Doi Sutep

So I didn't write yesterday because I was kind of sick. But that's another story.

On Sunday we all went up to the temple on Doi Sutep (Doi means mountain and Sutep is the name of the mountain). The name comes from a legend about a giant named Sutep who really wanted to become a buddhist but wasn't allowed because he wasn't human. He decided to sit down and meditate anyway and over time he became the mountain. The legend about the temple on Doi Sutep involves a dragon. The story goes that the dragon also really wanted to be a Buddhist monk. During the day he could change into anything he wanted. He made himself a man and became a monk. At night he had to return to his natural form and one evening he was discovered by a monk who reported to Buddha that he was actually a dragon. The Buddha told him he had to leave because he was not a human. The dragon was crushed but still practiced Buddhism for the rest of his life. He asked that a temple be built in his memory. That is why the over 300 stairs leading up to the temple are lined on both sides by a giant dragon, from foot to top.

We all met Allie's friend Del at 9 on Sunday morning, climbed into a van and started out of the moated city part of Chiang Mai (central Chiang Mai is surrounded on all 4 sides by a moat). We headed up the winding road which also has a story involving its creation, but this one is real. Just over 50 years ago a monk at the temple on Doi Sutep decided he wanted to build a road to the temple, just over 11 kilometers long (about 8 miles I think). He started building and as he went thousands of volunteers joined. So many that the road was completed in just over 5 months. Before the road existed people had to walk up, a trip that took about 5 hours. Buddhists wanting to bring breakfast offerings to the monks would have ot leave at 2 am just to make it there on time.

Once we arrived at the temple we began the walk to the top of the loooong stair case. Once up there we were led through the area surrounding the actual temple by Del. While walking around we came to an overlook with an amazing view of Chiang Mai. It had rained earlier that day and during the time we were standing at the overlook it went form cloudy to foggy to perfectly clear. It was so beautiful. Del also brought us by the bodi tree in the area surrounding the temple. The Indian government sent 5 branches from the actual tree of enlightenment, one of which resides at the temple of Doi Sutep. It was such an honor to see it. Once we entered the temple we spent some time looking at some of the beautiful statues, paying our respects and getting blessed by a monk.

It was a great experience and a calming, peaceful place to be.

I started class on monday and that has brought with it a whole other experience, moving some what out of tourist mode and into a learning mind set during the day.

I hope everyone is doing well back in the states!
Sawat dee ka
Andrea