Photo Gallery & Impressions 13c
PHOTO SAMPLER - HOLIDAY AT CHIANG
MAI, 10 AUGUST 2003 - PART C
Wat Doi Saket & Temple
Grounds 16 km northeast of Chiang Mai. When Keith asked
the fellows from the Ban Pong "Boys' Night Out" group for
recommendations for our Chiang Mai trip, one of the ex-pats from Ireland had a
very specific suggestion. He urged us to visit the lesser known wat at Doi
Saket. He had spent some time living in Chiang Mai and told of this temple with
very unusual murals. They were not the traditional Thai temple murals, were more
modern/recent, and foreign tourists seldom visited there. This latter part
appealed to us. This album is of photos of the pleasant temple's exterior and
grounds; the next album will be devoted to the very large individual paintings
inside the temple.
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| From the divided highway
118 (Kaeo Nawarat Rd.) we get our first view of the temple & white chedi
atop this hill. |
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| A short distance off the
highway we come to the base of the 300 steps leading up to the temple.
Fortunately, we are able to drive to the top. |
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| Behind the temple we
first visit the white chedi. |
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| Here is the front of the
temple & some local children peering down at some strange
foreigners. |
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| A closer view of the
front of the temple shows more of the ornate steps leading up to the front
entrance. |
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| Peg poses with these
figures who are guarding the lower steps ... |
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| ... while Keith poses
with one of the 3-headed serpents (nagas) guarding the upper steps. |
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| Half way through
photographing the interior murals, Keith hears drumming & comes out to
see this monk pounding away. |
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| From the main entrance,
Keith gets this shot of Peg & the other structures below. |
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| Peg finds the top of the
steps & captures this view down. |
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| She also finds a good
view of the flat fertile valley below. |
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| Here are the 7 Buddha
images, each in a different position & representing a specific day of
the week. |
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| As is the case with most
temple grounds, we find a school here on the hilltop. It is obviously lunch
time. |
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| Before leaving this
peaceful setting (no foreign tourists sighted) Keith pauses by another naga
guarding the back steps ... |
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| ... and Peg pauses for
this photo op in front of an attractive white Buddha image. |
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