Wat Palad Chiang Mai Thailand

I had been directed into a temple built within the jungle, enshrining elephants and dragons, the worldly and unworldly side by side.Streams poured out of the hills, culminating into a large rock waterfall overlooking the Chiang Mai skyline.Dogs roamed freely and, above me, a large spider clung to its capacious web.Small bridges and footpaths joined statues of Buddhas, dragons, worshipers, candle holders and stone carvings.I could sense the connectedness of this temple, its people and the earth.It had been built under the pretense of harmony, and I could feel it.