This is our only day in Chiang Rai and we were scheduled to see "some temples" and an "old house". But as it turned out this was a very inadequate description. But before starting on our tourism activities for the day the first 2 photos are of a plant at our hotel called a Cannon Ball Tree

So lets be tourists. First on our agenda was Wat Rong Khun other wise known as the White Temple. It is a private art exhibition in the form of a Buddhist Temple by artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. There are (I think) three main buildings. The White Temple which is made of concrete and glass with large murals on the inside depicting the cycle of life. Interestingly the rear wall of the White Building is a mural depicting World War 3 and including such characters as Bin Larden, George Bush, Spiderman, Kearno Reeves and Micheal Jackson. It is not clear to me who the heros and villains are.

The toilet block is deliberately a significant building being painted gold and elaborately decorated both outside and inside, and it depicts the physical side of human existence with all its grossness. The third major building is the House of Ganesha, also painted gold and housing a pure gold statue of Ganesha.

The second destination of the day was in its own way just as mind blowing as the White Temple. It is the former residence of Thai artist Thawan Duchanee who is deceased, and the property is managed by his family under the name Baandam Museum. So what is there to see at this museum. The property consists of a peaceful forest setting with as many as 40 buildings in various styles from eleborate timber constructions to modern formed concrete buildings that look like spaceships. Many of the buildings are open to the public and are displays of Thawan's art in the form of paintings and decorations of the buildings. Much of the decoration incorprated animal hides, horns, large sea shells. He also seemed to have an affinity for the male phalus. A bit weird in some ways but wonderful wood carvings.

And, finally, just to prove there is no end to the human imagination and ambition, we visited the Wat Rong Suea - The Blue Temple, another recently built Buddhist Temple. I am out of things to say about peoples imagination so I will let the photos do the talking on this one.