Day 3

Climbing past 306 steps, we reached the Doi Suthep. The inside of the temple was very atmospheric. There were golden statues and pagodas. Along with the smoke from joss sticks, the whole place felt surreal. It was also there where we saw many Chinese tourists. I thought that other than the crowd, the temple was quite well-organised. We also managed to interview a monk, although it was without any form of recording. It would seem that getting a proper interview with a monk would be more difficult than it seems, especially after yesterday’s disappointment as well. This setback was a little disappointing as it also highlighted to us how we should have informed the various temples beforehand and obtained their permissions. However, we decided not to let this setback hold us back, and strived to see if there were any other opportunities later on.

With a little free time, we decided to go to Maya Shopping Centre and Think Park. Think Park was a surprising place that I did not expect to see in Chiang Mai. It was unexpectedly hip and fit for young people. There were a lot of independent shops that sold their own designs and handicrafts. Witty paintings and fixtures also lined the walls, allowing passerbys to take photos that interact with the paintings. The presence of such a place showed me how Chiang Mai was developing quickly as a province. The youth was also developing its own culture within the province.

Afterwards, we were supposed to have a focus group discussion with several of May’s friends. However, we eventually had to cancel it as the students could not make it. This was definitely a disappointment as we were looking forward to ticking the focus group discussion off our checklist. Instead, we decided to make the best of the extra rest time we have and thus headed to Huay Kuew Waterfall which was nearby. As someone who personally likes viewing nature, it turned out to be an awesome place which I loved a lot!

The waterfall was amazing in how it was not just an ordinary waterfall with a man-made viewing site built around it. Rather, this place was completely natural and we could climb up the rocks to get as close to the waterfall as possible. Such a place would not have been common in Singapore. After viewing such a scene, I excitedly climbed up and soaked my legs in the cool water. The sound of the rushing water, the cool breeze and the rustling of leaves made the waterfall area a great place for me to soak in the atmosphere and admire the surrounding nature. The atmosphere there was very relaxing, giving me a much-needed break from all the research that we had done there.

Waterfall

Afterwards, we had mookata together at the Student Market near Chiang Mai University (CMU). The mookata there was really cheap. It was only S$6! Somehow, eating the mookata, which was buffet-styled, emphasised to me how much the costs of living differs between Chiang Mai and Singapore. Although I am an Economics student, it is still a mystery to me how costs of living can differ so much across time and countries. This is a mystery which I would like to solve one day!