Last weekend, Jeremy and I visited Chiang Mai in Thailand. Visitors to Chiang Mai essentially have three main options for activities: 1) tour the many temples in the city, 2) visit animal attractions to do things like feed elephants, or 3) travel outside the city for sporty activities such as ziplining. Not having the energy for a sporty vacation or an interest in animals after our many great safaris in Kenya, we chose the temple route. We discovered that Chiang Mai has several quirky temple features!
Directly in front of Wat Ket Karam was a dog fountain. Most of the dogs were spitting water out of their mouths, but one was shown lifting its leg and peeing! Another one was laying flat on its belly with his legs sticking straight out behind him. We wondered if this was the "dog temple" because in addition to the fountain, we saw lots of dog statues scattered around the complex. Very interesting!
 |
| Wat Ket Karam Dog Fountain |
Located on a mountain just outside the city, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is one of Chiang Mai's most popular temples. It required a 15-minute taxi ride up a windy, motion-sickness-inducing road. My stomach was able to settle itself along the 300-step staircase to the temple. Just inside, we were greeted with this fabulous shrine of Buddha statues wrapped in leopard and tiger prints!
Around the back of the temple was another puzzling display of statues. I think most were Buddhas, wearing extra adornments such as caps and eyeglasses. Communing with the Buddhas were some deer and a turtle. The whole scene reminded me of garden gnomes and the over-the-top lawn displays that can be found sprinkled across America.
 |
| Tiger Buddha at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep |
Around the back of the temple was another puzzling display of statues. I think most were Buddhas, wearing extra adornments such as caps and eyeglasses. Communing with the Buddhas were some deer and a turtle. The whole scene reminded me of garden gnomes and the over-the-top lawn displays that can be found sprinkled across America.
 |
| Garden Gnome Gathering at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep |
After this trip, I can say that I am officially templed-out. I've gone temple touring in three countries - Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand - and also seen temples in Vietnam and Malaysia. Perhaps I should take an offering to the local wat to earn enough merits not to have to visit another temple again!
No comments:
Post a Comment