Today was our first full day in Chiang Mai! Our plan was just to walk around the city and explore, before we take day trips the next couple days. We had lattes and banana pancakes at Cat House, literally across the street from our guest house. We spent some time on wifi looking up whether we wanted to do and organized tour of the national park, or explore on our own. By then it was already time for our favorite dish at our favorite spot, Khao soi!
Wifi time at Top Garden
Our destination was the revered Wat Phra Singh on the other side of town, so we went to the Thapae Gate and walked down that road, in the rain again. On the way we visited Wat Phan On, which we saw from the outside last night during the Sunday Night Market and had heard monks chanting but didn’t go inside.
Wat Phan Tao further down the road was cool because it was wooden and had exposed tile floors rather than carpet.
It was time for a rest to eat a banana pancake and “ancient Thai coffee.”
Finally, we made it to Wat Phra Singh! It was so amazing, with gardens and many buildings and super intense golden elephants coming out of a golden box and a little temple bursting full of a reclining Buddha and little children playing next door in orange monks’ clothing.
Fiberglass replicas of the monks that lived here
Nagas, snakes that protect the Buddha inside
After so many Wats it was time for Lila Massage #2…! Can’t beat 200 baht ($6 bucks plus 50 baht tip for the massage therapist) for an amazing 1 hour Thai massage.
Sofia had found us reservations to a dinner show at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre (540 baht/person) where they served Khantoke, a “tasting platter” of traditional Thai hill tribe foods and dance performances. It was like a luau and the food was amazing as well as the dances. Touristy but so worth it (it was also mainly Spanish and Korean tourists too.)
On the way walking to the cultural center we stopped at Wat Puak Pia on Tippanet Road where there were monks chanting! It seems that around 6pm is the evening chants.
