To the Highest Point

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Up early again for another tour...this time to the top of Doi Suthep. I had a GrabTaxi driver tell me that you can't say you have been to Chiang Mai if you haven't visited Doi Suthep. This time, the van was on time, and I wasn't the last pick up, so I got a much better seat in the van :-)

Before we made it there, there was a stop at the Bhubing Palace (spelled about 4 different ways, and pronounced POOP-ing, heh heh). This is where the King stays when he is in northern Thailand. The "palace" itself is a bit underwhelming, but the grounds are really pretty.

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Next stop: the temple at Doi Suthep. The temple itself is actually quite small, built on the side of Doi Suthep overlooking Chiang Mai. If it weren't for the smog, it would be an amazing view of the city. But today, it is hard to make out too much of the city.

The story goes that around 1385 AD, the king placed the Buddha's relics on the back of a white elephant, and wherever the elephant died, they would build a temple to house the relics. There is a large wooden panel illustrating the story as you enter the grounds.

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Once inside, there was a monk giving blessings--couldn't pass that up. This basically consists of him chanting and praying while you kneel before him and he flicks water on everyone with a small bundle of bamboo sticks.

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Had some fresh squeezed orange juice while waiting for everyone else to leave, then we all took the LONG staircase down the mountain (you can take an elevator to the top...which we did). On the way down, I stopped to take a picture of a couple of little girls in traditional dress, and got separated from the group. I found the spot where we first came in and just sat there until someone found me, lol. Then we took the van back to the city.

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Took a GrabTaxi to Wat Bupparam--a tiny temple that oddly has a Donald Duck statue on its grounds.

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After this, I headed to the Elephant Parade--a store/museum where they make original art-painted ceramic elephants. They were mostly too expensive for me, but I did buy a tiny one of Mosha--the inspiration for the store. They use the proceeds from sales to help elephants all over Thailand. Mosha lost a leg when she stepped on a landmine and they raised money to create the first-ever elephant prosthetic leg for her.

Then a GrabTaxi back to Chinola for one last massage before I head home tomorrow. I decided to walk to Wat Phan Tao again to try to catch the lights, but instead discovered the Sunday street market along that street and the side streets. Walked around checking things out, and had some spring rolls that were pretty good, and some khao soi that was incredible. Picked up some baby pineapples for dessert and a beer, then got back to my airBNB and ate on the picnic table outside. Lili brought me some apple juice too. As sweaty and gross as I got, I will miss this place.

On the way back to the airBNB, I heard the King's anthem again, but this time I knew what to do (and of course looked aghast at the tourists who didn't stop :-) )!

#doisuthep #bhubingpalace #monks #khaosoisoup #tinypineapples #changbeer #donaldduck #chinolamassage #watphantao #watbupparam