The temple on the mountain

Last Thursday,  we made plans to visit the famous temple on Doi Suthep with another family who we had met in the hostel in Bangkok. We met for lunch first, and enjoyed some organic thai food at the Blue Diamond cafe.

Then we headed out onto one of the main roads to negotiate a price with a driver of one of the many red taxis for a return trip up the mountain. The red taxis are shared taxis that drive people around the city, as the buses in Chiang Mai are pretty much non-existent. They are utes (pick up trucks) with walls on the sides, a roof, and two benches as seats. They are called songtaews in Thai. A very convenient form of transport,  although not the most comfortable, haha. Especially taking into account the many twists and turns up the road to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. By the time we reached the temple I was feeling a bit queasy.

Luckily, I had plenty of fresh air to breath in as we made our way up the 306 step staircase to the temple. By travelling just a short distance of about 15km outside of the city we noticed just how bad the air pollution was inside Chiang Mai cit centre.

 I was surprised,  and a little disappointed, that as we approached the temple in our songtaew, I saw many shops and stalls selling things right below the staircase of the temple. It is a bit sad that this sacred site has become a bit of a tourist trap, but I guess we should be lucky that they have opened it to the public.
I can only imagine how majestic and peaceful the temple once was, having been constructed on the mountain in 1383.

The terrace at the top of the stairs is beautiful,  it is filled with fruit trees, gorgeous pink blooms, giant bronze bells, and holy shrines. Before entering the temple you must remove your shoes, and once you are inside there are signs reminding you to be quiet. These, however, are mostly ignored, and there is a low level of chatter and camera shutters clicking. Golden bells gently sound in the breeze, and people leave lotus flowers next to the shrines surrounding the golden chedi.

Walking around to the other side of the terrace, we took in the view of the city of Chiang Mai. Charlotte had her picture taken there by some enthusiastic Chinese tourists.

We finished walking around the terrace as the sun was dipping low in the sky, casting a golden glow on the colourful temple buildings.
Despite the bumpy ride up the mountain, it was worth the trip, to see the panoramic view over Chiang Mai and to visit the city's holiest temple.

I hope you enjoyed reading :)
Hannah Xx

Exploring Chiang Mai

 By the river at our first guesthouse 

 Can you guess which apartment is for sale? ;)

 Crazy electrical wires

Spot the monks

 Pictures from the park

These pictures were taken over several days in the last week. We have enjoyed our time so much here in Chiang Mai, that we have extended our stay here for a total of 11 nights, and we want to stay even longer. Our first two weeks in Thailand have gone by so fast I can't believe it. We have been taking it easy most days, eating lots of good food and drinking fruit smoothies and iced coffee! On almost every street in Chiang Mai you will be able to find a person selling iced tea or coffee, or fruit smoothies. They are the best way to cool off in the heat.

We love walking around the lanes, or 'soi' that run off of every road. Last Sunday we went walking around the old city looking for a new guesthouse to stay in, and we fell in love with all the pretty garden cafes, old houses and temples that are hidden within the the old city lanes. Some of the restaurants that we have eaten at have literally been just tables and chairs that have been set up inside someone's garage, and its the best food.

It's not all coconuts, sunshine, and palm trees though... haha. I have been sick this week with a cold, yes, in this amazing weather! Now Charlotte has caught my cold and she is very congested, poor little one, so that's causing her to wake up a lot. Apart from that, however, she has been very good, especially considering her first tooth is about to come through! I am not prepared for this. Where did my tiny newborn go??

Next week we plan to go to the Elephant Nature Park, which I have been looking forward to for a very long time. I am sure it will be an amazing experience.

Bye for now,
Hannah Xx