Wat Rong Khun - The White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand

I had an OK sleep and managed my pain a little better.  

The goal for today was to take a public bus to the White Temple.  I love riding public transportation because you never know who you will meet. Today I had a great half hour visit with a recently retired teacher from Buenos Aires.

The White Temple was built by Chalermchai Kositpipat and opened in 1997-

I asked one of the workers when it opened and she struggled with her English so this American woman butted in on the conversation.  She didn’t know what I had asked and when I explained my question she replied “well it doesn’t really matter does it”?  I gave her the strangest look because I thought it was my question and I didn't care what she thought.   I wanted to punch her right in the head.  I guess I was having that kind of day because when I went to buy my ticket, they told me that my shorts were too short even though they let a man go in right in front of me who wore shorts the same length. They made me go across the street and rent a skirt to cover my knees. Throughout the visit, I saw numerous women who did not have their knees covered. It only cost me $.80 so it’s no big deal, it’s just the principle of stupidity. It drives me mental.

We weren’t supposed to take pictures in the main temple but I did sneak one-

The paintings on the walls are very modern including a Minion, the Twin Towers under attack, Michael Jackson and other symbols of American Pop culture.

The main building is called the ubosot and is reached by crossing a bridge over a small lake-

The ubosot represents the mind.  In front of the bridge are hundreds of outreaching hands that symbolize unrestrained desire-

The bridge symbolizes the idea that the way to happiness is by giving up temptations, greed and desire - the Buddhist philosophy. 

Other views-

The Buddha relics tower-

Gold represents the body.  What a toilet!

Chalermchai is into monsters-

He has spent over 40 million baht (1.7 million Canadian) of his own money on this masterpiece. 

A belfry holds a bell-

The top of the Buddhist Tower collapsed because of an earthquake in 2014.  It  just about put an end to this complex but Kositpipat carried on-

 Inside the cave is another art display-

The Purity Tower-

The Ganesha Exhibition Hall contains a small art collection-

I came back to the hotel and had a bit of a rest, then went searching for laab.  It’s a northern Thailand dish made from minced pork and spices.  I found some but it also contained some mystery meat.  I didn’t like it-

There was a market nearby with congealed chicken blood in patties, chicken feet and gizzards-

I spent the rest of the day planning Laos and Cambodia.  Looking forward to the next days.

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