Doi Suthep and the King's Winter Palace (I got one of those)

On the 27th we went up a nearby mountain to Doi Suthep, a very high and very famous Thai Wat. The road up was very twisty and that coupled with the exhaust from the truck we rode up in we were feeling a little ill by the time we got to the top. We arrived at the base of the temple and had to climb a long stair case to reach the Wat.

Once we climbed the steps we were greeted with a seething throng of people foreign and local. Some have come to worship,all have come to take pictures. It is a very visually stunning place, with the intricate mosaics and all the Buddha statues. There is also a really nice view of Chiang Mai and the surrounding country side.

After the Wat we went farther uphill to the Kings Winter Palace. A very modest and humble dwelling, not! It sat on the highest point of the hill, higher than Wat and consisted of many large and medium sized buildings and a very large and fancy garden that was tended by an army or military gardeners. No joke! They were all wearing army fatigues and carrying watering jugs. The place was guarded better than Fort Knox. Here are a couple of pics.

 After all the touristy stuff, we headed back down the mountain. Laura almost blew chunks on the ride down but she courageously held it down. Good job!