Chiang Mai and Temples

Ok.  after a very slow start mostly related to my inability to conquer the simplest task such as sending out an email properly, we are on a roll (i hope).  for me (tony), chiang mai is best summed up by buddhism, food, and the street scene.  i am having trouble choosing the best in all three categories, so i am just going to do three posts, one for each group, with hopefully not a lot of commentary.

this one is on the buddhist temples, and is by no means complete.  it is impossible in the old part of the city (in which we are staying) to go more than a block or so without running into a temple (called wats), a shrine, a chedi (burial chamber) or other reminder of the main religion here.  here are just a few of the scenes. 

 this is one of the oldest chedis in the old city, dating back almost to the founding of chiang mai, 700 years ago. 

 Across the street from the chedi.

 

 

these are alms bowls in one of the more famous of the wats.

and the buddha

and the exit

 and the garden

and the prayer flags

 an alter at one of the wats hosting a food court during sunday night market (see subsequent post)

 a view into the temple where the food court was open. 

 these are scenes from around a temple school during recess.  it is a combination of the influences of buddhism and food. 

no temple school is complete without marbles.

 or handwashing at the end of recess

 or a chedi. 

 just outside the moat surrounding the old city. 

 a chedi on a small residential street, shot through the roof rack of a bus. 

 base of the chedi.

 another wat.