1:21’s Trip to ChiangMai

(Click for bigger picture)

There is a saying, “If you have not tasted the Kao Soi or visited Doi Suthep, you have not been to Chiang Mai”. For something that sounds so amazing, Chiang Mai’s intense culture was indeed evident in the breathtaking architecture of the Doi Suthep Temple that the 21 of us went to on day 2.

The Road to the Temple
The Doi Suthep Temple is situated at the summit of the Suthep mountain. In the olden days, it is said that people who are determined to climb to the top of the mountain despite the road being long and bumpy, were those who were strongly devoted. It’s not hard to see why. The journey up the mountain was really long, and there were uncountable curves on the road.

On the way down, the group saw two cyclists cycling up the mountain, presumably to the temple. They were tourists, but at that moment, I think it was probably they who were the most devoted in getting to the top of the mountain to see the temple. (:

At the temple
Being really fond of beautiful architecture, I was really amazed by the gold designs on the temples. The colours were really vibrant, and the were really picturesque- a photographer’s perfect dream. Going around snapping photos, I came across many shops that sold amazing knick-knacks. But the more amazing thing I came across was Chiang Mai’s culture. I marvelled at the way the temple as built, with elaborate and extremely intricate designs on the walls and roofs. It did not fail to amaze me how these designs reflected how much the citizens of Chiang Mai valued their culture and tradition, putting so much effort into creating a place for worship.

There was a place we could stand at and see the view of the city. It was, to put it simply, really gorgeous. It’s not often that we see such sights like these in Singapore unless one is looking down from a plane that is just taking off from Changi Airport. And so, to see an entire city stretch out beneath me was at that moment, one of the best feelings ever. It was a perfect picture for a postcard.

After going around to see the temple and taking a few photos, the group left with not only a handful of photos each, but also a memory of the strong cultural influence Chiang Mai has, and the feeling of how breath taking Chiang Mai really is.

Reference: http://www.doisuthep.com/english.html (:

Grace Yeoh