Chiang Mai, Thailand

Spent about 10 days couchsurfing in Bangkok over Christmas and New Years Eve then headed to Chiang Mai.

This is the only picture I have to offer of Bangkok. I was really impressed by this squatter. 

Chiang Mai is North of Bangkok and home to 300 temples. It is super touristy and full of Westerners, both tourists and expats/retirees. After India I wont complain. Actually I love Chiang Mai, dig the wifi everywhere, good food and ease of everything. Also some huge outdoor markets/bazaars here.

Rented a scooter for a couple days and visited some Buddhist Temples. The temples in Nepal didn't have all the dragons etc. These look like Chinese temples to me, not that I know what I'm talking about. So I'll just post pictures

reminds me a little of Borobudur in Indoneisa but nowhere near as large or as detailed

can see ancient stupas that have deteriorated and not been restored around the city. What gives the place its charm

could be an orthodox or catholic church with the candles too. Some parallels in forms of worship

this guy has a pet monkey. CS'er Yim from Bangkok on right

Next day went to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep 15km (9 miles) up a well paved mountain road from the city, road was first built in 1935

They ask for 30 baht from foreigners to enter (1 dollar). One of the reasons given on the sign is because it is in the mountains and therefore difficult for the monks to receive food there. That is the kind of crap that irritates me. Place is a 20 minute drive from the 2nd largest city in Thailand WTF. Went to some monasteries in Nepal a 5 day walk from the nearest road but none of them demanded an entrance fee to enter a temple...If they want to charge foreigners to enter w/e but that reason is such bullshit, who even thinks to write that? religion rant/

Construction of the temple began in 1383 and is one of the holiest sites in Thailand

strippers in training

They are each picking up 20 baht notes with their mouths. No wonder Thailand is so ridiculous

Fond of him for some reason

Guy in back was awesome on the drums

From Wikipedia: According to legend, a monk named Sumanathera from Sukhothai had a dream; in this dream god told him to go to Pang Cha and look for a relic. Sumanathera ventured to Pang Cha and is said to have found a bone, which many claim was Buddha's shoulder bone. The relic displayed magical powers; it glowed, it was able to vanish, it could move itself and replicate itself. Sumanathera took the relic to King Dharmmaraja who ruled the Sukhothai.

The eager Dharmmaraja made offerings and hosted a ceremony when Sumanathera arrived. However the relic displayed no abnormal characteristics, and the king, doubtful of the relic's authenticity, told Sumanathera to keep it.

However, King Nu Naone of the Lanna Kingdom heard of the relic and offered the monk to take it to him instead. In 1368 with Dharmmaraja's permission, Sumanathera took the relic to what is now Lamphun, in northern Thailand. The relic apparently split in two, one piece was the same size, the other was smaller than the original. The smaller piece of the relic was enshrined at a temple in Suandok. The other piece was placed by the King on the back of a white elephant which was released in the jungle. The elephant is said to have climbed up Doi Suthep, at the time called Doi Aoy Chang (Sugar Elephant Mountain), trumpeted three times before dying at the site. It was interpreted as a sign and King Nu Naone ordered the construction of a temple at the site.

Overall the temple was well worth the dollar entrance

When in Asia you see a lot of temples, like churches in Europe. This one is well worth the visit

Returned to Chiang Mai for nearly 3 weeks a few months later. I think I included this picture in the Golden Triangle entry but will post it here also. There are also a couple pictures of the nighttime pilgrimage to Doisuthep in that entry 

This is the entrance to the Sunday night market in Chiang Mai. The entrance is Thai Pae gate which you can see in the left of the picture. Sunday Night market is the largest and best market in Chiang Mai, though for my personal tastes a little too crowded.