Day 3: Commercialised Culture

To my horror, the day began with a few hundred steps climb up a mountain. Nonetheless, the Doi Suthep temple proved to be as grandiosely imposing as the journey up. Golden streaks of light sparkled off golden domes, and it seemed as though the temple was aflame.

Once again, I was slightly disconcerted to see that tourists mobbed the temple grounds. I noticed later that tourists were engaged in the religious practice of cradling flowers in their hands and walking three rounds for luck. Perhaps they sought to understand different religions and their corresponding nuances. If that were the case, then perhaps the government’s decision to use Chiang Mai’s religious background as a means to attract tourists was a good thing, as it encouraged foreigners around the world to become more aware and understanding of other cultures and religions.

As a Christian, I was initially reluctant to engage in the religious practices that my friends were partaking in. However, I learnt more about Buddhism than I had ever learnt in my life today. Peter, the tour guide attached to my group, explained the history of Buddha and the different meanings attached to each day of the week. Peter managed to find out that I was born on a Monday, the same day that the king of Chiang Mai had been born. Although I did not believe in Buddhism, I felt like I understood Buddhism a bit more.

Later that day, our translator, Yok, brought us to what she called Chiang Mai’s best kept secret – the Huay Keaw Waterfall. It was certainly not as commercialized as the other tourist attractions, and I was grateful for the chance to appreciate Chiang Mai’s beauty without the pesky distractions of other tourists. Since it was the dry season, the waterfall was small. Nonetheless, we braved the slippery slopes and moss-filled grounds to make our merry way up to the foot of the waterfall. We climbed over rocks that meant imminent wetness if we slipped, and sat by the waterfall in silence, enjoying the sound of rushing water.

The Maya Shopping Mall, which we visited soon after leaving the waterfall, reminded me very much of Singapore’s Ion Shopping Centre. Its modern architecture and stores were a stark contrast to Chiang Mai’s culturally rich landscape (by which I mean squat buildings and open aired stores and shops). In fact, Chiang Mai seemed to have all the facilities that Singapore also offered, something I did not expect. The only traces of poverty I saw were the beggars busking in the night markets.

Chiang Mai seems to be teetering between commercialisation and culture. I only hope it does not slide into the world of over-commercialisation, where it could easily lose its rich heritage.