Friday, 16 January 2015  Afternoon / Evening

After visiting Nimmanhaemin Road, on my walk back to 3-Sis, I stopped again at Wat Phra Singh. It was suggested that I take a look at the old, smaller viharn (worship hall) in the back and view the old paintings on the inside walls. There are always crowds at Wat Phra Singh, just like at Wat Chedi Luang. I made my way past the large viharn, back by the large chedi where there two smaller and definitely older viharn.

Here is the entrance to the smaller of the old viharn. The exterior, while detailed, is fairly plain. there are no Naga on the banisters of the stairs, and the base is not exactly rustic in its stark white. Even the two smaller Singha statues are plain gray concrete.

The actual doorway is quite nice, and very rustic. Beautiful dragons flank the top, and very majestic Thewada standing sentry-like at the entrance.

Inside, the color is very gold and red. Because of the sun and the glare, I could not get a good picture of the old paintings on the walls. They are obviously very old, and are undergoing some restoration. I may have to try again in the morning light.

On the walk from Wat Phra Singh to the 3-Sis, I was told to look for the hill tribe coffee shop, Akha Ama. I found it (pretty hard to miss), and had a latte. May have been the best latte in Chiang Mai this visit…but that is a bold statement. There is much good coffee here in Chiang Mai.

And then here is the large chedi at Wat Chedi Luang in the fading sunlight, one of my favorite places.

It always looks majestic, large and powerful.

And in even less light, from a different angle, and the image distorted by the camera compensating for the dark and the lights, it still looks majestic, large and powerful.

Next: A Lazy Sunday, Monday Walk to Wat Kate Karam