Just when you might think we couldn’t better the last day out….this one will take some beating, involving, as it did, a stunning forest waterfall, more off road mountain tracks with stunning views and lots of fun as we had to fight our way through some very thick mud.
Its on days like this that I start thinking I should get a bike like Allys.
This week our chosen meeting place was Mee Mees cafe at Meechok Plaza.
This week I made sure I arrived early and had breakfast whilst waiting for Ally.
While I was there Roger, and old ‘customer’ friend, from my Brick Road Cafe days, appeared, in his Hillman Hunter. He was just preparing to leave Chiang Mai and head back to the UK for a couple of months.
We had a good chat and when Ally arrived at 9.30am we all drank coffee before Ally and I headed off on this weeks ride.
We took the 1001, 121 and the back way along the river road to the 107 and Mae Rim.
Just after Mae Rim centre we turned off left on the 3009 riding up the hill as the rain started.
We had to shelter for a while but then carried on up to Pankled Coffee, which sits at the turn off for Mork Fa Waterfall.
Whilst we enjoyed coffee and lunch the heavens opened again. In the end it died down enough for us to carry on, all beit donning raincoats, and we took the small road up to Doi Suthep Pui National Park.
My entrance fee, not having a local ID, was 70 baht.
It was 350 metres walk through the forest, which, in the rain, was at its lushest.
On the way we spotted a sign that tells you to ‘Please beleive alarm sound’.
We asked at the ticket kiosk later, wondering whether there was an actual alarm and what it was for. Turns out it is a slightly misleading translation with the actual meaning being to take note of the sound of surging water due to the risk of flash floods over the waterfall.
Ally had previously beleived it to mean to listen out for falling trees.
I would say listen out for both, they are equally a significant risk, especially during this season.
We decided that it was too wet ant slippy to take the nature trail and see the Bat Cave but we did get to the Waterfall…..fantastic.
In better weather i”d have taken a dip, same as some braver local girls there at the time.
By the time we got back to the bikes the rain had got heavier and it was time for the leg-ins too.
We then headed on through the National Park, along a track that does not always appear on Allys GPS. She has been this way before so we relied on her memory.
As the rain continued and the track got progressively worse in places we had to decide whether or not to carry on. After on stretch that had been quite lumpy and slippery, Ally declared that if her memory served correctly it didnt get much worse after that.
Well I for one am quite glad that her memory was well off on that one. Had her memory served her correctly then we might have turned back, and as messy as it got, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
It took us through some fantastic scenery, and this is where the ‘Real Lanna Land’ comes in.
Another lesson for me, Ally tells me that Lan means million…and Na is a rice field… Lanna, the land of a million rice fields…and we saw a fair few of them on this ride.
I have heard opinions about the Hilltribes being lazy, what I saw on this ride says that cannot be true.
The undulating landscape is transformed, in a stunningly beautiful way, by intricate terraced rice paddys.
It really is something to behold. There is much more agriculture going on besides, we passed many dragon fruit plantations, and other ‘nursery’ operations.
It was worth battling our way through the deep mud we found waiting on several corners of the track through the hills.
At the worst, I nearly lost one of my shoes and came pretty close to blowing my engine as the bike sank low into the thick red mud and it took all my strength to push it through.
Then, here in the middle of nowhere, we come across the electric guys, fixing lines.
This meant that electric cable lay strewn across the track and we had to trust that we wouldnt get electricuted riding over it….oh Joy!
Eventually we made it through and came back out, close to the Buddha on Pink Lotus, onto the road down to Mae Rim.
It had been a long ride, 16.45pm by the time we got to that point.
The weather had dried out half way through the ride but as we headed home the thick black clouds ahead said more rain for sure.
We parted company at the 121 and I headed home to Lamphun riding through an horrendous storm. But as heavy as the rain was, it still couldnt remove all of that thick red mud.
For many more photos of the rice fields and more , please visit our photobucket album here.
And check out Allys’ here.
Another day when culture comes first.
On arriving at school today we saw preparations being finalised for the imminent procession.
A few minutes shaking out my stiff joints and I went and caught up with the kids as they walked down to the second Temple.
In desperate need of refreshment by the time we reached the second Temple, I chose to sit this one out at the little shop opposite and take a drink, whilst the children all went in to deliver the second candle and listen to more sermon.
Then I discovered that there was a much bigger parade to come. We all went into the main village where many others were also gathering; many dressed in their traditional clothes, and with many decorated trucks, carrying candles and Buddha figures.
The procession actually ended up in the field of our school where there were food stalls, a stage and marquees, where yet more Monks were in attendance to receive gifts and give merit.
Continuing past the up market looking riverside restaurants close to the Lamphun city moat, we crossed the nearby intersection and took the first left soi that appeared to follow the river.
Taking advantage of their location the restaurant appeared to have its own fisherman, who popped his catches into a holding net in the cafe pond.
After a lot of riding in baking hot sunshine we spotted a large riverside restaurant that looked over the river towards a small Doi that turned out to be Doi Lo.
And I am so glad we did. Not that the Temple itself was much to shout about, but the views were fantastic.
Just long enough to get some great shots of the views and the obligatory ‘cute pose’ from a group of local boys who followed us everywhere practising their English.
Our start point was Wat Pang Yuu, which you will find by taking the Hang Dong turn off Highway 11, the one that actually carries on to Samoeng. The Temple is on the left with the entry road being just before the river bridge.
Ally informed me that, although it was not the first time she had visited , she was very impressed with what is clearly a relatively recent facelift. On her previous visit it had apparently been a very run down and neglected place.
Also, don’t miss the ancient looking Buddha scene, under the trees to the left of the pond. Though not lavishly painted like the newer statues you see from the road, for me this image has the real Buddha spirit about it somehow.
And very nice it was to. The River Ping, away from the city centre, certainly on this stretch towards Lamphun, has a wonderfully relaxing effect and a look that belies its size and strength. With the many ancient overhanging trees, floating water plants and its many twists and turns it feels more like a beautiful winding stream.
Didn’t actually get the name of the place but it appears to be a Thai concern, that, the lady who served us our coffee informed us, specializes in fish dishes along with other common Thai options. It is right on the river bank, looking towards the large weir we would visit shortly after. A lovely quiet place for coffee and a very likely meal out place in the future, being not so far from home.
after coffee it was just a couple of minutes ride before we reached the impressive looking weir, which looks to be a fairly new addition, or has at least been recently refurbished and acts also as a river crossing for pedestrians and motorcys. It is at this point that the canal system for Lamphun starts. The surrounding area is quiet lovely, with a nice size gazebo on the banks of the canal, which was occupied by a friendly bunch of local youngsters at the time.
All along the way, apart from the river there are several amazing buildings, from lavish homes to ‘wild shacks’ as Ally calls them.
On the way back to Chiang Mai we spotted a few fishermen in the water hauling nets; stopped for lunch at a local Thai outlet, very tasty food and only 20 baht!;
and shortly before parting at 1.30 , took a short detour to a very nice coffee shop just off the super highway.
Somboon was, however, determined to repeat the feat and went off in the early evening to join the thousands of other local Thais who hold this event dear.
From Boons photos it is clear that despite a quite violent lightning storm mid evening, literally thousands of people made the effort. Indeed, it looks to me that the numbers may have been up quite significantly on the year that I took part. Maybe the recent problems for Thailand giving added impetus to perform the rituals.
The walk takes place through the afternoon and evening and then the water dousing festival and processions take place early morning. Trooper that he is, Boon made it to the Temple in 4 hours from the entrance to Chiang Mai University. It took us 5 in 2006, and 3 years older and carrying alot more pounds I’m guessing it may have taken me 6 or 7 if I’d attempted it this year.
We timed it just right, getting to Wat Haripunchai just after 3.30pm to see the long procession coming into the Temple grounds. Again the importance of this festival to the local population was clear by the numbers in attendance. A cultural and spiritual importance made all the more clear in Lamphun, a city not geared towards tourists.
Although I’m sure there were probably other foreigners there somewhere, we were there for quite a while and strolled round the Temple grounds and then the street market around the moat and I did not see any at all.
I think this will be a weekly destination for us.
This impressive Wat can be found behind The Princes Royal College which lies on Kaewnarawat rd, the main road out to Arcade Bus Station, Chiang Mai. Just turn left down the soi immediately before the college(coming from the river), and then right and you will see the entrance.
Immediately on your right as you come in is home to a well respected Thai massage training course for local Thais.
Inside there are many scenes from Buddhas story adorning the walls in that splendid traditional painting to be seen in so many of Chiang Mais temples.
This was just 3 weeks ago, in the first week of April, when Lars, a Danish plumber, with a penchant for interior design, had been visiting for a couple of weeks and was keen to get out and see more of Northern Thailand.
Boon had quite a busy schedule with his business, but we decided to fit in a couple of days traveling with Lars, who had turned up with Conga Dave, an old friend from the UK. Shame Dave had already gone home really.
Lars had been out and rented a 250cc Honda Chopper.By all accounts very comfortable and certainly handled the hills a touch better than my 150cc JRD., but then I did have a passenger.
By midday we were pretty much melting and on the hunt for a waterfall where we might be able to cool down.
It took a while but eventually we came apon a beautifully refreshing spot, around 30kms from Phayao, and free! Always the best.
We joined many Thais, including a bunch of village kids who had been taken there by a group of Buddhist Monks, soaking in the natural beauty, and getting soaked in the wonderfully cooling water that gushed down the mountainside.
The first is entered via an old stone stairway, which, apart from the very first few steps, which take you under a very impressive archway, is long but not so steep.
There are actually several small Temples of differing styles on this first site as well as quite an array of impressive stone statues, set amongst the mountain forest trees it is so peaceful, apart from the hums and buzzs of the forest insect life.
If ever I take the plunge and sign up as a Monk , this is definitely high on the list of places I’d like to do it.
So quiet, and so much beauty, both the architecture and the scenery, some great views of the surrounding countryside .
This Buddha was obviously very old and possibly in need of renovation, and looking across to the third sight where the replica of Buddhas Temple can be found.
Completely different in design to Thai Temples this blue/white stone edifice casts an imposing feature on the landscape. It is set in manicured landscaped gardens , another must for anyone interested in the Buddhist theme.
This rather grand Temple sits on Phra Pok Klao south of Wat Chedi Luang and has a very regal feel to it.
It has a few notable features; the line of huge ‘gongs’ along the southern side of the outside of the Wat; a new looking activities hall built with an original Lanna style roof;
