January 5-6: Chiang Rai
Arriving in Thailand felt like coming home. The food, the language, the relaxed atmosphere–so much felt familiar and similar to Laos after two weeks away from southeast Asia. After the incessant stares and attention from salespeople in India, northern Thailand felt so safe and comfortable.
I stayed with the PiA fellows in Chiang Rai outside the city, and visited with my friends Tracy and Zach, who brought me to all of the best places to eat in town: from artsy cafes, to the night market, to Thai barbecue and homemade ice cream shops.
The touristy highlight of my visit to CR was a visit to the “White Temple,” or Wat Rong Khun, a modern and unconventional temple, that is an ongoing art project. The temple is outside of the city and is strikingly different than the traditional colorful wats. As the name suggests, the White Temple is entirely, blindingly white, with mirrored details that make it glimmer. Altogether, the building appears almost like a bizarre dream creation of Tim Burton, with ghoulish faces and animals protruding from parts of the building. The bridge to the temple entrance passes over over sea of white, grasping hands. Inside, the temple is painted with an unusual and contemporary collection of images, which seem to progress from hell on one side of the room, to heavenly enlightenment on the other. The side in hell features smoldering twin towers, and demonic-looking people drinking oil. Altogether it seems like a pop culture scavenger hunt. Among the images are Keanu Reeves in the Matrix, Avatar characters, the Predator, Converse sneakers, Transformers, and numerous superheroes. The interior is still unfinished, but the level of detail when it finally is will certainly be fascinating. Finally, no visit to the wat would be complete without a visit to the elaborate “Golden Toilet,” just outside, which looks like a temple itself.
Somewhere Near Here. 