Birds and Temples of northern Thailand - March 2023

[TonyQ]

I am enjoying your sightseeing and the colourful photos.

Temples and food!

[PeterHG]

Impressive temples and Buddhas ! I also like the guard outside the temple in the red t-shirt. He is taking his job very seriously;)

[TonyQ]

2 hours ago, PeterHG said:

I also like the guard outside the temple in the red t-shirt. He is taking his job very seriously;)

You wouldn't like to mess with him

[xelas]

On 9/14/2023 at 6:00 PM, TonyQ said:

You wouldn't like to mess with him

What you really wouldn't do is to ask him any question about this (or any other) temple; just not his thing.

[xelas]

The Tale of Three Temples

 

 

The above title is a little bit misleading. There will be no tale here, 'cause I can invent one. And while all three are kind of a temple, only one looks like a real temple, to me anyway.

 

 

Wat Rong Khun - White Temple

 

The White Temple is one of the strangest temples in Thailand. It was built by a local businessman/artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, and was opened in 1997. The white color signifies the purity of Buddha while the glass symbolizes Buddha's wisdom. And boy, there is a ton of purity and a truckload (or two) of wisdom built into this temple. Owned by the same person, and being a businessman, there is the entrance fee for visitors from outside of Thailand. To me the whole complex looked like a Thai mini version of Disneyland ... that means, I do not like it. And I would not like it even if the sun would shine on it in full force.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few bizzare scenes from the temple:

 

 

 

 

If this guy would be me, he would have covered his eyes and not his ears.

 

 

However I must be an uneducated person as otherwise folks love to visit it, and is one of the three "must-visit" temples around Chiang Rai. BTW the entrance fee is 50 Bath.

Edited September 16, 2023 by xelas

[xelas]

Wat Rong Suea Ten - Blue Temple

 

Rong Suea Ten temple's blue color symbolizes tranquility, ascension, the infinite, purity and healing which are at the heart of Buddhism. The temple also has lots of details in gold which really makes it stand out. Started as a project of a local community (to replace the older temple and probably to attract more visitors (and to compete with the White Temple) in 1996 and was completed in 2006. Indeed many temples all around Thailand are quite new builds. As such it is famous for its fascinating modern design. Lot of blue and gold was used here. Definitively more to my liking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In retrospective I can say it was the one who impressed me a lot, and put an idea into my mind what a nice color for a motorcycle blue can be.

 

[xelas]

Baan Dam Musem - The Black House aka The Black Temple

 

 

Baan Dam in Thai means Black House. This is not a temple at all, although I've got a feeling that the master himself, one Thawann Duchanee, has an obsession with one aspect of a male body. No, you will not see any photo of it as this is a family-friendly forum. It is a private art museum, where the art leans heavily into the darker side of the human mind. I would love to have any of his designs printed on my t-shirt! The property is a mix of old architecture and modern "sculptures", houses are filled with animal remains, crocodile skins etc. As bizzare as the White Temple but much more interesting to me. The museum has a large property  ... with some nice birds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The portrait of the artist

 

The courtyard offers a nice refreshing after the "attack from the dark side" inside the houses.

 

 

 

The best bird from the courtyard - Violet Cuckoo

 

 

 

And the three birds that could symbolise the three temples:

 

Mute Swann, Common Kingfisher and Black Swann

 

 

 

 

 

All three temples in one afternoon ... and still enough time left for another visit to food court!

[PeterHG]

Very interesting perspective and great photos of the three temples, Alex!

[TonyQ]

Interesting contrast of the three different temples, lovely photos

[Kitsafari]

Interesting discourse on the temples, but i agree with you = the white is too glittery and disney-sque for me, and the black seems more like an art gallery than a temple. Not sure about the blue as well. 

 

But a violet cuckoo - an immature male? - on the grounds! Nice.  

[xelas]

Chiang Saen & Golden Triangle

 

 

Golden Triangle used to be the world's largest producer of opium in the second half of the 20th century. Three countries divided this infamous nickname: Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Today, at least in Thailand, Golden Triangle is a tourist destination where visitors can enjoy the view of the three countries over the mighty Mekong river, visit several hill tribes and learn about the past (and dangers) of the opium production.

 

As there is just a short drive from Chiang Rai and Chiand Saen, we have stopped at Mae Fah Luang University. It is the largest open public university in Thailand, with several schools, among them also the School of Medicine. This one Zvezda wanted to see; I have read that its grounds are often visited by local birders. As this is one huge campus, with almost 15.000 students, we did only explored part of the vast and well maintained botanical gardens, and have good luck with birds. It was a nice, and refreshing stopover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White-rumped Shama

 

Greater Coucal

 

Burmese Shrike

[xelas]

Chiang Saen is relatively small town. We have found its main attraction, the viewing platform of the Golden Triangle, quite easily. There is one old temple above it, mostly in ruins, but as it was so different to other glitchy temples, we have took some time to stroll it (and have our camera ready).

 

 

 

 

Rosy Pipit

 

 

 

Next was the visit to Hall Of Opium Exhibition&Education Centre. This one really impressed me. Not only because its entrance is on the opposite side of the hill from the main building; the two are connected by a tunnel that give the visitor a powerful insight in the mind of the opium/heroin addict.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Returning back to Chian Saen Lake, which was our primary target , we have stopped at the Golden Triangle Park (yeah, every attraction has that name) on the Mekong river bank, to have yet another glimpse over the three countries. And lastly we have stopped for a lunch at, yes, you have nailed it, Golden Triangle Thai Kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave Williams]

Enjoying the ride along with you both but must go and get something to eat...it's made me feel starving! 

I'll be interested in the R7-OM1 comparison too.

 

 

and what is the new hobby?

[xelas]

@Dave WilliamsR7-OM1 comparison was not possible as both users are still struggling to find best settings of their new toys. R7 + 100-500 is heavier but its APS-C size sensor should get better results in low light. On the other side the EVF of OM-1 is visibly better. I have no doubts that in hands of an experienced user both combos are great for birding. To me, I still think that D500 + 500PF is the best birding combo.

 

I will send you a couple of photos of my new hobby via Messanger.

 

 

[xelas]

While both the triangle and the museum, and the overall location of Chiang Saen are why tourists are visiting this part of the country, our  main interest was the large body of water named Chiang Saen Lake, also known as Nong Bong Kai Non-hunting area. It is where in winter a huge flocks of water birds came, and it also has a spectacular harrier roost. These are the type of birds we have seen here.

 

Asian Openbill

 

Grey-headed Swamphen

 

White-breasted Waterhen

 

Bronze-winged Jacana

 

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

 

Indian Spot-billed Duck

 

Lesser Whistling-duck

 

Grey-headed Lapwing

 

 

There is relatively easy to do either birding from the vehicle or on foot. The lake is quite large, and there are several temples around it where also other type of birds can be found. The HQ of the non-hunting area is just a few steps away from the Viang Yonok Hotel where we have overnighted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If back, I will choose the same hotel but for a night or two longer stay. It has a perfect location and is run by a Brit guy who knows what his guests are looking for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was no surprise to find a full English breakfast on menu.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by xelas

[Kitsafari]

Zvezda looked unimpressed by the menu but the full English breakfast looks delicious! No Baked Beans!!

[Galana]

No Black pudding either.

1 hour ago, Kitsafari said:

No Baked Beans!!

That would make it an American. Baked Beans belong on toast for a later snack.

[xelas]

FANG HOT SPRINGS

 

 

Fang is the town in the foothills of jagged mountains that separates Thailand and Myanmar. It is also the base for all the birder's groups that are looking after higher altitude birds within vast Doi Pha Hom Pok national park. There are 3 areas to bird there; both Doi Lang and Doi Ang Kang are up in the hills, along the road that almost hugs the Thai-Myanmar border. Best to explore it with a local guide, and having a serious 4x4 vehicle is a plus. Thus they were dropped from my list of possible targets quickly. The third option is a very different one, a tame walk within Fang Hot Springs park.  Almost perfect for us. 

 

It was another short drive that took us from Chiang Saen to Gumbie House, our home for next 2 nights, in less that 2 hours. Thus we have had time to do a quick visit of the place in the afternoon. Well, although it was almost closing time, at the entrance they were still asking us to pay for the entry. Not me, I've told them, birds are free and everywhere. When turning the car around another official approached us telling that if we pay today, we can use the same ticket also tomorrow. Hmmm?! But an eternal optimist I took his offer. The main part of the park is quite small and we did got a feeling of what we could do the next full day. On return, we were early for the ticket booth but hey, we did bought our tickets already!

 

Birding was nice, walking paths nice, birds enough to keep us interested for the whole day. There are a couple of restaurants, with snacks, drinks and also hot food. Some are more basic (there are a lot of local workers there, and rangers) and a few more geared toward daily visitors. Away from the main area there is also a valley with a road following the river that goes inside the wilder area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birds from the grounds:

 

Blue Whistling-Thrush

 

Taiga Flycatcher

 

White Wagtail

 

And those found walking along the river

 

Streaked Spiderhunter

 

White-throated Kingfisher

 

Blue-bearded Bee-eater

 

 

Our accommodation was only a few kilometers away from the springs: Gumbie House. A small establishment, almost bordering to the luxury b&b, with owners that knows the world and their international clientela. Excellent dinners, comfortable sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Chiang Saen and the Fan Hot springs look very good, Alex, both for birding and food!

[xelas]

CHIANG MAI

 

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, and a hub for younger and more adventoure's crowd. As a city, it did not impressed me. A bit too rough around the edges, and after the dark falls, its "attractions" does not sing to me. During the day, there are many temples to visit, and plenty of shopping is available.

 

Might be that I am too harsh, possibly also due to the weather situation; one afternoon and much of the night we have had a severe storm which cut the electric, and sleeping in almost 100% humidity without an A/C is not my thing.

 

Our "home" was a funky looking (from the outside) Chedi House. The room was blank; it does have a private parking space which come handy in the maze of narrow streets, and is walking distance to the Old City, which is another maze of narrow streets separated by the rest of the town by a water canal/moot and a bidirectional road with heavy traffic. 

 

Below photos are from the first afternoon and the next day evening. Yes, there are some important temples within the Old City perimeter and we do have photos of them yet I am a bit overloaded (and you mighta lso be) with all the gold&glitch so somebody else might show them, eventually.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Yet, we did have our share of fun here, by attending the Thai Cooking class! These are offered by many outlets, and they all have same or similar patter; first is to collect the students across the town, then to visit a local produce market, and finally stopping at a classroom which usually is somewhere outside the town. Our class consisted of mostly (very) young students so we fit in perfectly. Although cooking has never been my forte (still remembering the rice&can diet from Kgalagadi), it was interesting to find out that my efforts actually produced some of the best food on this trip ... but I was the chef and the judge so I might not be completely impartial. Like they say, 1 photo is better than 100 words ... but both are tasteless. If in Thailand, do dedicate half day to such a cooking class, they can be found all over the country.

 

At the market

 

 

 

Lost in the garden (me)

 

 

 

Menu of the day

 

 

In the kitchen

 

 

 

 

 

At the table

 

 

 

 

The ingredients

 

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by xelas

[TonyQ]

Food looks wonderful @xelasand good to see you both enjoying the cooking!

[michael-ibk]

I’m getting hungry reading this! Very nice Zvezda photo.🙂

[xelas]

@TonyQZvezda enjoyed the class even more than me. But she was swimming in the familiar to her waters as she knows the ingredients and the spices well. 

 

@michael-ibkI knew you will appreciate Zvezda's photo; not the sharpest out there but her wide smile covers all my flaws. Obviously she enjoyed that morning!

[Kitsafari]

Zvezda looks so  happy with her pad thai!