2500 Year Old Buddha:

After tigers and elephants, can more temples still be exciting?

Afraid so. How can a visitor ignore more than 300 temples in Chiang Mai? I couldn't. Had to see at least three before I left, especially since each part of Thailand has its own historic treasures and Chiang Mai--being in the far North--has its own unique "flavor" of temples.

I was glad I decided to go temple-hopping again when I got up to Doi Suthep, another huge mountain--highest yet--with a magnificent temple complex on top. You can climb the steps or take a cable car to see it. I took the cable car up and hiked down.

But the best find was the 2500 year old Buddha down in the Old City of Chiang Mai. It came from India originally.

And one temple was as old as what I saw in Ayuthaya and is still functioning as a working temple. I hired a taxi driver named Tong to take me everywhere I wanted to go--that's how I got around. Just paid him for a full day one day and a half day another time. He was really great and suggested that these temples should not be missed.

He was right. Would be like going to Rome and skipping the Vatican.

Temple of the 2500 year old Buddha




Ancient crumbling elephant temple, also in the Old City.





Another beautiful reclining Buddha--though not as big as the one in Bangkok.



Donations help to support a temple's dog population.



Enormous ancient temple in the Old City.



Buddha in a side temple at Doi Suthep. No photos were allowed in the main temple and there was a lot of renovation going on as well. The place was jammed with devout visitors.

Fierce temple guard.

Steps at Doi Suthep