Another travel day. Picked up early from the hotel to get to the very busy Bangkok airport for a short flight north to Chiang Mai. My hotel is charming, and replicates a village of the Tai Lue people, one of the tribes in the Lanna Kingdom, who migrated here from southern China.
This is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand and the former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna, founded in 1296 by King Meng Rai. It was the center of Buddhism in this area, and the King founded many of the city’s temples, which are still important today. At the height of it’s power, the Lanna (A Million Rice Fields) Kingdom extended its territory far into Burma and Laos, and southward almost to present da Bangkok. The Burmese conquered the Lanna Kingdom in 1556 ending the dynasty founded by King Meng Rai that lasted nearly 200 years. At the end of the 18th C, King Taksin the Great regrouped the Thais in the south and finally drove the Burmese out, regaining Thai independence.
Chiang Mai is at an altitude of about 1,000 ft, and is on the Mae Ping River basin. It is surrounded by high mountain ranges and the terrain is mainly jungle and mountains, home to many hill tribes. Because it was inaccessible except by river or elephants until the late 1920’s, the unique Lanna culture has been able to flourish.
The original city layout still exists as a neat square surrounded by a moat with vestiges of the fortified wall and its four main gates still offering entry to the old town. And tomorrow, Sunday, is a day when some of the streets are closed to traffic so it becomes a Sunday Walking market day beginning at 4PM. There will be local artisans, known for ceramics, woodwork, weaving and other handicrafts. I will spend the afternoon/evening strolling that marketplace.
So, not many photos today; didn’t think a photo of my newly pedicured feet would be of much interest… but here are a couple of my very lovely room.
I love pictures of your feet.