I’m finding my way around Chiang Mai when I walk down a street with this enchanting temple open to the public. It has these four large elephant sculptures in the center all connected at the backside and standing in the cardinal directions. The temple was covered in lush greenery and had a floor perfectly set in stones with grass in between. As I silently moved around the grounds amongst very few locals and onlookers I started to hear this cascading chime going off in the wind. The chime sat protected at the apex of an A-frame building that housed brandished Buddhist adornments in a neatly fashion on tables visible from behind a barrier. I kept walking and found I didn’t want to leave, so I found a spot to lie down in the shade to break from the tropical heat. The pavement straightened me out as the chiming kept a persistent dancing, making this magically stimulating sound for my ears that I just couldn’t stop listening to. I closed my eyes and just imagined where I presently was, looking up at these magnificent elephant edifices facing out with their massive trunks and tusks. Life was living on the horizon at all times in that moment and I just couldn’t get enough. Eventually, I had to leave but assured myself that it was ok because tomorrow I would begin my day here and take some photos of the temple.
The next day I was practically skipping to cross the road because the temple was actually quite close to the hostel I was staying at. I arrived with my phone, water and other essentials in my small backpack and when I reach my original resting spot I see a young teen on a bike and pointing a gun. I thought, shit!, but then quickly deduced when he said “bang!” that it was a plastic series and the boy is looking for entertainment himself. After he scoots out of the way I meet my real match: a bored 4-year-old lad sat slouched over on a log under this droopy tree. I snap a picture of the boy and in an instant he charges at me like an elephant, hands drawn and shoeless. I let him approach me and he full on goes Muay Thai fighter and tries to pummel me with hands and feet. He makes enough contact for me to decide to bail. I thankfully remember I’m faster than he is, so I run away and he chases me in circles as I lovingly chant, “You can’t get me, you can’t get me!!!” to his delight. He is laughing along having interpreted my intonation of a taunt to his native Thai. He tired out after about half dozen rounds so I take off in another direction figuring it best I get off his turf. I casually start to walk out of the temple thinking of coming back later when there’s a little less action. Suddenly, I become horrified when I realized the little guy has eyes on me and doesn’t think I’m leaving fast enough, so he bolted after me. I sprinted that time until I was certain that I had a good enough lead on him and was safe from the temple’s mini-keeper. He then returned to his rightful sanctuary, the beautiful sun-glazed grounds of a temple in Chiang Mai.
General