Tuk Tuk
monk's laundry at Wat U Mong
monks' art from the 60's
We had some free time over the weekend so, on Sunday we took a tuk tuk (3 wheeled motor cart awesomeness!) to Wat U Mong (the forest temple) on the outskirts of Chiang Mai city. I have been wanting to visit this special wat since reading about how it is tucked away in a cave among trees! I don't think many tourists visit this wat- we were the only farangs when we visited. Wat U Mong was first used during King Mengrai’s rule in the 14th century. Tunnels in the cave were built around 1380 as meditation cells for the clairyoyant monk Thera Jan. Later,the monastery was abandoned, then re-inhabited in the 60's when Ajaan Buddhadasa, a well known monk and teacher at S Thailand’s Wat Suanmok, sent several monks to re-establish a Sangha (Buddhist brother hood) there. The monks in the 60's made awesome paintings and illuminations of Buddhist and Biblical texts on walls of one of the building (see pictures). SO awesome!
The feeling on the wat grounds was one of ancient sacredness and lush, green,humid serenity. We were quiet, and listened to sacred chanting of scripture by the monks who live there. There were incredible ruins in every nook and cove to be discovered. There is a gold Buddha deep inside one of the caves, and a large statue of the fasting Buddha (not a common image) elsewhere on the grounds.
Then we rode into the Old City (moated center part of Chiang Mai) and visited the Chiang Mai Arts and Cultural museum, which was neat but I was itching to get back out on the street and to learn about Chiang Mai by experiencing it! We wandered around, ate at a noodle shop, then found ourselves in the thick of the Sunday Walking Market, where 5 or so blocks are taken up by vendors peddling their goods old school-style on mats laid on the road. Fascinating! The most fun part was just watching all the people. And we did a little bargaining for some hilltribe goods as well ;)
5 Favorite Things about Thailand (so far...)
1. Cheap, delicious Thai food- on average, $3 total for a meal for 2 persons!!
2. Recycled water- what you wash with is what you flush with. brilliant! (I think we call it "Grey Water"?)
3. The scent of Jasmine everywhere- the first time I've smelled real jasmine that wasn't in a tea or candle.
4. Monks in beautiful saffron and bright orange colored robes are everywhere
5. A bidet hose in every bathroom! hooray for clean butts ;)
- Michelle
Chiang Mai Arts & Culture museum
puppies sleeping on side of street at market
scary "lady boy" performer
barbecued octopus tentacles anyone?
weird "Miss Piggy's Mini Pork Balls" mobile playing Elton John tunes and rolling around the city! We saw her the next day too, miles away.
(posted by Michelle)
3 comments:
sweet as! your photos are great. have you been to the wat with all the elephant statues? that's my fave. it's in the old city somewhere and i don't remember what it's called.
no, but that sounds sweet! I was wanting to visit Wat Doi Suthep, where the sacred white elephant dropped dead (you know? ;) but we have limited transport and its a ways out of town.
Great to hear from you D! take care!
wow, these are my most favorite pictures yet of the forest ruins! so exquisite! I will have to show my Buddhism professor... love the emaciated buddha or bodhisattva- whichever it is. and oh boy! saffron robes!
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