Another Hike up Doi Suthep and Wat Phalad

Friday, January 20, 2017
Second Hike up Doi Suthep, Wat Phalad, and Thich Nhat Hanh

After a class at Wild Rose Yoga a couple of days ago I met Elliott and Amy, a couple from San Diego, now living and teaching in China. They are here in Chiang Mai doing rock climbing, yoga, and wanted to see the temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. I told them hiking up the mountain was a possibility, and they were interested, so we made plans to meet for breakfast today at Blue Diamond and then do the hike. We did meet at Blue Diamond and were joined by Claudia from Columbia for breakfast and the hike up the mountain.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

I documented my hike up Doi Suthep to the temple a week ago when I hiked up the mountain with my Australian friend, Tom Dickson. The jungle looks the same, so no pictures of the jungle as we hiked up the mountain today.

Fortunately we started from the trail head fairly early at about 8:45, before the day got too hot. It took us about 40-45 minutes to hike from the trail head to Wat Phalad. It was a nice morning for hiking, but I was already sweating. After a short break at Wat Phalad, we continued up the mountain. I warned the group that the next 200 meters getting to the road was VERY steep and off we went. It was very steep, it was hot, and we sweated ... a lot. It took another 70-75 minutes of steady walking/hiking up the trail to get to the temple area. We were all hot and sweating.

The temple is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, often called "Doi Suthep." In Thai, "doi" means mountain and "Suthep is the name of the mountain, so Doi Suthep is really an indication of the mountain. But "Doi Suthep" rolls off the tongue easier than Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, and people almost always know when you are referring to the temple or the mountain.

These doors of one of the smaller viharn (worship halls) always attract me to take a picture. I just love the dancing four-armed thewada (angelic beings that live in the heavenly realm...angels) on the doors. Seems to show a sense of humor by the designers and artists. And I love the peacock motif above the door. This is also seen at a few other temples, and I do know know the true meaning of the peacock.

Inside the center courtyard on the temple, there are several niches almost like small viharn. This is the Buddha statue in one, one of my favorites.

I saw this ivory-colored, stone Buddha statue, on a pallet-jack off to the side of one of the viharn. I have never seen this before, so it must be in the process of being installed. This statue is very beautiful, and a striking stone carving.

Another view of the main chedi. Always stunning and beautiful, especially so today with the bright sun between the clouds.

The seven-headed Naga serpent at the base of the long stairway (about 300 steps long).
















After being tourists, viewing the temple and taking pictures, it seemed to be time to start the hike down the mountain. Going down is easier on a hot day than hiking up. We got from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep to Wat Phalad in just less than an hour, and we deliberately kept the pace slow.

Wat Phalad and Thich Nhat Hanh

We crossed the main road, went down the very steep section, and arrived at Wat Phalad (sometimes spelled Wat Palad). This is a unique temple, seldom visited by tourists, but just off the main road to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

As the story goes, when the relic of the Buddha was being put into the chedi at Wat Suan Dok, it split into two pieces. One piece was placed in the large chedi there, and the second piece was placed on the back of a white elephant. The king said that wherever the elephant stopped, a temple would be built with a chedi to house the relic. The elephant walked all the way up Suthep mountain, sat down, trumped three times, and dies. This is where Wat Phra That Doi Suthep was built.

Along the way, where Wat Phalad is now, the elephant supposedly slipped at the waterfall in the creek, maybe fell down, and then proceeded up the mountain.

A friend told me that Chiang Mai elders said that the word "Pa-lad" originally comes from Chiang Mai word "Pa-Lert." "Pa-lert" is a Chiang Mai word which means "to slip." Over time, the word "Pa-lert" changed to "Pa-lad." At the same time, "Pa-lad" in Bangkok dialog means 'steep cliff' or 'Waterfalls cliff." So the nickname of the temple being Wat Palad makes sense.

The actual name of the temple is Wat Sakithakame Vanaram. Breaking down the formal name: Sakithaka is the second insights stage of the four stages leading to the enlightenment (awakening) in Buddhism before reaching Nirvana. Vana means "Forest" in Thai. Ram comes from India word - "ashrams." Vanaram thus means an ashram in the forest.

Regardless of how the name evolved or came to be, Wat Phalad is a beautiful and peaceful temple in the forest/jungle. Because few tourists visit this temple, it is a quiet, often only the jungle sounds are heard.

This is one of several smaller viharn at Wat Phalad. I do not think I have ever seen the doors open, so I do not know how it looks inside.

The paintings on the doors are quite beautiful. Old style, but probably restored within the last 10 years.

Thich Nhat Hanh Connection to Wat Phalad and Me

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist who was exiled from Vietnam in 1968 after his outspoken opposition to the war saying that both sides were oppressing the people. Thich Nhat Hanh now lives in Plum Village in southern France, but is currently in what is known as Plum Village Bangkok in Thailand as part of his recovery from a severe stroke two years ago. To try to summarize his life would be almost impossible. He has written more than 100 books, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1967 by Martin Luther King (no award was made that year), and continues to be an inspiration to many (for good reason).

Four years ago when I was in Chiang Mai, I attended the Green Papaya Sangha, a meditation group that meets every Thursday at the Yoga Tree yoga studio. The leader, Steve Epstein said, "we meditate in the style of Thich Nhat Hanh" to which I said to myself, "I have never heard of Thich Nhat Hanh, but I'm game..."

After returning to the U.S. and asking a people I know through yoga, it seemed that everyone but me knew who Thich Nhat Hanh was and what he had done. So I did some research, and I learned that Thich Nhat Hanh was making a visit to the U.S., including being on the Oprah television show. More importantly, Thich Nhat Hanh was going to be at Deer Park, a Vietnamese Buddhist Monastery outside Escondido near San Diego, in September for two weeks. All of the programs at Deer Park would be in Vietnamese except one day, "A Day of Mindfulness" in English. A friend and I were the second car in line at the parking lot at 6:30 that morning. There is something very powerful about doing a silent walking meditation with 1000 people up a small hill to where Thich Nhat Hanh is standing. We then went down to the meditation hall, where Thich Nhat Hanh addressed the group and led us in a few short meditations. A memorable day!

When I returned to Chiang Mai, I was talking with Steve Epstein, leader of the Green Papaya Sangha about temples I liked, and I mentioned that I liked to go up to Wat Phalad to meditate because of its beauty and peacefulness. He asked me, "did you know that Thich Nhat Hanh used to live there?" It turns out that after his exile from Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh lived at Wat Phalad for 2, 3, or maybe 4 years. 

So, in just a year, I went from not knowing who Thich Nhat Hanh was to sitting in meditation with him at Deer Park near San Diego, to meditating at Wat Phalad in Chiang Mai where he once lived. An amazing journey!

Back to Wat Phalad. Another of the smaller viharn at Wat Phalad. Notice the peacock icon on the face of the top part of the roof. Very similar in style to that at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

You can see that this is in the jungle.

Behind the viharn in the previous picture is this old chedi. Again, the jungle is evident and close. Wat Phalad is a temple in the jungle.

This viharn is open-air, no walls. Beautiful wood floor, and natural beams holding up the roof.












After our break at Wat Phalad, we headed down the trail back to where we started, then walked to the Chiang Mai University area where we got a red truck to take us back into the old city. We were hungry, so we went to Ole' for organic Mexican-style food, right across the street from Street Pizza. Ole' was as good as I remember from last year.

After the late lunch/early dinner, I had time to get back to my room for a shower and off to Wild Rose Yoga for the Warrior Flow yoga session with Rose teaching. What a great day!

Next: Searching for Evidence of the Second City Wall

Wat Srisuphan, The "Silver" Temple

Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Wat Srisuphan, The "Silver Temple"

Today I took a long walk around the circumference of the wall/moat outlining the old city of Chiang Mai. This is about a 6 kilometer or 4 mile walk. At Chiang Mai Gate on the south, I headed south down Wualai Road, really more of a southwest diagonal road, to visit Wat Srisuphan, the so-called "Silver Temple."

To the south of Chiang Mai Gate along Wualai Road lies the traditional silver-making district of Chiang Mai. This area is dotted with silver shops, like the two shown to the left.

The area is better known to to tourists as the location of the Saturday Walking Street Market, a smaller version of the extensive Sunday Walking Street Market that takes place every Sunday inside the old Chiang Mai city.

Wat Srisuphan

The temple was first founded in 1501 under King Mengrai and given the name Wat Srisuphan Aram. The temple has been renovated and redesigned a number of times since the first construction (as is common with older temples). The most recent reincarnation of the temple began in 2004 under the direction of the abbot (head monk of the temple), Phra Kru Phithatsuthikhun. Rather than using standard temple renovation techniques, the abbot chose to make use of the skill and knowledge of local silversmiths. This is most evident in the design of the main ordination hall (ubosot). The result is a silver-colored building which shimmers in the sunlight and is full of intricate details. Most of the work is carried out using aluminum and zinc alloy with precious silver being reserved for the holy images.

Wat Srisuphan is also the second of two temples I know of in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in which the viharn (worship hall) and ubosot (ordination hall) do not open to the east to greet the rising sun. The other is Wat Lok Molee in which the main viharn opens to the south. At Wat Srisuphan, the main viharn and the ubosot open to the north. Nobody I have talked to knows why these two temples do not follow what is considered to be a rule of the main doors opening to the east. I am sure that I will learn why someday. both Wat Lok Molee and Wat Srisuphan are very old, and it seems that older temples follow traditional layouts more consistently.

Wat Srisuphan Main Viharn

This is a good view of the main viharn at Wat Srisuphan (in fact, the only viharn here). The roofline and structure is similar to that at Wat Lok Molee, and is considered to be in the traditional Lanna style (as opposed to Burmese or modern Thai).

The north-facing front entrance to the viharn. The stairway banisters have the dragons, called naga. Behind the stairway, flanking the doors are the green giants or guards, called yaks. Yaks are more common in central Thai temples (Bangkok) than in northern Thai temples, but there are a few around in Chiang Mai, just not commonly. (Having said that, there are yaks at the entrance arch at Wat Lok Molee also...Wat Lok Molee and Wat Srisuphan have a few things in common.)

Inside the viharn is this Buddha icon, I believe to be a model of the Emerald Buddha made of glass.The actual Emerald Buddha is at Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok at the Grand Palace, and not emerald, but a green jade from northern Thailand. The nickname Emerals Buddha refers to the color, not the stone. The Emerald Buddha is of Lanna origin, and was in Lampang for 32 years, then in Chiang Mai at Wat Chedi Luang from 1468 until 1552 when it was moved to the capital of Lao, back to Chiang Mai, and later to Vientiane. In 1779 it was moved to to Siam at the new capital in Thonburi (predecessor to Bangkok) and installed in a shrine close to Wat Arun.

Chao Phra Chakri then took over the reins, founded the Chakri Dynasty of Rattanakosin Kingdom, and adopted the title King Rama I. He moved the capital across the Chao Phra river to its present location in Bangkok, and constructed the new Grand Palace including Wat Phra Kaew within its compound. The Emerald Buddha was moved with great pomp and pageantry to its current home in the Wat Phra Kaew temple in March, 1784.

Around the main worship hall area are these hammered three-dimensional silver-aluminum-zinc alloy scenes telling the story of the Buddha. These are about 1 meter tall by 1 and a quarter meter wide, fairly large. This technique is an example of the work of the artisans working at the temple. This hammering technique is the same as that used for the coverings and detail at the silver ubosot.

The Silver Ubosot

An Ubosot is a building in a Thai Temple complex. An ubosot is the holiest prayer room, also called the "ordination hall" as it is where ordinations take place. The term ubosot is derived from the Pali term uposathagara, which refers to a hall used for rituals on the uposatha days -- the Buddhist Sabbath, which falls four times a month on the full moon, new moon, and eighth day after each.

An ubosot stands within a boundary formed by eight boundary stones which separate the sacred from the profane, and thus differs from a vihan (worship hall). The sema stones actually stand above and mark the limit stone spheres buried at the cardinal points of the compass delineating the sacred area. A ninth stone sphere, usually bigger, is buried below the main Buddha image of the ubosot.

Women are not permitted in an ubosot. There are many stories why, some mention the burying of a sacrificed person beneath the ubosot whose spirits may somehow corrupt a woman. A sign at Wat Srisuphan in oddly translated Thai reads in English:

Beneath the base of Ubosotha in the monastic boundary, many precious things, incantations, amulets and other holy objects were buried 500 years ago. Entering inside the place may deteriorated the place or otherwise the lady herself. According to this Lanna Belief, ladies are not allowed to enter the Ubosotha.

A side view of the ubosot at Wat Srisuphan, now almost completely covered in the hammered aluminum-zinc-silver alloy. When I first sat Wat Srisuphan about 5 years ago, the outside of the ubosot was only about half covered.

The northern main entrance to the ubosot. Very silver with the blue ocean-like stairway.

The inside of the ubosot. More silver alloy, beautifully done.

The back (south) end of the ubosot. The detail is intricate and beautiful.

Now for Dinner

It was a long day of yoga, walking, and temple visiting. A watermelon smoothie sounded good, so I returned to my room, cleaned up, and headed down Tha Phae Road to Street Pizza for dinner and a watermelon smoothie.

And here is the watermelon smoothie and a salad to get started. Mmmm...

Followed by a pepperoni pizza, just the right size for me. A good meal to end a good day in Chiang Mai.














Next: Another Hike up Doi Suthep and Wat Phalad

Return to Wat Lok Molee

Monday, January 16, 2017
Return Visit to Wat Lok Molee

One of my favorite temples is Wat Lok Molee, I think this is one of the most beautiful temples in Chiang Mai. This temple is right along the moat, on the north end about 500 meters east of the northwest corner of the wall, Hua Line Corner. Wat Lok Molee is often overlooked by tourists even though it is so easily accessible and even close to other more popular temples and historic places. 

View of Wat Lok Molee showing the distinctive Lanna-style viharn roofline
with the large chedi in the background.

Wat Lok Molee was important in the history of the Menrai Dynasty. King Menrai founded Chiang Rai and then Chiang Mai in the 1200s and he and his descendants ruled Lanna (the country that included most of northern Thailand before merging with Siam to form Thailand in the 1800s) independently until 1558 when the Burmese took over for about 200 years. The temple Wat Lok Molee was founded in the mid-1300s by King Kue Na, the sixth ruler of the Mengrai Dynasty. In the twilight years of the independent Lanna Kingdom, the large Maha Chedi and viharn of Wat Lok Molee were commissioned in 1527. 

Side view of the main viharn as seen today in its restored state.

This is a side view of the main viharn (worship hall). This is a beautiful teak building, restored in the late 1990s with funding from a film project. I have been unable to validate that story, but have heard it from several sources over the past few years. 

Here is a photo showing the entrance to Wat Lok Molee after passing under the arch and past the two elephant statues guarding the entrance. Almost all Buddist temple viharn main entrance doors open to the east to great the rising sun. The rising sun is symbolic of birth while the setting sun symbolic of death. Wat Lok Molee is unique in that the viharn main entrance doors open to the south. Of all the temples I have visited in Bangkok and Chiang Mai and around both cities, this is the only temple where the viharn doors open to the south. The only one. The only other exception is Wat Srisupan (also known as the Silver Temple) where the viharn doors and the ubosot (ordination hall) doors open to the north. I have asked many people and have gotten no answer about these exceptions. Most people think it to be a rule that is always followed that the viharn doors open to the east, and cannot explain the exceptions.

A closer view of the main viharn at Wat Lok Molee as I walk closer.

The inside of the main viharn is dark, rich, and beautiful teak. The beauty is almost beyond words. I do not understand why Wat Lok Molee is not more of a tourist attraction.

And the beauty extends to the detailed carved and painted ceiling. If you do not look up, you can miss this beautiful ceiling. I'm pretty sure I missed the ceiling the first time I visited Wat Lok Molee 5 years ago. A friend mentioned the ceiling when I told them I had visited the temple, and I had to return to see the ceiling.

The main Buddha icon/statue at the front of the viharn. Peaceful and elegant.

The Maha Chedi at Wat Lok Molee.
This is very tall, and almost 500 years old.
This is the only original structure on the temple grounds.

The maha chedi is a complex structure and quite unique in its many different elements.  The whole structure sits on a square three-tiered base.  Above the base is a stylized square lotus base that supports two rings that have been squared off.  And above that is the main chamber of the chedi occupying the central space, above which are three more rings, topped with a bell shape and finally a golden spire.  The spire is the only part of the chedi to be restored to original condition and its golden umbrellas look new compared with the more worn looking brick and stucco of the rest of the stupa.

The main chamber is the most important part of the structure, interesting in that it contains the cremated remains of King Muang Ketklao and Queen Visuddhadevi.  There are perhaps more Mengrai ashes in the chedi accompanying the two rulers.  The chamber also has a niche on each side that houses a Buddha image.

















I always love visiting Wat Lok Molee, and always stop when I walk by.

Next: Wat Srisupan, The Silver Temple

Hiking Doi Suthep Part 3: Hmong Hill Tribe Village

Saturday, January 14, 2017
Hiking up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Part 3
A Visit to the Hmong Hill Tribe Village

After spending time visiting the temple at Doi Suthep, and descending the 309-step Naga Stairway, we were ready for the hike down. As we passed the lines of taxi-trucks, there were signs advertising going up higher on the mountain to the Bhuping Palace Garden (the gardens owned by the Royal Family) and to the Hmong Hill Tribe village. Both Tom and I were a little drawn to visit the Hmong Hill Tribe village, much more so than the Bhuping Palace Gardens. I have been to the Bhuping Palace Gardens - they are extensive and beautiful, but given that the King passed away less then three months ago, the gardens are quite busy. We hired a driver to take us up to the Hmong Hill Tribe village, about 8-10 kilometers higher up the mountain.

The Hmong is a term given to various ethnic groups who mostly inhabit the high mountainous Northern and Western regions of Thailand, including both sides of the border areas between Northern Thailand, Laos and Burma. These areas are known for their often mountainous terrain which is in some areas covered by thick forests. These Hill Tribes are the largest group of non-Buddist population in Thailand. They are farmers, and some tribes have been very successful in growing coffee and tea, notable the Akha Ama tribe.

The drive to the Hmong Hill Tribe village was slow as after we passed the Bhuping Palace Gardens, we left the main road and made our way farther up the mountain on a one-lane mostly paved road. The village was basically a market for selling much of the same trinkets that are seen in the Saturday and Sunday markets in Chiang Mai. I did not see anything unique or very interesting.

After passing through the market area, we saw this striking garden area. More extensive than I was able to photograph, the garden stretched up the hillside in terraces.

Some of the flowers look similar to the oleanders seen in Southern California.

These appear to be hollyhocks, stalks of bright purple flowers.






















And an extensive field of these blue flowers. Reminds me of a few similar fields of blue flowers I saw in Spain last spring.









After taking our time taking in the gardens (and walking up and down the hillside), we returned to the truck for the drive back to the temple at Doi Suthep.

And then we started the hike down the mountain. As soon as we disappeared into the jungle, the sounds from the traffic disappeared, and we were again in the quiet of the jungle. Hiking down is not as difficult as hiking up, but is still a sweaty activity, and we took is slowly to avoid slipping on the sometime still muddy and slick trail.

Farther down, after passing Wat Palad, the trail is less steep, and therefore less slippery, so we made good progress.
















After we made it back to Chiang Mai, we went to Blue Diamond for an early dinner. There was a Kirtan chanting session set for Wild Rose this evening.

I am in the process of changing where I am staying. In my yoga-based visits to Chiang Mai, I have been staying at the 3-Sis Guest House, a small guest house in the old city owned by three sisters (hence the name 3-Sis). Poppy is one of the sisters, and she is at 3-Sis every day managing daily operations. One of the other sisters, Ice, and her husband Bowl, moved back to Chiang Mai and opened a cafe, shop, and small hotel named "See You Soon" just down the street from 3-Sis. I hung out in the cafe there last year a bit, writing and doing some work. Poppy and Ice thought that I might like to stay part of the time at See You Soon, and they arranged everything.

So before Tom and I headed to hike up the mountain, I had checked out of my room at 3-Sis and left my luggage there. When I returned from Blue Diamond, I learned that my luggage had been moved to See You Soon, and was already in my room there. Very nice. I checked in at See You Soon, got a shower, and went to Wild rose to join about 50-60 people for the Kirtan chanting. It was great fun.

Next: Return to Wat Lok Molee

Hiking Up Doi Suthep, Part 2

Saturday, January 14, 2017
Hiking up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Part 2

The second part of the hike is up a long, steep climbing hiking trail through the jungle to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep much of which is steeper than climbing stairs. The day was warm and humid, and I was sweating heavily.

The trail goes along a set of power lines that serve the temple at the top. It may be that the hiking trail emerged from a maintenance road for the power lines, but much of the trail is too steep and rugged for any but the most extreme off road vehicles, so I am not too sure. On the left part of the picture is a concrete power pole.

And along this part of the trail is a power or communication cable at about head-height. This is a very steep section of the trail.

And here is one of many trees across the trial that one must climb or step over. I do not see it possible for a vehicle to get over this obstacle.

The last section of the climb is another very steep section, in the dense part of the jungle.


Suddenly, after climbing a series of almost stair steps in the hill, one emerges near the main road. The jungle brush and foliage muffles all sound, and thus the jungle is quiet. Coming out of the jungle along the road, the noise is quite noticeable.

And then we are at the start of the 309 or 307 steps up to the actual temple. I have counted the steps several times, and I think the discrepancy in the various published counts is (1) do you start counting at 1 or 0, and (2) at the top, does the one step down to the last landing count? If you start counting at 0 and do not count the last step down, there are 307 steps. But if you start counting at 1 and count that last step down, you get 309. Does it matter, no, but it is a long, beautiful stairway flanked by this rich ceramic tile making up the scales of the naga (serpent).

Just before we enter into the main temple area is this doorway. I have never seen these doors open, and I am always compelled to take a picture - the dancing 4-armed thewada (angels) on the doors are just so  fun.

Another worship/prayer area flanked by these very large elephant tusks and a snake/serpent icon. Another fanciful item I always feel compelled to photograph.

Inside the main temple area is the chedi that holds the sacred relic.

Thai people come here to walk three or seven circumferences around the chedi praying. Today being children's day in Thailand is quite busy, and there are many people here making their prayer walk around the chedi.

 A shot of tone of the corners with some of the people walking and praying.

another view of the gold chedi, always appearing strong and powerful. [And a few heads of people walking and praying.]

One of the Buddha icons at which people pray. This one is a rich, very dark green. It is said to have been quarried near Chiang Rai, farther to the north.

This Buddha icon is a rose-colored stone. I do not know the story, but I do not remember seeing this one in past visits to this temple.

A shot of me squinting into the bright sun at the base of the gold chedi.

Another shot of me at the base of the Naga Stairway.

Next: A diversion to the Hmong Hill Tribe Village and the hike down Doi Suthep