Thursday, December 7, 2023
Walking from Story 106 Co-working Space to The 3-Sis

Wat Saen Fang

Since I had a little extra time, I decided to visit Wat Saen Fang before the walk back to The 3-Sis. This is a relatively new temple next door to Story 106. According to a plaque on the grounds, this temple was built in the 1870s making it new compared to many temples in and around Chiang Mai. Wat Saen Fang was built just inside the original Tha Phae Gate, the eastern gate on the second, earth and clay wall known as the Kamphaengdin. Tha Phae Gate in the Kamphaengdin was taken down about or just after 1900. Here is a photo of Tha Phae Gate in the Kamphaengdin in 1899:

The long entrance to Wat Saen Fang is guarded by two 100-foot-long naga serpents and a line of thewada. I wanted to include the naga head, but it is behind the open gate which is locked open (so I could not move it to get a photo…I was tempted though). It is unclear why there is an alligator under the first part of the naga. I have also seen this at other temples.

Inside the temple grounds, I first went to the viharn (worship hall). This is a fairly large viharn, especially considering I see so few people here. Here is a photo of the front of the viharn and one of the inside. I saw several young monks setting up chairs and other things in preparation for an event or ceremony. From the rows of chairs, they are expecting a good number of people.

The side of the viharn with the plaque indicating the viharn was built in 1878.

Behind the viharn is the chedi. When I saw this a year or two ago, it was looking worn and dirty. Since then, it has been cleaned and restored, now looking very bright. The chedi is surrounded by a fence or wall with gates. Note the contrast between the un-restored gate at the bottom of the photo and the chedi itself.

Just behind the chedi are two structures. First, the ubosot (ordination hall) that also appears to have been recently restored.

Second a rather nice, small and a little rustic-looking ho trai (library) in the garden.

Walking back to The 3-Sis

Here is a map of my walk from Story 106 back “home” (The 3-Sis):

I crossed Tha Phae Road, and started to make my way back to The 3-Sis before my chi nei tsang session with Khun Ohm. I passed Wat Buppharam and turned left into Tha Phae Road Soi 3. At the back of the temple, this soi is very narrow, and then opens a little.

In between Tha Phae Road and Loi Kroh Road, there many sois. It is not clear to me which I am on at times, because except where they intersect with a main road, they are not signed. At this point I think I am still on Tha Phae Road Soi 3.

Then there is an intersection where I make a right turn and now I’m walking west, parallel to Loi Kroh Road on Kotchasarn Road Soi 3 (seems to be a good number of Soi 3s today).

This soi ends at the outer-moat-road, named Kotchasarn Road here. I cross here and am now crossing over the moat. This view is looking north to Tha Phae Gate:

Now inside the old city, it is a very familiar and fairly short walk from the moat to The 3-Sis, so I did not take more photos. Cleaned up and headed out to see Khun Ohm for chi nei tsang.

This year has been a little different than in years past. While I was still working, I most often arrived right around Christmas, and the weather was a little cooler. Last year I arrived in Chiang Mai on December 9, and the afternoon weather was not oppressively hot. This year, I arrived in Chiang Mai on November 22 and noticed right away that the afternoons are very hot and humid. And the heat persists into the evening. Even the Thai people are commenting on how winter is arriving later than normal. And, since I typically practice yoga or go to the gym in the morning, the hot afternoons are not as conducive to getting out for longer walks. I also have not felt energetic enough to make the hikes up in the jungle/forest to Wat Phalad and/or Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Recent evenings have been just a little cooler, so perhaps winter is really coming and afternoons will not be as oppressive.

Next: another adventure in Chiang Mai