My next stop was Chiang Rai and I met a great group of people at the hostel. We hung out together, talking about common aspirations with a shared passion for traveling adventures. I’ve said before that this journey has brought about some real moments of loneliness but I have also been rewarded with some great companions along the way. One of the best was an evening sharing drinks with this group of guys, singing in the style of Johnny Cash and composing a song with their guitar which we entitled: ‘This is my First Love’. It was with one of these guys that I visited Wat Rong Khun, better known as “the White Temple” one of the most recognisable and visited temples in Thailand. This unique temple stands out because of its white colour and the use of pieces of glass in the plaster that sparkle in the sun. The white colour signifies the purity of the Buddha, while the glass symbolizes the Buddha’s wisdom and the Dhamma, the Buddhist teachings. Every detail of the temple carries meaning and encourages the visitor to reflect on the Buddhist teachings that show the way to escape from the worldly temptations, desires and greed and focus on the mind instead. The Ubosot, the main building of the white temple, is reached by crossing a bridge over a small lake. In front of the bridge is a circular area with hundreds of reaching hands that symbolise desire. This area represents human suffering and hell. The bridge towards the Ubosot, called the bridge of “the cycle of rebirth” signifies the crossing over from the cycle of death and rebirth into a state free of suffering. It symbolises the way to happiness by overcoming worldly things as temptations, greed and desire.
The following day a couple of us visited a tea planation. We were welcomed hospitably with free tea, bananas, and sweet dates. Unfortunately that day they were not processing so we did not see that side of it but a great experience!