Christmas in Thailand - Part Two

Melly Kissmas Tlee!!!

An elderly man approached me on the street in Chiang Mai this afternoon and said this to me with all sincerity.

Being a Buddhist country, Thailand does not celebrate Christmas. An unknowing visitor may find this hard to believe, however, with the millions of flashing holiday lights, the tuk-tuk drivers wearing Santa hats, and the Christmas carols blaring from every store doorway.

For Christmas dinner last night, I went with Dom's family for moo-ga-taa, which is sort of like Korean hot pot, only much cheaper. All the meat and seafood you can eat for about $3.75 per person, which you grill at your own table. I had the honor of grilling an octopus (which barely put up a fight). It was slightly disturbing how much I enjoyed hacking its charred little legs off with a cleaver afterwards...

Earlier in the day we rented a motorbike and drove up to Wat Doi Suthep temple, which is on the mountain overlooking the city. I try to visit this temple every time I come to Chiang Mai because it is one of the most extraordinary places in Thailand. It's one of the holiest Buddhist sights in this part of the country.

The story is that Doi Suthep was built in this remote mountaintop location because a rare white elephant, carrying a relic of the Buddha, was chosen to select a site for this important temple. The elephant made its way to the top of this mountain and, when it reached this particular site, lay down and died.

The degree of faith you see here - from people of all ages - is very moving. It is customary to hold a single lotus flower between one's palms and circle the main stupa three times. Offerings of incense are made, and monks are available for blessings. You can hang a small brass bell from the edges of the rooftops. When the wind blows, it is believed that your wish will be carried into heaven by the sound of the bell ringing.

Tomorrow we're renting a car and driving north to the village of Pai, in the remote mountains near the Burmese border - the land of elephants, indigenous hill tribes, and (gasp!) opium. Sounds adventurous, I know, but honestly, I'm looking forward to just laying in a hammock under a shady tree for an afternoon.