Day 13 - First Day in Chiang Mai

0500 comes waaay too early for me after a late night but the day promises many adventures so I get to the lobby right on time to catch one of our three vans for the 16 of us. And we're on our way to Doi Suthep Temple. The "long and winding road" (thanks Beatles) to the top of the mountain made me queasy so closing my eyes helped while I concentrated on my breathing. LOL

Upon arrival, we see novice monks processing down where tables of a prepared plate offering can be purchased by the locals and tourists. Our guide provides us each with our choice of plating and, in Thai, asks the monks to stop. The monks offer us the bowl that they carry and we place the contents of our plate, one item at a time, into the bowl. Those of us who can kneel (that's NOT me!) do so while the rest of us give our best bow with hands folded into a lotus blossom and thumbs together. In unison, the small group of two or more novice monks begin to chant. When they finish, they continue their walk down the road. Pat, our guide, later explains the chant was giving us a blessing not only for ourselves but for our family and friends for good health and a good life.

We continue our walk up the hill and now have a choice of climbing the 309 steps to the Doi Suthep temple or taking the funicular to the top. Can you guess what I elected?

Funicular shot from top to bottom.

Reaching the top, our guide had carried our breakfast take out and we settled in with a huge meal of two mini bananas, yogurt, juice drink, cheese/meat sandwich, two boiled eggs and a bottle of water! We had the choice of coffee or tea as well. It was a quiet, contemplative place and we understood why we were required to have an early rise. We beat the crowds and will enjoy our time at the top of the mountain in this Doi Suthep Temple.

The story goes that the King placed a Buddha relic on the back of a white elephant and set him free. The elephant walked to the top of the mountain and, when he stopped, the King took it as a sign to build the temple there. With his job complete, the elephant continued walking up the mountain and died. His remains were found and a stupa built over them to honor his journey.

The pictures below the monument are of loved ones whose ashes are interred.

Pat told us the story of the Buddha being raised in a wealthy family and not being allowed to see anything bad, ugly or negative. When he was finally allowed to leave the city walls, he saw death and the suffering of the people and was moved to learn more about the world. Returning home, he was required to marry and eventually had a son. After the birth of his son, he escaped the city on horseback before he could become attached to his son so he would continue his journey of knowledge. A picture of an emaciated Buddha depicts the wrong way to live. Balance in every part of your life is required to live fully and with health.

sign says don't touch the bells. The monks use them for a call to prayer and other gatherings.

My group! What wonderful people you meet on Road Scholar trips! Most are well-traveled and have led interesting lives. Four couples, six individuals and a father-daughter team comprised our sixteen member travel group.

Security. Be sure you take off your shoes and have your shoulders and knees covered to enter the temples.

A prayerful walk with flower alms.

It's all about respect.

Temple restoration is ongoing and these artists are restoring the etching at an entrance doorway using templates from the original.

Off to U-mong Temple or "Tunnel Temple" as our next stop. This original pagoda below had fallen into disrepair. King Rama IX, the immediate past king who reigned for 70 years and died just 3 years ago at age 89, is revered in Thailand for the many Royal Projects that he instituted to bring Thailand back to its former glory and encourage tourism. He was also a hard worker to improve the lives of more than 50% of Thailand's population who are farmers.

A stop at Monsoon Tea was an enlightening experience. This company ONLY contracts with tea farmers who work with the forest to preserve it or bring it back after clear cutting. Kenneth, below, explained that growing tea within the forest environment allows them to keep the forest (which is dwindling from clear cutting) and eliminate pesticides and fertilizer. The forest provides these staples and other insects which eat the pests on the tea plants.

Kenneth's nephew who provides the marvelous photography that you can see throughout the shop. Not hard on the eyes either!

This was the way the tea was processed and eaten prior to Monsoon Tea Company educating the farmers about the economics of the tea industry.

After the presentation, lunch was provided with the oft requested soup of Chiang Mai, Khao Soi.

Toppings for the soup include (top left) limes to enhance taste, WATCH OUT this topping is SPICY!, shallots and pickles.

Tea tasting. Bottom right going up and around: two white teas, two green, two oolong, one black and three yellow teas.

For Bangkok's Pride Day, Monsoon Tea was asked to create a special tea. So here Kenneth explains that he took the white, green, oolong (blue), black and yellow teas to make his Rainbow Tea. He warned that drinking this tea might "change" you so beware! LOL.

And we're back to Chiang Mai to walk the city streets as we make our way back to our hotel.

Durian! Sharpest needle skin I have ever felt.

We must have selected a good one since the horrible smell I was expecting wasn't so horrible. And the taste is sweet and delicious!

Remember there is a Durian pit at the center of the edible fruit.

Narrow streets require pedestrians to make way for vehicles.

Comparing prices? $1= 30 THB

Opening a Durian.

Massage anyone?

Pink eggs and white eggs are sold. The white are fresh but the pink last so much longer since they are soaked in sulphur and other preservatives.

They may look "pretty in pink" and taste good but the smell of sulphur is strong and repulsive.

How about helping out women who have been recently released from prison? They come here to learn massage, cosmetology, woodworking and cooking in order to be productive citizens back into society.

It's a tattoo parlor for men and women. The scrolling green words on the sign above advertises that the workers here are former prisoners. And now back to our hotel.

Presentation to the monk. We each gave him a sealed envelope with our name written in Thai on the front and I'm guessing the Road Scholar guide put money in each one. They were thin and I took a photo of mine but my iPhone camera was giving me fits and not always saving photos.

I didn't not kneel but a few of us sat in the back instead of standing behind the kneelers.

My gift from the monk after our blessing for good health and good life for ourselves, our family and our friends.

Remind you of anyone we know?

U-mong, the tunnel temple built in the 13th Century by the first King of Lanna Kingdom and the founder of Chiang Mai. He built this for his favorite monk who liked to meditate in the tunnels of Chiang Mai but they became to noisy. This day, the monks who reside here live in the forest.