Chiang Rai: Rai Mae Fah Luang and off to Chiang Mai

Sabtu, 22 Ogos 2015. Hari terakhir di Chiang Rai..

Sebelah paginya, kami sewa teksi ke Rai Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park. Pukul 8.30 pagi bergerak dari hotel, lebih kurang 10 minit dah sampai. Entrance fee THB200. Janji dengan driver teksi, suruh dia tunggu selama satu jam.

Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park, is a 60-acre park proudly embraces Buddhist art collections, antiquities and Thailand’s most valuable Lanna architecture, which are all kept with constant care.

Ada lima kawasan pameran: the Botanical Gardens and Nature Park, the Haw Kham (Golden Pavilion), the Haw Kham Noi (Small Golden Pavilion), Sala Kaew (a ceremonial space for ritual) and Haw Kaew (Gallery of Lanna Cultural Arts).

Chiang Rai dulunya ibu negeri untuk Lanna Kingdom yang diasaskan oleh King Mengrai pada tahun 1292. Bangunan-bangunan di Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park semuanya dibina mengikut senibina Lanna.

Luas kawasan ni, ada dua tasik. Kami akan berjalan selama satu jam berpandukan sebuah peta yang diberi di pintu masuk. Jom exercise pagi..

 entrance

Haw Kham (Golden Pavilion)

teratai

Bangunan Golden Pavilion tu ialah hadiah dari rakyat Chiang Rai kepada HRH Princess Mother, patron Mae Fah Luang Foundation. Dalamnya ada koleksi bekas perasapan (incense burner) dari semua daerah di utara Thai. Menarik juga. Tapi dalam ni takleh ambik gambar. Tahun lepas diadakan Candle Light Museum di bangunan ni. 

garden

Sala Kaew

Haw Kaew-Gallery of Lanna Cultural Arts

Tak masuk ke gallery, terus jalan mengelilingi tasik, nak cari botanical garden.

 sawah padi

pemandangan Golden Pavilion dari botanical garden

botanical garden

Botanical Garden ni lokasinya sebelah kiri entrance tadi, tapi sebab tak tahu, dalam peta pun tak tulis, terpaksa pusing satu tasik..fuhh..memang exercise betul. Tengok dalam gambar cantik sesangat garden ni, tapi bila pergi, macam ni je. Silap dong, rupanya yang saya tengok gambar Mae Fah Luang garden di Doi Tung, nama sama dengan cultural park ni..letihh..hahaha...

 Mae Fah Luang garden di Doi Tung

source: Tourism Authority of Thailand

The garden of Mae Fah Luang features more than 70 indigenous flora and wild plants found in the Doi Tung area. It also includes the famous sculpture “Continuity” by the late artist Misiem Yip-In-Soi in the middle of the garden. There are also a fountain, a rock garden, a section of ornamental flowers, and a palm garden. The garden has different kinds of flowers in full bloom all year round. - See more at: http://www.tatnews.org/mae-fah-luang-park-opens-candle-light-museum/#sthash.xRKmuuOn.dpuf

The garden of Mae Fah Luang features more than 70 indigenous flora and wild plants found in the Doi Tung area. It also includes the famous sculpture “Continuity” by the late artist Misiem Yip-In-Soi in the middle of the garden. There are also a fountain, a rock garden, a section of ornamental flowers, and a palm garden. The garden has different kinds of flowers in full bloom all year round. - See more at: http://www.tatnews.org/mae-fah-luang-park-opens-candle-light-museum/#sthash.xRKmuuOn.dpuf

The garden of Mae Fah Luang features more than 70 indigenous flora and wild plants found in the Doi Tung area. It also includes the famous sculpture “Continuity” by the late artist Misiem Yip-In-Soi in the middle of the garden. There are also a fountain, a rock garden, a section of ornamental flowers, and a palm garden. The garden has different kinds of flowers in full bloom all year round. - See more at: http://www.tatnews.org/mae-fah-luang-park-opens-candle-light-museum/#sthash.xRKmuuOn.dpuf

Doi Tung ni lokasinya di kawasan berbukit di utara Chiang Rai. Dulunya perkampungan kaum hilltribe Akha, yang menanam bunga popi untuk buat opium, tapi bila ada Doi Tung Development Project, mereka tanam pelbagai jenis bunga sebagai hasil pendapatan orang-orang kampung.

The garden of Mae Fah Luang features more than 70 indigenous flora and wild plants found in the Doi Tung area. It also includes the famous sculpture “Continuity” by the late artist Misiem Yip-In-Soi in the middle of the garden. There are also a fountain, a rock garden, a section of ornamental flowers, and a palm garden. The garden has different kinds of flowers in full bloom all year round. - See more at: http://www.tatnews.org/mae-fah-luang-park-opens-candle-light-museum/#sthash.xRKmuuOn.dpuf

Overall, kawasan cultural park ni memang cantik, kalau buat photoshoot memang lawa. Historical and traditional. Kalau ada masa, boleh pergi gallery. Satu jam memang rushing. 

Dah habis ambik gambar di botanical garden, kami pun balik, naik teksi yang sama. Driver taxi tu turunkan kami di masjid, sewa teksi THB300, termasuk harga menunggu. Ingatkan nak makan dulu, tengok time masih awal lagi. So, jalan kaki ke jalan besar, menuju ke arah clock tower dan masuk Jetyod Road.

 Wat JetYod

Ambik gambar temple ni sebab cantik senibinanya, snap dari entrance je. Kebanyakan kuil-kuil di Chiang Rai dan Chiang Mai, bentuk bangunannya macam ni. Kemudian patah balik ke arah masjid, nampak bangunan ni - BAM.

 home of love, condo of life, land of visions..perghh..

Mulanya nak try makan di Restoran Makan pulak. On the way nak masuk lorong kedai, terjumpa one lady pakai serkup kepala, orang Islam, tiba-tiba dia tanya. "nak ke mana?" wahh, cakap Melayu. Kami pun cakap nak pegi kedai Makan tu. Kemudian dia cakap ''hari ni saya tutup kedai'. Ohh..tuanpunya kedai rupanya. Dah tutup, kami pun terus jalan ke Rosprasert.

Lepas makan, balik hotel, lepak-lepak kat lounge, baca newspaper Bangkok Post..penuh dengan cerita pasal bombing di Erawan Temple.  Pukul 12.30, bergerak ke stesen bas.

 suasana di stesen bas Chiang Rai

nak ke Chiang Mai, boleh juga naik bas ni

boleh pergi banyak tempat, Lampang, Lamphun

 ini bas kami ke Chiang Mai

driver bas di sebelah kiri tu, uniform macam pilot 

OK, bas dah nak bergerak. Chiang Rai...we checked out.