Chiang Mai: Wat About It

We spent a week in Chiang Mai, our final stop in Thailand, and did everything from cooking our own curry to chatting with a monk. So here goes...

The ‘Sticky Waterfalls’

We hired a moped for the day and rode out of town on the hunt for the famed ‘Sticky Waterfalls’ which we’d heard you’re able to climb (unlike all other waterfalls which are so slippy you risk concussion with one footstep). Once we’d managed to prise ourselves off of the scooter and massage some life back into our sore bums we headed down the wooden steps to the base of the falls. We didn’t quite believe the rumours- how could you climb rocks with constant water gushing all over them?! But, it was true! Thanks to a mineral deposit in the falls, the boulders were actually grippy- it’s like walking on a hard sponge, and means you can walk up bare-footed without slipping around- amazing. We climbed all the way to the top (getting drenched along the way), which was a pretty cool experience- there’s not many people who can say they’ve climbed a waterfall.

Grand Canyon Waterpark

Despite it being ‘rainy season’ we only saw 1 night of rain in Chiang Mai, with the rest of the weather being absolutely boiling. So, we headed to an inflatable water park to cool down. The result was actually flailing around with all the grace of a potato. Hilarious. Enjoy the photos guys.

Elephant Nature Park

Anyone who’s read my earlier blogs knows I spent a month at WFFT living and working with elephants and other rescued wildlife in Phetchaburi, which I loved and miss. As Ryan and Hannah had now joined me, we took a group trip to Elephant Nature Park so they could meet these gorgeous creatures too. The day we did this was an odd one- a mixture of missing the elephants I’d grown close to at WFFT, feeling happy that the elephants here had finally been rescued and were no longer being abused, but also heartbroken to see so many of them so badly injured from their previous lives at the hands of humans. It took me ages to get to sleep that night because I couldn’t stop thinking of Medo, a female elephant who had most horrific of stories. Medo was forced to work in the logging industry from the age of 8. After 4 years of labour she was badly injured when a log fell on her, breaking her rear left ankle. After that, no one wanted a lame elephant so she was forced to breed to make her owner money. Chained down by all 4 legs, they chose the biggest bull in musth and rather than just breeding with her he horrendously attacked her. Because he was a bull in musth no one would step in and help, and she was left bleeding, screaming in pain and writhing in agony. The vet determined she had dislocated her backbone. She was left like this, hidden because her owner was ashamed of her, for 15 years before her rescue. What humans do to animals is heartbreaking.

The centre is also home to hundreds of dogs, cats and water buffalo who, alongside the elephants, roam free in the biggest and most beautiful of settings- lush greenery and their own river to frolic in. Many of the dogs here had been rescued from the dog meat trade and were now available to adopt- we were very close to bringing approximately 20 of them home. There is no riding, no chains, and the mahouts here just follow the elephants around, letting the elephants lead the way, to make sure they’re happy, safe and well fed. Please, please, do your research before visiting anywhere with animal encounters. As I said in previous blogs, there are places out there where the encounter is great for you, but it’s also ethical for the animals. If anywhere offers elephant riding or you see an elephant chained, then it’s a straight no.

Backstreet Academy Silversmith Class

We’d booked this experience through ‘Backstreet Academy’ because it was a great collaboration between letting you in on the local crafts but also giving back to the locals who teach you. This one was held at the Silver Temple (Wat Srisuphan) and led by a little lady in a silversmith workshop alongside the monks who were also learning the craft. We each had a hammer, a chisel and a sheet of aluminium and were asked to choose a pattern to create our own bangles. One hit of the hammer later and we were all convinced that our bangles would very much resemble something from the scrap metal yard. Thank heavens our teacher was a patient lady. Hats off to silversmiths, as we quickly found out it’s darn difficult to create intricate patterns on aluminium! Three hours and a lot of finger cramp later, we’d only gone and done it- three bangles created by us, what a souvenir to have, and a new appreciation for the silversmiths of this world.

Thai Farm Cooking School

I’d spent the past 2 months eating Thai food, so it was about time I learnt how to make it. Our teacher was brilliant and talked us through making Tom Kha (a soup using coconut milk), a curry, Pad Thai, and bananas in coconut milk- everything was able to be vegetarian too without any hassle which was amazing. We loved learning what went in to the food we’d been eating so much of, and it was an absolute feast to tuck in to (I genuinely had to have a nap afterwards.) After cooking we were also given a tour round the gardens to see where all of our food had come from.

More temples than you can shake a stick at

Chiang Mai has Over 300 ‘Wats’ (Buddhist temples)- get the joke in the title now? A short walk round the old city and you’ll see loads. We chose to go to Wat Sri Suphan (the silver temple), Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Si Koet, Doi Suthep and Wat Pha Lat. Each temple was cool in its own way, but Wat Pha Lat deserves an extra shoutout for sheer tranquility and coolness. A 45 minute trek through the jungle takes you high up above Chiang Mai where ancient temple ruins covered in vines and moss sit next to a waterfall. Indiana Jones eat your heart out.

Monk Chat

We’d heard you could sit down with a monk at several of the temples in Chiang Mai and ask them whatever you fancy. We’d written our own list of questions about Buddhism and the life of a monk (keen I know) and took it along to Wat Chedi Luang. Under a little canopy sat a 19 year old ‘novice’ monk (you’re a novice until you’re 20, and then you become a fully fledged monk). He asked us if we were busy or if we had time to chat...(little did he know we’d come here for exactly that purpose and had a whole list lined up for him!) We sat with him for an hour whilst he happily answered all our questions. He was open and honest, knowledgeable, cheerful and thankful for the life he had, and we learnt so much from chatting to him. Every day’s a school day kids.

Sak Yant

Before we’d set off on our travels we’d read about the pretty special experience of having a Sak Yant in Thailand, but weren’t sure whether we’d actually manage to find somewhere to be able to do it. ‘Sak Yant’ translates as ‘magical tattoo’ and is the ancient art of tattooing ‘yantras’ using a bamboo pole performed by monks and Ajarns. They are believed to offer various protections and blessing depending on the design. Each Sak Yant has its own mantra, like a prayer, and the Ajarns that perform this spend many years learning the mystical designs and ancient alphabet meaning that they can tailor the Sak Yant to every individual. There is a whole ceremony surrounding the tattoo, giving an offering to the Ajarn before the tattooing and then afterwards the Ajarn chants to bless the tattoo, blowing the magical powers into it and shaking water over the top of the person who has received the tattoo. Did it hurt? Oh yes. Luckily mine was only small and took a matter of minutes. Ryan was a trooper and bared the pain for a whole hour though. Our Arjan asked us both during the process if we were ok, to which we winced ‘yes’ in reply, he seemed suitably impressed and said we were both strong. Afterwards they give you incense and a candle and ask you to find a quiet spot later in the day to reflect on your experience and to imagine yourself going forward with the mantras your individual Sak Yant brings. We found a little temple down the road and lit our incense and candle just as the monks were coming to prayer. We stood looking in and listening to their chants thinking about how special our experience had been.

Honourable mention: The Walking Market

Each Sunday evening the night market rolls out within the old city walls selling pretty much anything you could think of. There’s lots of super tasty food stalls and it’s a great option for a cheap dinner. The market is huge. At one point we thought we might just have to live in the market as there appeared to be no way out. Don’t worry though, we made it out. Just.

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And just like that, two months in Thailand is over. I’ve had the best time and learnt so much, so here’s what Thailand has taught me:

-To dive (I may have formed an addiction)

-To work so hard sweat is dripping off of every bone imaginable. And that it’s worth it.

-To love animals and to want their freedom even harder than before

-To cook a pretty decent curry

-To carve silverware (niche I know)

-About Buddhism and the monks that follow this faith

...and it’s reminded me just how much I love exploring this big sphere we live on. Here’s to the next adventure. Laos, I’m coming for ya.