[Above: Wat Bupparam just outside the moat in Chiang Mai]
Entry #26: July 23, 2011 [Special triple post!]
-The Good-
One of the things I have failed to mention about my travels in Thailand which is certainly an intrinsic point to understanding Thai culture is the prevalence of meritorious deeds. For those of you who have not studied Thailand/Buddhism/SE Asia: Merit is earned via acts of generosity to others whether that be your family, a stranger or a Wat (temple). These actions can be giving time to help construct, to give food, or to give money. Certainly these are not the only ways in which one might gain merit, but the point of these actions is to accrue positive merit which is likely to have a significant impact in your next life. I point this out, because absolutely everywhere you go in Thailand there are temples, if you go to secluded mountain tops there are temples, if you walk down the street you are likely to find a temple and even within each Thai residence and many public spaces there are shrines for honoring of Pi (spirits). The temples within Thailand are amazing, and when you step in side the grandeur and design elements that are contributed during construction or renovation are really fantastic. When a temple is built local artisans will be hired by wealthy patrons to do commissions of reliefs, or sculptures and very frequently wall paintings. This process, of employing the artists is a way for the wealthy contributor to gain merit as well. The simple point that this lends to an experience often within Thailand is a strong moral core amongst local peoples. More often then not the people whom you meet are often very honest and can be very considerate, this perhaps lends to the low crime rates within the country, occasionally petty theft will occur as well as more serious crimes, but more often then not I have had the feeling of safety wherever I travel and few people express any sort of malicious intent. It is perhaps that the expression of dis-ease or anger is more frequently hidden because it is not considered acceptable within Thai standards for proper expression. So it is difficult to know if it is the prohibition to live so expressively (as I feel within the US is very common) or perhaps the standard for good healthy spiritual action which compels most people. Then again both of these could be factors but not be the actual reason for a low crime rate as well for as the nature explaining extremely pious and giving peoples.
[Above: A piece of hand tooled wooden art within a local coffee shop]
-The Beautiful-
So within Thailand, as previously mentioned, there are absolutely amazing temples which can be observed on most any day. However I feel the beauty of Thailand is often found everywhere and sometimes in extremely unexpected fashions and possibly even overlooked. Above is a small hand carved relief that is fashioned out of wood, the craftsman often use elements of wood for hanging signs out of tooled woodwork but what is interesting is there is often no attempt to 'finish' the edges, that is the wood is shaved down to be flat on 2 faces but then the carpenter does not go and square off the wood to make things look absolutely even. Instead a natural and asymmetrical fashion of presentation adds a uniqueness to every sculpture/carving that is insanely beautiful. I had noticed it first when riding around and seeing signs outside several wats in which I thought that perhaps the wood had been broken but realized this is just an incorporation of the natural elements within the pieces themselves. Although I would not suggest this for every design element, a sense of asymmetry along with a natural texture can be incredibly beautiful. What is also note worthy about this coffee shop is that the proprietor was incredibly friendly, and although he did not speak English very well his giving nature was apparent. Myself and JoAnn stopped in for just a cup of coffee and the man insisted on bringing us samples of many homemade pastries as well as Ice-cream made from coconut and dragonfruit! All these little treats were gratis, and given merely for sharing the experience as well perhaps my crude and sometimes ineffective attempts to communicate via Thai. I have said it many times before that the best places to go in Thailand are often the local shops because the food is new, exciting, fresh and the service is excellent. A sense of adventure for trying new places that aren't always the most chic looking from the outside will often land you in a cozy seat with friendly service. Several additional discoveries of coffee shops and cafe style restaurants have been made over the last couple days. We managed to find a cafe that had recently opened up (only 1 month ago) and their food was exquisite and incredibly cheap, ranging from foreign foods such as pancakes with fresh fruit in the mix to local Thai dishes. If you can manage to find "The Hut Cafe" within Chiang Mai, and the couple of tables they have aren't already filled with eager customers, give them a chance and they will not disappoint!
[Above: A panoramic shot of Chiang Mai from about half way up the mountain at a scenic overlook]
-The Gorgeous-
Two days ago I decided, I really need to get up into the mountain and see what there is to see. I was not prepared for how amazing the views would be, and how refreshing and crisp the air was. I feel as though describing all the shades of green and the breath taking views deserve a whole blog in and of themselves. The feeling of driving up and down the mountain was exhilarating because with each bend and hairpin turn a whole new scene of lush forest unfolds before your eyes. Sporadically throughout the journey towards the peak of the mountain there are rest areas, Wat's and even touristy shopping amalgams. Thankfully these outlooks, and highly concentrated centers of commerce are relegated to a substantially tiny portion of the journey. The cold air whipping past with the dense fogs that will nestle into the crevices of the mountain journey add to the mystery and excitement of the journey. Waterfalls can be seen along the sides of the roads and breaks in the canopy present amazing views of the city below. The excitement of the travel up the mountain is a real challenge on the motorbike, in both directions you are constantly shifting gears and occasionally progress is a bit slower then desired. I did not however manage to make it to the pinnacle of the mountain which holds the jewel of a temple known as Doi Settep. I have heard from several reliable sources that possibly this is the most beautiful temple in all of Thailand, and at night the road into the temple is closed to incoming traffic and lite beautifully. The journey over the past several days has been stupendous and I have had trouble even conjuring the words to explain the beautiful influences I have seen. Per a friends suggestion that perhaps I ought to start producing artwork again I feel that if I can muster the strength to incorporate a fragment of the beauty I have found here in Chiang Mai that a torrential river of art could be produced. I feel that the beauty and charm of the area could be explored through multiple lifetimes of work but it would be a worthwhile attempt to capture some of the rustic elements. It is my extreme hope that areas such as the mountain containing Doi Settep do not become overwhelmed with modern development projects, that the beauty and majesty of the outlying area around Chiang Mai be continually maintained.
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