Tyler Travel: The White Temple

7th March

I had such a nice day visiting this temple, I wanted to devote a whole post to it.

Wat Rong Khun

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Rong_Khun

The temple was created by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a local Thai visual artist who designed, constructed and opened it to visitors in 1997. The old temple was in a bad state of repair so he rebuilt it with his own money. There were pictures of him everywhere and a Special exhibition of his art work. It can be quite controversial and dark but very interesting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalermchai_Kositpipat

I got a grab, as the temple is outside the city, and the taxi driver this time was very friendly. I told him it was my last day in Thailand and that I was heading for Laos. He said that Laos is like what Thailand was like 30 years ago. He said the Laos people were their 'cousins' and gave me some Lao phrases.

He warned me it was burn season there too, which worried me a little, but to be honest, I want to go so if it's that bad when I get there I can move on more quickly to Vietnam. To be honest, the air quality in Chiang Rai has been much better than Chiang Mai & Pai, so hopefully Northern Laos will be OK

He also said, as we approached the temple, not to miss the cave! I thanked him and hopped out.

The temple is stunning and worth the 200 baht extra to get up close to it and go inside. It is completely white washed and covered in thousands of tiny mirror tiles which makes it glisten and sparkle in the sunlight. There are some sculptures of bones and hands reaching up at the beginning - I think to represent human suffering and struggles

You weren't allowed to take photos inside the temple, but the art work was very modern with lots of pictures from the modern world, like Elvis, the Matrix, a cell phone, Freddie Kruger, Ben 10 & Yoda etc etc. Some of the walls had murals like the ones below:

I then visited the Cave - which was included in my ticket. This is a walkway, full of sculptures and is a visual and sensual experience as you walk through, with music to reflect the mood changes from sinister to calm as you walk the pathway 'through hell' out to the Buddha and heavenly peace.

it was really cool!

Outside the cave:

I felt very happy and peaceful. There was a place where you could hang a Bodhi leaf, for good luck.

You write your name or a message and hang it up, and they add it to the tree later, with the rest of them to stay in the temple. They represent a leaf from the sacred fig tree where Buddha attained his enlightenment. It symbolises wisdom, peace and prosperity.

I wrote one and hung it up ❤, for Good Luck.

There was a temple dedicated to Ganesh - the God with the elephant head. I didn't realise he was worshipped in Buddhism too.

There was an art exhibition - these are some of my favourites:

Hanuman - the monkey God - or warrior monk.

'The hermit in the mountain'

'Emotions in Social media world'

This was called 'Isolation' - created in 2020

and this one is called 'Horizons' - but it could be Isolation too couldn't it? - It's just a matter of perspective.

'The year of the Pig'

There was also an exhibition of Chalermchai Kositpipat's work, but you weren't allowed to take pictures.

There were some quite controversial pieces including a painting of George Bush and Osama Bin Laden sat on a rocket together, flying into space, or to heaven.

I was hungry and had lunch at a cafe, which was one of the nicest meals I've had in Thailand - it was a curry - a northern speciality - with warm spices - and Thai tea which is an orange coloured lightly spiced tea with milk and sugar - served over ice - reminds me of Chai a bit.

I got a taxi some of the way back - this time with Bolt. I had put the destination as 'Central Chaing Rai' thinking I'd get dropped in the city centre, but I got dropped at a shopping centre called 'Central'.

I didn't mind though and had a look around the shops. There was also a small art exhibition there too.