took the picture of a little hill tribe girl. She was sitting beside the railing which was a huge naga that went from the bottom to the top, all made of sculpted tiles.