What a wild holiday week! Monday night, I joined the Chiang Mai hordes making a 6hr night pilgrimage up to the mountain top temple to wish Sir Buddha a happy birthday, enlightenment and death. Every person, children, granny, dog, cat, motorbike, tuktuk and red truck in the city of Chiang Mai could be found in a very intricate human traffic jam on one tiny road winding up the mountainside. I’m pretty sure that the city down there looked like a deserted ghost town, not a car or creature on the usually busy streets.
It was a fantastic feeling letting my legs stretch out in a fast walk and feeling the blood and muscles pump again, reminding me of my EBC trek. If you go fast enough, people blur by and I swear it feels like there is wind beneath your feet!
At the top was an elaborate layout of food vendors, foot massage stations, and people crouched down in groups to spend the special night beneath the stars at the foot of Buddha. In some ways, the atmosphere felt a bit like Christmas and yet, in place of materialism and self indulgence, the entire population went out for a 6hr hike up a mountain. hmm…wonder which tradition is healthier for you.
After filling my screaming tummy full of steaming cups of what taste like sweet corn porridge, pieces of cold pineapple, and spicy papaya salad, I settled in for a long, delicious foot massage to rub the knots from my tootsies. This may be a surprise considering my love of massage, but I’ve never had just a foot and leg massage, and now I wonder why?! With a full tummy and happy feet, I set off for the long walk down and made it home just as the 5am morning rains began to pour. Happy soggy Buddha Day everyone! 😉
3 Comments
That sounds fantastic! I could use a massage right about now! 🙂
I love that you can still take photos on a bike while you are doing the booble head look.
Years of camera ninja practice! 😉