Thursday, 2 May 2024 Walking from Zamora to Montemarta 19.7 kilometers
We are starting the walk today after a day in Zamora to rest and acclimate after traveling from the U.S. The original plan for yesterday was to take items we do not need during the walk and send them to Ivar (who runs the Camino Forum) in Santiago de Compostela where, for a small fee, he will hold the package until we arrive. Unfortunately, May 1 is Labor Day in Spain, a national holiday, and almost all businesses are closed, including Correos, the Spanish Post Office.
So this morning, we walked to the main Correos office in Zamora and were there when they opened at 8:30. We were helped by a very nice lady who, despite some language challenges, made sure we had everything in order to send the package to Casa Ivar in Santiago de Compostela. The cost was 20 Euros, and the package will arrive in two days, much, much faster than our walking speed.
The company who booked our accommodations for this pilgrimage walk, Pilgrim.es, did not find suitable accommodation in Montemarta, so once we arrive, we are to call Isodoro Rodriguez in Zamora, he will come to Montemarta, pick us up, and leave us back at the same hotel in which we are staying in Zamora. Tomorrow morning, he will return us to Montemarta so we can continue our pilgrimage walk where we ended today.
Today’s walk was fairly short at just under 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) and relatively flat, so a good first day. Since we have accommodation booked, we do not have to hurry. We did walk for just over 4 hours and 10 minutes at a decent speed, averaging 4.7 kilometers per hour. That included a few short breaks along the way. Here is a map from Samsung Health showing the walk today next to a depiction of the elevation superimposed on a graph of my speed. It is unclear what the few up and down “spikes” in the graph represent. I’m also going to see if the map and elevation displays on Strava are better than Samsung Health.
Map of today’s walkElevation superimposed on speed
The morning started very cool, even though we did not start until about 9:30 AM. It was 4.4 degrees Celsius (about 40 F) when we started walking after sending off our package at Correos. Near our hotel, we came upon an intersection where a different Camino route heads more directly west to meet the Camino Portugese. We are continuing more directly north on the Via de la Plata, so we continued straight at this sign:
Two Camino routes divergence sign
Walking through the outskirts of Zamora we saw a Camino marker indicating 279 kilometers (173 miles) to Santiago de Compostela. I got a photo of Dan looking very serious and Ron by the way marker.
Dan and Ron by the marker indicating 279 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela
I’m not sure how Ron’s hands were warm; he does have gloves. I wore my gloves, as did Dan. We were soon out of town, away from traffic, and after passing a roundabout, we left the highway and walked on secondary, dirt roads. The Camino path passes large fields of canola in bloom.
Fields of canola along the Via de la Plata
The Camino route north of Zamora passes a very expansive solar farm, much larger even than that I saw last year south of Salamanca.
Expansive solar farm north of Zamora
After passing the solar farm and walking in vast fields of cereal crops, I noticed high-speed rail tracks in the fields to our left. No trains passed by today as we were walking.
High-speed train tracks in the vast fields
Dan took a photo of me near the high-speed train tracks. I am looking a little tired, and also it feels just plain cold today. Out here in the expansive fields, there are no trees to block the wind, and there are frequent cold winds here.
Jim near the railroad tracks
We crossed over the train tracks on a bridge, and I took this photo of the double-track high-speed rail line. Spain, like France and Germany, has really embraced high-speed rail. I’ll be on the express, high-speed train from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid after we finish our pilgrimage walk.
High-speed train tracks from the overpass
While there are some large solar farms, there are also many wind turbines generating power all over Spain. In the distance across the fields, we saw a large group of about 30 or more.
Wind turbines in the distance
We arrived in Montemarta at about 2 PM, and sat down at Rosa Marie’s Cafe for lunch, the menu of the day. I had an after-walk Coca-Cola, an outstanding bowl of stewed lentils with sausage for the starter, roasted chicken breast with fries for the main course, finishing with homemade flan with a cafe con leche.
Lentils with sausageChicken breast and fries
The server took a photo of the three of us after lunch.
Three amigos after a very satisfying lunch
This first day was a very good start, easing into the Camino walk with a fairly flat, although fairly cold walk. Tomorrow will be just a couple kilometers longer, but also relatively flat, so a good second day as we get into Camino-walking shape.
After agonizing over planning and packing for what seemed like far too long, the time to actually start this journey to Spain had arrived. First a flight to Madrid, meet with my brother-in-law Ron and his friend Dan, then a train ride to Zamora where we will start the walk on Thursday the second of May.
I walked about a kilometer (3/4 of a mile) to a shopping center Avis location and picked up a car I had reserved for the drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Then I drove home and loaded the car with my backpack and a small bag (a tripod bag) to hold my hiking poles since they are not allowed in carry-on luggage and must be checked. Here I am in front of my house with my luggage about to load the car and leave for LAX and then Spain.
In front of my house, about to load the rental car for the drive to LAX
Being a Sunday, I joined many, many other travelers on Interstate 5 going north to Los Angeles. It has been a long time since I drove north on a Sunday afternoon, and while heavy northbound traffic is normal for a Sunday afternoon, this was far worse than I remember. I got to the Avis location near LAX in about 2 and a half hours, including refueling the car. The bus ride from Avis to the actual airport was faster than some recent times, so I was checking in at the Iberia Airline counters almost three hours before the flight time. Security also went faster than I expected, so I was soon at Gate 153 in the LAX International terminal with more than 2 hours before boarding.
Iberia flight to Madrid Gate 153Jim at Gate 153
After a little while, I saw the airplane ready to be boarded, an Airbus A350-900:
Airbus A350-900 for the Iberia flight to Madrid
The flight from Los Angeles left more than 45 minutes late. The pilot said that despite the late departure, we were expected to land in Madrid on time. This meant that the 11-and-a-half-hour flight would only be about 11 hours. Still a very long overnight flight. We left Los Angeles at about 6:30 PM on Sunday and were due to arrive in Madrid at 1:50 PM on Monday afternoon. I am seldom able to sleep on long flights, so I watched a few forgettable movies and kept hoping the time would pass faster. Making the flight worse, it was not a smooth flight. There were long stretches of turbulence, some shorter very turbulent stretches, and many long (60 minutes or more) stretches of turbulence bad enough to keep the seat belt sign lit. The time for the descent and landing finally came, and after deboarding, getting through immigration (passport control), and collecting my checked bag, I took a taxi to the AirBnB where Ron and Dan were waiting. After I got a shower and changed clothes, we went out for dinner. We spent the evening getting to know one another and talking about what we might expect on the pilgrimage walk.
Tuesday 30 April 2024 Madrid to Zamora
Ron figured out that the Metro (subway) line at the stop near the AirBnB did go to the Madrid Charmatín train station. We decided to go to the train station early and have a mid-morning snack there before our train left at 11:20 for Zamora. Here is Dan descending into the Metro Bilbao subway stop (Ron is ahead of Dan with the orange backpack).
Dan and Ron descending into the Bilbao Metro station
The cost was 4.60 Euros for the trip to Charmatín. The subway train on which we rode is older, but clean and fast. Here is a photo of the train on which we traveled from Bilbao to Charmatín:
Madrid Metro Subway train Bilbao to Charmatín
The subway route we were on was deep underground. Coming up the escalators, we passed two other subway levels before getting to the ground level of the train station. Here is a photo of me in front of the large Charmatín train station:
Jim at the entrance to the Madrid Charmatín train station
Inside, there is security, not as stringent as at airports, but they do X-ray and scrutinize all baggage. Both Ron and I had to go to a secondary check to have our pocket knives looked at to make sure they were small enough to be allowed.
We sat down for a small meal – I had cafe con leche (coffee with steamed milk), freshly squeezed orange juice, and a ham and brie bocadillo (sandwich on a baguette). The ham in central Spain is very good. The pigs eat the acorns that drop from the trees where they live, and it is said that enhances the flavor.
Mid-morning meal / snack at Charmatín train station
After eating, we posed for a photo of all three of us using the timer on Ron’s phone:
Jim, Ron, and Dan in the Charmatín train station cafe
Then we made our way down to platform 15 where the train bound for Vigo was waiting. This train also stops at Zamora, Ourense, and Santiago de Compostela. Here is the train and also Jim and Dan about to enter coach 5:
Train to ZamoraJim and Dan about to board
During much of the 80-minute ride from Madrid Charmatín to Zamora the train moved along at 180-200 kilometers per hour (112-124 mph), and at times got up to 248 kph (154 mph). We arrived in Zamora and walked about 20 minutes to the hotel where we will stay for two nights.
Hotel in Zamora for two nights
In about 40 hours, we start the 420-kilometer (260-mile) pilgrimage walk from Zamora to Santiago de Compostela.
A year ago I started a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route known as the Via de la Plata & Camino Sanabres from Seville in the south of Spain to Santiago de Compostela in the northwest corner of Spain. I had to stop at Granja de Moreuela because of severe and painful tendonitis in my left leg. Here is a photo of me walking last year between Casar de Cáceres and Cañaveral on the 15th day of the 26 days I walked. Since I am walking from one town to the next, and not returning, I have everything in my backpack.
Via de la Plata 2023 Day 15
I am preparing to return to Spain in a week and complete my unfinished pilgrimage walk. This year I’ll be walking with my brother-in-law Ron and his friend Dan. We have discussed what to pack often, and I’m about to load up my backpack with the items in my list:
Clothing Items: 3 pairs Darn Tough merino blend socks 1 pair long convertible pants (REI), belt 1 pair long convertible pants (ExOfficio) 2 pairs Saxx boxer-briefs underwear 2 pairs compression boxer-briefs underwear 1 pair compression socks 2-short sleeve base layer Icebreaker 1-long sleeve layer, North Face 1-long sleeve layer, Duluth Trading Rain jacket – North Face Drizzle blue lightweight gloves (North Face) hat – Tilley LTM6 around-the-neck buff
Non Clothing Items: documents (train tickets, travel insurance, travel itinerary) wallet-velcro closing, coin purse passport, pilgrim’s credential Vitalyte electrolyte hydration powder (24), Cliff energy bars (6) HydroFlask 24-ounce water bottle Sony RX100 VI camera, strap, charger, extra batteries, Osprey case Glasses: distance (2), reading, sunglasses USB chargers (2) one w/European plug USB cables (4) for tablet/C, phone/C, watch/C-inductive, camera battery charger/mini Bose noise-cancelling earbuds, wired Samsung Galaxy S23 phone Samsung Galaxy Tab 8 tablet, SD card reader toothbrush / toothpaste, nail clippers, file, razor, blades, brush, shaving soap, floss, nail brush, lip balm small micro fiber towel (1 or 2) bar soap (body & clothing) clothes pins plastic Swiss Army knife (small, large) Lightweight sandals – Teva (for after walk) Hiking shoes – Keen Logan Hiking poles – Pacer Poles Tripod bag to use to check hiking poles Osprey waist pack (for wallet, passport, phone, credential) Backpack – Osprey Manta 36L
I am taking my Pacerpole hiking poles. If used properly, hiking poles help distribute weight more evenly (to my upper body) reducing some of the stress on my ankles and knees. The TSA does not allow hiking poles in carry-on luggage, so I must check the poles. I found a small bag designed for carrying tripods in which my hiking poles fit very well. I’ll include in that bag my Swiss Army knives, my refillable water bottle, my after-walk sandals, and a few other items.
I also use a waist pack (sometimes called a fanny pack) for my phone, wallet, passport, and pilgrim’s credential so they are on me all the time.
Here are a few photos of everything ready to be loaded into my Osprey Manta 36 Liter backpack. I’m confident this will work because I used the same list and the same backpack last year.
Hiking poles (collapsed) gloves, and water bottle
The gloves may seem unnecessary, but when using the hiking poles, my hands are on the poles and exposed all the time, and the mornings are very cool. The gloves are very lightweight and prevent skin irritation.
Clothing and non-clothing for the backpack
The blue item with the green strap around it on the lower left is my rain jacket, really an all-purpose jacket with a Gore-Tex outer fabric to shed water in the rain. The green bag in the upper middle has toiletries, and next to that are my chargers and cables (that go into the black bag on which they are sitting). Just to the right of the cables and chargers is my Sony RX100-VI camera, a camera that has been with me on several trips to Thailand and my last Camino walk.
Missing is my phone (I took these photos with my phone), and my Samsung Galaxy Tab 8 tablet. I’ll use the tablet (with keyboard included) to update this blog.
And finally, here is the backpack into which all of that will be carried, currently empty. I’ll do a “test packing” tomorrow or the next day just to make sure everything still fits.
14 April 2024 Planning a return to the Camino de Santiago
I am returning to Spain for a pilgrimage walk on the Camino de Santiago in two weeks. A year ago I was walking a 1050-kilometer (650 miles) pilgrimage route known as the Via de la Plata which started in Seville in the south of Spain. I developed severe and painful tendonitis in my left leg and had to stop walking after about 660 kilometers (410 miles) in a town called Granja de Moreruela. I returned home, and during a phone call with my sister Carol and her husband Ron, I expressed my disappointment over not having finished and my intention to return the next spring and complete the pilgrimage walk. Ron said he wanted to come with me. A few weeks later, his close friend, Dan, expressed his interest also. So Ron, Dan, and I will meet in Madrid on April 29. The next day, we will take the train to Zamora and spend two nights there getting oriented and completing any final preparations for the 420-kilometer (260-mile) pilgrimage walk from Zamora to Santiago de Compostela. We will start walking from Zamora on Thursday, 2 May 2024.
Here are two photos of me from last year’s walk. On the left is a photo of me at the top of a long hill looking over the valley from which we had been walking (12 April 2023). On the right is me in front of the elaborate entrance to the Cathedral in Salamanca (5 May 2023).
The following is some background and history of the Camino de Santiago and my involvement.
Some Camino de Santiago History
The Camino de Santiago is a collection of pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain where in the cathedral there, the remains of Saint James are said to be interred. Pilgrims have been making pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela for over a thousand years. The pilgrimage waxes and wanes in popularity due to economic and social changes. In medieval times, the Catholic Church encouraged the pilgrimage to stimulate the repopulation of Spain by Catholics after the Moors had been defeated. In the 1970s after two world wars and the end of the Franco regime, the pilgrimage emerged, gradually at first, and now there are thousands of people making the pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostela over various routes, some starting in various European countries.
The Name Saint James
Saint James the Greater, Saint James the Elder, or Saint Jacob was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. He was the second apostle to die and the first to be martyred. Saint James is the patron saint of Spain. In French, Jacob becomes Jacques, and in English, James. In Latin, his name is Sanctus Iacobus. This translates to Diego in Spanish and Tiago in Galego, the language used in the northwest part of Spain where Santiago de Compostela is located.
Santiago de Compostela
The city name Santiago de Compostela is often shortened to “Santiago” in Spain and is also sometimes known outside Spain as “Compostela” to differentiate it from Santiago in Chile or the Philipines. Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain. In the cathedral is the shrine of Saint James the Greater, and the destination of the “Way of Saint James” or “Camino de Santiago” since the 9th century.
The legend is that the remains of Saint James were re-discovered in the 9th century by a hermit named Pelagius, who observed strange lights in a local forest. He sought help from the local bishop, Theodemar of Iria, and they were then guided to the spot by a star. “Compostela” was given the etymology as a modification of “campus stellas” or “field of stars.” Some other traditions, somewhat more skeptical, point out that the name of Compostela comes from the Latin “compositum,” “cemetery,” as the place was already an old Roman graveyard.
My Own Pilgrimage Involvement
I have an auspicious name for the Camino de Santiago. My parents named me for Saint James, and my middle name, Christopher, is for Saint Christopher (the patron saint of travelers), a very Catholic name. I had heard about the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela many times and generally dismissed it. In 2015, my mother passed away at age 94 – she lived a good, long life. On my return flight to Southern California from the services in Washington State, the people next to me were talking about the Camino de Santiago, almost as if someone were tapping me on the shoulder saying, “It’s time…” So my motivation for my first pilgrimage walk was to honor my parents who named me for Saint James.
Camino Frances
That first pilgrimage walk was on the route called the Camino Frances. Several routes emerged through France over hundreds of years, some converging at a small town, Saint Jean Pied de Port, in southwestern France where there is a pass over the Pyrenees mountains (“pied de port” translates to “foot of the pass”). The Camino Frances starts at Saint Jean Pied de Port and traverses 800 kilometers (500 miles) across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. I walked this route in the spring of 2016 by myself and again in the autumn of 2017 with my friends Tom and Julie from Sydney. Here is a diagram of the route of the Camino Frances:
Route of the Camino Frances
Via de la Plata
The route known as the Via de la Plata starts in Seville in the south of Spain and follows or roughly parallels old Roman roads north to Astorga. When the Romans occupied the Iberian Peninsula, Astorga was their western military capital. They discovered precious metals (copper, silver, and some gold) in the mountains near Astorga and built a road south to the ports at Cadiz and Malaga to ship the ore or metals back to Italy. While the Via de la Plata translates directly to “way of the silver,” its name is more likely derived from the Latin word “platea” meaning wide road, or “Lapidata” meaning stone road referring to the broad, stone Roman road.
The Via de la Plata goes from Seville to Astorga, and once there, pilgrims can follow the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela making for a total walk of 1200 kilometers or over 740 miles. Alternatively, pilgrims can turn left at Granja de Moreruela just after Zamora to travel roughly northwest to Santiago de Compostela along a Camino route called the Camino Sanabres. Following the Via de la Plata from Seville then the Camino Sanabres to Santiago de Compostela is a 1000-kilometer walk (620 miles). Here is a diagram of the Via de la Plata / Camino Sanabres route:
Route of the Via de la Plata & Camino Sanabres
Ron, Dan, and I will be walking from Zamora starting on 2 May 2024. The first two days of walking will be over the same sections as my final two days of walking last spring on the Via de la Plata. Then we will follow the Camino Sanabres to Santiago de Compostela. I chose Zamora as the starting point because there is direct high-speed train access from Madrid to Zamora. This will be a fairly long walk at about 420 kilometers (260 miles), although shorter than my previous three pilgrimage walks. I’ll try to update this blog daily. When possible, I will include a map of the day’s walk using the Samsung Health app on my Samsung watch and phone.
Thursday 1 February 2024 Traveling Home and Reflections on My Eleventh Winter in Chiang Mai
Traveling Home to the United States
Being my last day in Chiang Mai for this winter, I spent a mellow day on Thursday. First I went to my last yoga class at Wild Rose Yoga with Annie as the teacher. I have known Annie at Wild Rose for at least seven years, and appreciate the way her classes have evolved. She now emphasizes the transition between poses, asking that they be slow, deliberate, and elegant. This pushes the experience of the practice into your head, making it more of a cerebral experience (which is probably what it should be).
After yoga class, I met Rose (the owner of Wild Rose Yoga) at a juice/smoothie place for a juice and conversation. It is always good to talk to Rose – she and her husband John have been very good to me over the years. Needless to say, they are good friends, and I shall miss them until I return to Chiang Mai in November.
After seeing Rose, I returned to The 3-Sis for a late breakfast and to bid the staff there farewell. Then it was back to See You Soon to complete packing and prepare for the journey home. In the afternoon I walked down to bid farewell to Nong and Nat at their crepe cart and also to Aman and Bowan at The Singing Bowl Center.
I went to La Fontana for my last dinner, gazpacho and linguine bolognese. And because it was my last dinner in Chiang Mai for this winter, I splurged with tiramisu for dessert. They make their pasta and sauces fresh every day, so it is very tasty.
GazpachoLinguine BologneseTiramisu
Poppy, who owns and manages The 3-Sis, offered to take me to the airport, and she arrived at 8:00 PM. It was nice to talk with her on the way, we have known each other for twelve years. The long journey home has begun.
The first part of the journey is checking in with Korean Air at the Chiang Mai International Airport. This is relatively uneventful, although a fairly slow process. Many more people are traveling than last year. The first flight is from Chiang Mai to Incheon, the airport for Seoul, S. Korea. After check-in, waiting for boarding, boarding, Korean Air flight KE668 left close to the scheduled time of 11:15 PM and the flight is 5 hours on an Airbus A330-300.
Chiang Mai to Incheon (in Thai)Chiang Mai to Incheon (English)
I seldom sleep well or even at all during flights, so I watched a few forgettable movies – forgettable, but they kept me occupied. We arrived at Incheon on time at 6:15 AM, Korean time. Since I had more than eight hours until my next flight, I had made a reservation at the Transit Hotel ensuring that I could get some sleep. After going through International Transfer Security, I went to the Terminal 2 transit hotel to check-in. Being in a room, I could sleep and then get a shower before the second, longer flight. The cost for six hours was $55. And I slept almost 5 hours. Got a shower, checked out, and went to find Gate 232 for the flight to Los Angeles.
Incheon is a very large and relatively new airport. It has been rated as the best airport from a passenger perspective by Airports Council International (ACI) from 2005 to 2011, and the best airport in Asia-Pacific for 10 consecutive years from 2006 to 2016 until the ranking series ended in 2017. I agree with those rankings, the airport is easy to negotiate, very clean, and many shops and restaurants are easily accessible. Incheon International was first opened in 2001, a second terminal was added early in 2023. On my way to Bangkok in December 2022, I transferred in Terminal 1, and by the time I returned two months later, Korean Air had been moved to Terminal 2, so I transferred in the newly opened Terminal 2. Korean Air is now completely in Terminal 2.
I made my way to Gate 232 (the same gate as last year for this same flight) for the 11-hour flight from Incheon to Los Angeles. The”LOS” is missing from the signs below because it is a moving display and I snapped the photo just as LOS disappeared.
Gate 232 Korean Air flight KE017 to Los Angeles
For the longer flights, Korean Air has continued to use its Airbus A380 aircraft. Many airlines are phasing out the 4-engine aircraft (i.e. Airbus A380, Boeing 747) because of the high operating and maintenance expense, instead using two-engine aircraft, i.e. Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Airbus A330, Airbus A350, etc. But when there is a demand for larger capacity, the A380 works well. And this airplane was full. Korean Air flight KE017 is scheduled for 11 hours exactly. Traveling west, Los Angeles to Incheon is 13-1/2 hours, and a day is lost crossing the international date line. Traveling east, Incheon to Los Angeles, that lost day comes back: we left Incheon at 2:30 PM Friday, February 2, and arrived on time in Los Angeles at 8:30 AM Friday, February 2 – seemingly six hours before we left.
After landing, and going through immigration and customs (a very fast process today), I got the Avis shuttle and picked up a car for the drive home. Having not driven for almost three months, I stayed on surface streets and made my way a few miles to a Starbucks, got a coffee, and then got on the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405 and Interstate 5) for the 105-mile drive to my house. I arrived home at just about 1:00 PM on Friday, 32 hours after I left See You Soon in Chiang Mai. I am home. What a great trip!
Here I am in my house sitting in front of some of the singing bowls I purchased several years ago from The Singing Bowl Center in Chiang Mai. This is where I sit for my daily meditation.
Reflections on my Winter in Chiang Mai 2023-2024
I have made yoga-focused, month-long or longer visits to Chiang Mai eleven times. I stay at the same places (The 3-Sis, See You Soon), practice yoga at the same place (Wild Rose Yoga) with many of the same teachers (Annie, May, Thom, Jear, Earthy), eat at many of the same places (La Fontana, Street Pizza, La Casita, Blue Diamond, etc.), see many of the same temples and sights, and make the hikes up the mountain to Wat Phalad and beyond. And while there is much similarity, every one of the eleven visits has been distinct and different. I’m reminded of a quote from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus (approximately 500 BC):
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.
Chiang Mai changes slightly, and I have changed over the years, so I see things differently, with a different perspective, or notice things I did not notice before – everything is in a perpetual state of change making it impossible for any encounter to be exactly repeated. Even with that in mind, this eleventh winter in Chiang Mai stands out as different, and not just because of subtle changes in the city infrastructure or of me and my perspective. I pondered the root of that feeling on the flights home.
During the first nine visits to Thailand, the agreement I had with my manager was that I would work half-time, so I made sure I spent 3 to 4 hours every day (seven days a week) working and checking on the systems I managed. I retired last year before my Thailand trip. In Thailand, I think subconsciously I felt a need to be busy, working on my blog or exploring places to photograph for posts in my blog, to fill the time I would have been working. It was not conscious, but I did keep very busy. This year that subconscious angst was gone, and I was more mellow. In a conversation with John and Rose, after I was home, they said I seemed more “chill.” So it was not just me…I think this trip was good for me.
Every year, when planning my next visit to Chiang Mai, and even on reflection, it seems as if I would have much free time. Sometimes I think, “What am I going to do with all the time?” However, when I am there, I seem to be busy every day and all day: breakfast while updating my journal, yoga practice or workout at the Pump Fitness gym, lunch at a place like Blue Diamond or a snack at Khun Kae’s Juice after yoga, catching up on my blog at a coffee shop or at a co-working place, exploring the city, learning about the history, hiking up the nearby mountain, then dinner, an after-dinner walk, and sometimes more blog catch-up ending the day. The days are full, interesting, uplifting, and energizing – even on this more mellow visit.
The end of my eleven-week stay in Chiang Mai was, as always, quite anti-climatic. After eleven long visits to Chiang Mai, I am comfortable here – comfortable with the food, the people, and the culture. It is all a journey, a journey seeing and learning more about Chiang Mai food, culture, and history; and a daily journey practicing yoga, seeing friends, enjoying sights and meals. I enjoy that journey – there is no particular destination other than just being in Chiang Mai. So I thought of one of my favorite quotes I have posted before, and I’ll post it here again, because it is so apropos, the last sentence in the book “Up Country” by Nelson DeMille:
The journey home is never a direct route; it is, in fact, always circuitous, and somewhere along the way, we discover that the journey is more significant than the destination and that the people we meet along the way will be the traveling companions of our memories forever.
It has been said many times: “The journey is more significant than the destination…” Absolutely! What a great journey I have been on! I am so grateful for the journey, and the people I have met all along the way.
I am looking forward to returning to Chiang Mai in November for a little longer visit.
Next: Returning to Spain to complete the Via de la Plata pilgrimage walk
Wat Chedi Luang is an old and historically important Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai.
Wat Chedi Luang History
The construction of Wat Chedi Luang began in 1391 by King Saen Muang Ma to hold his father’s ashes. The chedi was not completed until 1475, much of its completion was managed by King Saen Muang Ma’s wife, the queen after the king passed away. It was finally completed under the reign of Kine Tilokarat, who made significant temple improvements at many temples in Chiang Mai.
For nearly 500 years, the spectacular chedi at 82 meters high (270 feet) was the tallest structure in the region and could be seen from miles or kilometers away. For many years, the famous Emerald Buddha sat in the eastern niche of the chedi. [The Emerald Buddha is so named for its color, it was carved from a single piece of dark green jasper.] In 1545 a severe earthquake partly destroyed the upper 30 meters (98 feet) of the chedi and most of the elephant statues along the sides. After the earthquake, the Emerald Buddha was moved to Lamphun, and then to Bangkok where it sits today in Wat Phrae Kaew on the grounds of the Grand Palace.
The grounds of Wat Chedi Luang are extensive as it was originally three different temples that over time merged together.
My Minor Frustration with Wat Chedi Luang
For the first five winter visits to Chiang Mai, I walked across Prapokkloa Road from The 3-Sis to Wat Chedi Luang to sit by the large chedi for my morning meditation. Then, a separate “foreigner” entrance was built and foreigners must now pay 50 baht (~$1.50) to enter the grounds. Since the foreigner entrance was opened, I seldom visit Wat Chedi Luang for my morning meditation.
My second frustration is that the viharn (prayer or worship hall) has been closed and under construction for more than two years, spanning my previous two and this visit. A significant reason for many to visit Wat Chedi Luang is the grand and elegant viharn with the historically significant Phra Chat Attarat standing Buddha statue (translates to “Eighteen-cubit Buddha”), more than 5 meters high (16 feet). The notice at the entrance said “This is the most beautiful Buddha image in the Lanna Kingdom … made with the art of Lanna and Pala, India.” With one of the main features of the temple being unavailable, why is the charge for foreigners still enforced?
Foreigner Entrance
Prapokkloa Road is always busy making it almost impossible to get an unobstructed photo of the relatively new foreigner entrance. Being only seven years old, it is already looking worn and in need of an uplift.
Foreigner entrance at Wat Chedi Luang
Phra Viharn Luang
Inside (after paying 50 baht), I made my way to the Phra Viharn Luang to see the progress of the construction. Peering inside between the construction fencing, there is much construction still taking place inside and it seems it may be many months or longer before the viharn will be open.
The Phra Viharn Luang has been rebuilt several times (as is common at Buddhist temples). The current building dates from 1929, sitting on the site of the original viharn built in 1412 by the Queen Mother of King Sam Fang Kaen who also cast the standing Phra Chat Attarat Buddha.
Construction at the front of the viharnLooking into the viharn at construction
Chiang Mai City Pillar
The Sao Inthakin or city pillar, dates from pre-Lanna kingdom times and was built by the people to protect the city. Every year, the Inthakin Festival is held at which offerings are made to the city pillar, and significant Buddha images from various temples are taken out and displayed (see my recent post “Prapokkloa Road Temples 4 – Wat Chang Taem”). The Sao Inthakin was moved to Wat Chedi Luang in 1800 from Wat Sadeu Muang near the Monument to the Three Kings. The pavilion holding the city pillar was relatively recently rebuilt and as I walked by the viharn towards the large chedi, I took a photo of the small south chedi with the Sao Inthakin pavilion in the background.
Small south chedi and Sao Inthakin pavilion
Walking by the viharn, the scaffolding and construction fencing has been removed revealing a nearly completed south side of the viharn with the large chedi on the left side.
South side of viharn at Wat Chedi Luang
Something I had not seen before were these two gongs, each about 2 meters in diameter. They appear to have been placed recently. It is unclear whether these will remain or are a temporary addition for a celebration, event, or ritual. The frames being held at the base by bricks appears temporary.
Large gongs while approaching the large chedi
Phra That Chedi Luang
Standing behind the viharn looking at the large chedi, there is an elegance and a feeling of strength and solidity to this structure, even though damaged. I have been told that it is left unrestored because it is not known nor documented how the top 30 meters looked before the earthquake, and to restore it improperly would bring great dishonor.
View looking west of Phra That Chedi Luang
In 1991 a black jade Buddha image called “Phra Phutta Chalerm Siritat” was made and installed on the barely visible gold-colored stand in the niche above the stairs where the Emerald Buddha once sat. This was made to celebrate three auspicious anniversaries: the 700th anniversary of Chiang Mai, the 600th anniversary of Wat Chedi Luang, and the 50th anniversary of the King’s accession to the throne. [That was King Bumibol Adulyadej or King Rama IX, the ninth King of the Chakri Dynasty, who passed away in 2016.]
At the base of the chedi almost in front of me when I took the photo above are these two new statues of what appear to be ancient warriors. There are four of these statues, two on either side of the stairway. The two not shown below and slightly visible in the photo above are male while the two below are a male and a female. I could find no information about these new statues or their meaning. Under the male statute, the translation is “in the end of the year.”
New warrior statues on the east side of the chedi
And by this area is what appears to be a fairly large model of what the Phra That Chedi Luang might have looked like. [I’m hoping this is not a model of a planned restoration, but it may be, dispelling what I have been told about restoring and honor.]
Model of an intact Phra That Chedi Luang
Walking over to the southwest corner of the chedi, I sat where I used to sit for my morning meditation. This photo shows my view of the large, elegant, and strong-looking chedi:
View of Phra That Chedi Luang from my meditation seat
Bhuridatto Viharn
At the southwest corner of the temple grounds is another, much smaller viharn officially called the “Viharn Luangpu Mun Bhuridatto,” named after a highly revered monk and houses many important Buddha relics. This viharn is comparably new, having been built in 1858 during the reign of Prince Chao Kawirorotsuriyawong of the Thip Chang dynasty.
Bhuridatto Viharn at Wat Chedi Luang
The design is in the pure Lanna style with a triple-tiered overlapping roof, steeply pitched and descending close to the ground. It is said this is to be almost like the wings of a protective bird. The exterior is dark lacquered teak adorned with intricately carved floral motifs highlighted by different colored pieces of glass.
There are another two small viharns that house Buddha relics and remains of venerable monks including an image in wax of one of these revered monks. I passed on these structures – too eerie for my taste or interest.
Recent Buddha Pavilions
There are two structures or small pavilions I always stop to see. They contain Buddha images (statues) that were carved in the Chiang Rai area north of Chiang Mai using stone quarried near there. When these were brought by truck to Wat Chedi Luang, I happened to be at my morning meditation when they unloaded the images from the trucks onto pedestals that had been built. It was a lengthy process. Later the pavilion structures were built around the statues.
The first is the Phra Buddhamani-Srilanna Buddha image. It’s said to be made in the Singsuang style, in the meditation mudra, and is nearly 4 meters high (13 feet) and weighs over 10 tons.
Phra Buddhamani-Srilanna Buddha image
The second is the Phra Buddharatana-Naganaphisi Buddha image. This is three and a half meters high, and weighs 15 tons. The Buddha seated in the meditation mudra is protected by the five-headed naga serpent.
Phra Buddharatana-Naganaphisi Buddha image
Ho Trai and Museum
On the north of the large chedi is the Ho Trai, or library of Buddhist and temple documents. It is also a museum, and I have visited many times. The museum has received royal patronage and proudly shows photographs of their visits. The museum is very well curated with detailed labeling of exhibits in both Thai and English. The short stairway to the ho trai is protected by mom (pronounced like moam) creatures as is typical of many if not most ho trai I have seen.
Ho Trai / Museum at Wat Chedi Luang
Walking back towards the main entrance, I could see that the construction on the north side of the large viharn is not as complete as that on the south side. The roof is done. Last year the workers were replacing the entire roof, so there was much more scaffolding.
Scaffolding still up on the north side of the viharn
Near the entrance, I looked back to see the small north chedi, the viharn, and the large chedi in the background.
Looking back from the small north chedi
I do love Wat Chedi Luang. I suspect that when I return in November it will be fully open and I’ll share pictures of the inside and the large standing Buddha.
Next: Traveling home and reflections on my eleventh winter in Chiang Mai
Wat Pan Tao (sometimes spelled Wat Phan Tao) is a very old temple in the old city of Chiang Mai, on Prapokkloa Road next door to the more famous Wat Chedi Luang. It was founded in the 14th century and originally used as living quarters for the monks of Wat Chedi Luang. The name Wat Pan Tao is said to translate to “temple of 1000 kilns” referring to the ovens that were here for casting Buddha images long ago.
Later, from 1846 to 1854 the temple was used as a royal palace (ho kham) by Chao Mahawong of the Chao Chet Ton Dynasty. Chao Mahawong ruled Chiang Mai and the former Lanna Kingdom after it became part of the Siamese Chakri Dynasty of Bangkok in 1775 after the Burmese were expelled from Siam and Siam annexed the former Lanna kingdom (northern Thailand). In 1876 the royal residence was demolished and new temple buildings were constructed. The teak from the old palace building was used to construct the current viharn.
A plaque near the entrance of Wat Pan Tao states that the viharn (prayer or worship hall) is “the most beautiful teak viharn in Chiang Mai”. However, that would not apply to its plain exterior, without ornamentation, and the teak of rough appearance without the shining black lacquer that is usually applied to teak temples.
There is a narrow pedestrian entrance on Prapokkloa Road and much of the front wall is red, the same color as the top of the chedi before the chedi was clad in all gold in about 2019. The pedestrian entrance is close to the viharn making it challenging to get a full photo of the front of the viharn.
Pedestrian entrance to Wat Pan Tao
Stepping inside the entrance, I got a photo of one of the naga dragon-like creatures guarding the entrance of the viharn. My camera lens is not wide enough to get the whole front in the short space between the wall and the viharn. The two naga along the stairs appear to still be under construction with the unfinished brick visible behind the naga.
Entrance to viharn at Wat Pan Tao
Above the entrance is a beautifully decorated peacock. Peacocks are often depicted in Thailand as part of a tribute to royalty. In Buddhism, the peacock symbolizes wisdom and enlightenment. The peacock motif on temples and other structures symbolizes power, beauty, and royalty. And Wat Pan Tao was once a royal residence.
Peacock decoration above the entrance to the viharn
Inside the viharn is dark, something comon to most viharns. Darkness encourages pious worship and reverence. The thick teak columns have a pleasing, natural appearance, having been left without adornment in keeping with the rest of the building. The altar has a single large Buddha image, and the wall behind the Buddha is largely undecorated, enhancing focus on the Buddha image.
Inside the viharn at Wat Pan Tao
The side of the viharn is teak, but it could use an up lift and varnish. The tiled roof is three-tiered and split into two sections as is common for Lanna-styled viharns.
Side of the teak viharn at Wat Pan Tao
The chedi has undergone a transformation since 2018 with the elegant pewter color with the red bell at the top now completely covered in shiny gold cladding. The structure’s shape is the same, octagonal layers rising like a pyramid to a bell topped with a finial.
All gold chedi after transformation at Wat Pan Tao
Wat Chang Taem is next door to See You Soon, where I am staying for the last two weeks of this visit to Chiang Mai. I was at The 3-Sis for the first two months, so named because it is owned by 3 sisters (Poppy, Ice, Uhey) and their parents. The family also owns other properties in Chiang Mai. Poppy, one of the sisters, runs The 3-Sis and the adjoining Poppy’s Cafe. Ice and her husband Ball run See You Soon, a very busy restaurant, and clothing shop, and there are 6 rooms upstairs. So I stay at See You Soon part of my time in Chiang Mai every year – I know and like the staff at both places.
Wat Chang Team
Wat Chang Taem is a small temple, compared to most Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai.
Wat Chang Taem sign at the main entrance
Wat Chang Taem’s name means “10,000 drops of rain,” where exactly it got that name I have not discovered. The temple plays an important role in the annual Inthakhin Festival when the Chiang Mai city pillar, now at Wat Chedi Luang, is venerated. A side building holds the Fon Saen Ha Buddha which is over 1000 years old. This Buddha statue dates from the tenth century and was originally in a temple in Lamphun. King Tilokorat of the Mengrai Dynasty (1441 to 1487) overthrew Lamphun and destroyed most buildings except the temple housing the Fon Saen Ha Buddha. This statue along with the Buddha image called “Pra Kaew Khao” were taken to Chiang Mai. The Pra Kaew Khao Buddha was moved to Wat Chiang Man and the Fon Saen Ha Buddha moved to Wat Chang Taem. The Fon Saen Ha Buddha is moved from Wat Chang Saen to Wat Chedi Luang for the annual week-long Inthakin festival in late May or early June according to the lunar calendar.
Opposite the main entrance and across a parking area is the entrance to the building in which the Fon Saen Ha Buddha is kept in a room upstairs. The stairs are guarded by white naga dragon-like creatures.
Building holding the Fon Saen Ha Buddia
Upstairs, when the doors are open, the Fon Saen Ha Buddha can be seen in an alcove behind heavy steel gates, but not well because the room is dark and there are no lights behind the gates.
Fon Saen Ha Buddha behind the steel gates
There is a pedestrian entrance also on Prapokkloa Road that leads directly into the viharn (worship or prayer hall). And the entrance to the viharn is, like the building housing the Fon Saen Ha Buddha, protected by sweeping white naga dragon-like creatures. (It was almost impossible to get a direct photo including the whole of the Naga because the stairway broadens and there was not enough space.)
Pedestrian entrance to Wat Chang TaemViharn entrance stairs guarded by naga
The viharn itself is built in the Lanna style with a multi-tiered sweeping roof and tall columns inside supporting the roof. Instead of one large Buddha image at the altar, there are several moderate-sized statues and in the foreground in the center, the multiple-entwined snake statue. I have seen this elsewhere and know little about its meaning.
Inside the viharn at Wat Chang Taem
Walking to the back to the main entrance guarded by the Singha lion creatures to see an overview, the Lanna-style roof of the viharn is more apparent, and the slim white chedi with the gold top rises up.
Overview of the entrance and viharn at Wat Chang Taem
The chedi at Wat Chang Taem is tall, white stucco, and slim, octagonal with many layers and a gold, bell-like top section.
White stucco chedi at Wat Chang Taem
Wat Chang Taem is a very nice almost low-key local temple that houses a very important 1000-year-old Buddha image. While not extremely busy, being situated on busy Prapokkloa Road gives it a constant stream of tourists while at the same time feeling very peaceful.
Across Prapokkloa Road and only 50 meters or so north of Wat Jed Lin is Wat Muen Tum, sometimes spelled Wat Muen Toom. Almost all Buddhist temples have the main entrance on the east side. The viharn (worship or prayer hall) doors open to the east to greet the rising sun honoring the beginning of the day. On the west, or setting sun side of the viharn is the chedi (pagoda) in which the remains of someone are interred. The setting sun represents the end or death, so it is appropriate that the chedi is placed at the west end. Five of the six temples along Prapokkloa Road have their entrance on the west side of the street, so on the street entrance to the temple grounds is the east end, the entrance of the viharn. The exception is Wat Muen Tum. It is on the east side of the street, so the “entrance” is on the west side of the chedi. There is also an entrance at the side of the temple grounds down Prapokkloa Soi 6, but that is not a major road, so is seldom used.
Entrance Sign to Wat Muen Tum (or Toom)
There is little historical information available about Wat Muen Tum. It was built around the year 1478 during the reign of King Mueang Kaeo, so this is a very old temple. The temple name Muen Tum was originally a nobleman soldier. He brought his relatives, family, and other people together to help build this temple to offer to the Buddha. Therefore, it was called Wat Muen Tum after the name of the nobleman. According to history, whenever a new king of the Mengrai dynasty took the throne, he would first pass a three-step water bathing ceremony. This ceremony will be held at three important temples in order. First, the new king would dress in all white at the white cloth temple (for which I have not learned its actual name). Second, there was a ceremony at Wat Muen Tum to leave behind bad luck. And third, there was a bathing ceremony at Wat Jed Lin.
Even learning of that history, I am still mystified about why the entrance to the temple is from what would be considered the “back” of the temple grounds. On the oldest map of Chiang Mai I have found from 1893, Prapokkloa Road is the most dominant north-south road in Chiang Mai’s old city, running almost directly from Chiang Mai Gate on the south side to Chang Phuak Gate on the north side. Here is that map made for King Inthawichayanon in 1893. It was hand-written and is very difficult to read. Royal temples are in red (Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Pan Tao, and Wat Chiang Man), other temples are in orange and vanished temples are in yellow. Royal residences are in green.
Chiang Mai map from 1893
From Chiang Mai gate on the south, the rightmost of the two gates in the south, going north on the main road, Prapokkloa Road, Wat Fon Soi can be seen first, then Wat Jed Lin with the pond at the back, and across the street and a little north is Wat Muen Tum.
Starting in 2018, the entrance to Wat Muen Tum on Prapokkloa Road was reconstructed in a rather large-scale construction project. A grand archway was built, and ornately decorated. What is interesting and different from most temples is that the two sides of the entrance are not the same, mirror images, or even symmetrical – they are completely different. Here are views of the entrance structure. The left side has a Singha in front of what appears to be a naga (dragon), but unlike most naga, behind that is an elephant-naga creature. On the right side, there is a female water nymph or mermaid in front of a large Singha.
Left side of the entranceRight side of the entrance
And a centered direct view of the elaborate new entrance archway:
Elaborate new entrance to Wat Muen Tum
Once inside the new entrance, there is a new pavilion over a Buddha statue. The area from the entrance to the pavilion is decorated brightly, and the chedi towers over the pavilion in the background. Inside, the Buddha statue is almost completely covered in red flowers.
Decorated entrance area at Wat Muen TumOutside Buddha pavilion at Wat Muen Tum
Walking to the front of the viharn, it is a Lanna-styled structure, with its split, multi-tiered, steeply pitched roof. The entrance is protected by two Burmese-style Singha, lion-like mythical creatures. Inside, as is typical of Lanna-styled prayer halls, large columns support the roof.
The ubosot (ordination hall) is right next to the viharn, and is a plain white structure with minimal decoration other than the praying thewada on the doors.
Plain ubosot at Wat Muen Tum
Behind the viharn, the chedi is tall and thin with many layers deeply indented in whitewashed stucco that needs cleaning. At the side is a pewter-colored Buddha statue.
Buddha at the base of the chedi at Wat Muen Tum
Wat Muen Tum, being along a major road, Prapokkloa Road, and having the new, elaborate entrance arch, gets many visitors to the Buddha pavilion just inside the entrance. Few of those visitors explore the temple beyond that pavilion.
Leaving Wat Fon Soi and walking north on Prapokkloa Road, just 80 meters further is Wat Jed Lin, sometimes spelled Wat Chet Lin, Wat Jet Lin, or Wat Nong Chalin.
Wat Jed Lin
Wat Jed Lin is a beautiful, serene temple beside a large pond with lotus flowers, lily pads, fish, and fairly large turtles. Sitting in one of the bamboo pavilions, relaxing beside the pond, it’s hard to imagine you’re in the middle of a city. There’s also a long bamboo walkway decorated with colorful banners along the side of the pond leading to the monks’ quarters.
Wat Jet Lin was first built in the early 16th Century. The major event that took place at Wat Jet Lin was the coronation of the Lanna King Mekut Sutthiwong in 1551. The name Wat Jet Lin means the ‘Temple of the Seven Channels’ and refers to 7 water channels under which members of the Lanna Royal Family used to come to the temple to bathe.
Wat Jed Lin Entrance
The large and dramatic entrance structure is new since last year. Here are two views of this new entrance portico. First from outside across Prapokkloa Road and second looking back towards Prapokkloa Road from inside.
New entrance to Wat Jed LinView of entrance looking out at Wat Jed Lin
Also from Prapokkloa Road the old entrance that leads directly into the east entrance to the viharn can be seen. This entrance has not been used in all of the 11 years I have visited Chiang Mai. The gate and the east entrance to the viharn are always closed.
Old, closed entrance to Wat Jed Lin
The viharn (worship hall) is entered from a side entrance. The current viharn was constructed in the late 19th or early 20th Century. The outer walls are plain white concrete, and the structure is built in the Lanna style with a grand three-tiered over-lapping roof and large columns inside supporting the roof. Here are two photos showing the inside and a close-up of the large gold Buddha statue.
Inside viharn at Wat Jed LinLarge gold Buddha at Wat Jed Lin
At the back, west end of the viharn is the chedi. This one is old, brick, and rustic, a style more to my preference. The style of the chedi is very similar to the chedis in other old temples in Chiang Mai, particularly the one at Wat Lok Molee, suggesting that the chedi was built at the time of the temple’s founding, making it the oldest part of Wat Jet Lin.
Old chedi at Wat Jed Lin
In this photo of the chedi you can also see part of the outside of the plain white viharn and a small part of the Lanna-style overlapping roof.
Pond
West of the chedi and viharn are some structures, a coffee sales counter, and then the large pond. The pond has two sides – one is mostly open water with fish and some fairly large turtles. I did not see the turtle today, but people were feeding the fish, and they were quite actively swarming and eating the fish food (the fish food can be bought from the coffee place for 10 baht, about 35 cents). I walked down the decorated, covered walkway and then back up the bamboo walkway separating the dense lotus-covered part of the pond from the open water part of the pond.
Decorated, covered walkway by the pond
And then up the bamboo walkway to view the lotus plants, none of which were in bloom.
Bamboo walkway across the pond at Wat Jed Lin
I walked back across the courtyard to the large entrance and struck the large gong. I was not able to get someone to take my picture. All of these large gongs are made in several shops along the 20-mile Gong Highway, highway 2222 between Ubon Ratchathani and the Mekong River in northeast Thailand, an area of eastern Thailand called Isan.
One of the large gongs at the entrance to Wat Jed Lin
Springtime on the Camino de Santiago 