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| Evelien and me on our way back from the White Temple |
Rach says:
Chiang Rai is a town dull enough to rival Sukhothai. The Lonely Planet's romanticised write-up shows that it shouldn't be taken too seriously, because "well-groomed" and "delightful" it certainly isn't.
Wat Rong Khun however, just outside the town and better known as the 'White Temple', is an incredible sight. It is a modern Buddhist
temple, designed by the Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat who wanted to build "the most beautiful building in the world". It looks straight out of a fairytale - like the Snow Queen's palace or something from Narnia - so artistic and creative. The imagery is quite scary for a religious building, with the 'hands from hell', demons and even sculptures of Predator and Hellboy representing the evils of the world - contrasting with the white purity of the building itself and its mirrored mosaics, which symbolise the wisdom of the Buddha reflecting through the universe. After reading the free leaflet I picked up, I'm just sorry that I missed the golden toilet...Now I will never know what "the most beautiful toilet in the world" looks like..! Construction of the temple began in 1996 and the final touches are still ongoing.
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| The White Temple, Chiang Rai |
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| The hands from Hell |
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| Evelien and Marije on a classic circa 1960s Thai bus |
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| Chiang Rai market |
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| Chiang Rai Golden Clock Tower, also designed by Kositpipat |
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