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chiang mai |
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we took an overnight bus from bangkok to chiang mai, arriving at around 7am, after 12 hours of trying to get comfy on a little seat that just wouldn't accomodate morgan's legs. chiang mai was a welcome change from bangkok though, far more laid back, and even a little cooler. we quickly found a great guest house, took a long nap, then wandered off to look at some temples. the air was actually worse than in bangkok, a result ofthe slashing and burning that goes on up in the hills, the lack of rain, and the incredible amount of vehicles (from 3 wheeled tuk tuks to motorbikes, to SUVs) constantly driving around the city. i think the only people that were walking, were tourists like us. all the same, unlike bangkok, where you couldn't walk 15 seconds without seeing a tourist, there actually seemed to be thai people living in chiang mai, which was a nice change. |
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our first stop (after a nap) was one of the oldest wats in chiang mai. the architecture is a little different than in bangkok; less gold for one thing, but also more intricately careved wooden trims. we also loved the ornate dragons which guard each stairway. |
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that's me in front of an ungilded chedi. there were large sculptures of elephants around its base. |
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throughout the trip, we met lots of great travelers. adam and kelli were our 'chiang mai dinner group' we met them on the bus from bangkok. both have incredible travel stories, and it was nice for morgan and i to have other people to talk to. =) adam and kelli- wherever you are now, i hope you're having great adventures... |
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doi suthep
day 2 in chiang mai, we took a trip to this wat just outside of the city. it is one of the holiest sites in northern thailand. set on top of a hill over looking the city (supposedly, we couldn't see anything because of the haze) the wat is just gorgeous. coming from the grey winter of japan, the colors seemed more brilliant, and the smells of plumeria stronger than we imagined it would be. the 9 headed dragon at the base of the long stairway was fierce and beautiful. really, a fantastic day trip. |
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morgan in front of a giant gong after being blessed by a monk inside the wat. he had been sitting quietly for a while when some thai pilgrims entered and sat down next to him. the monk attending the buddha sprinkled water on the thais, then smiled at morgan, and doused him as well. a good sign for the rest of our trip. |
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| me in the back garden. again, we couldn't get over the colors. just stunning. |
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