Doi Suthep
High on a hillside overlooking the city of Chiang Mai is the Buddhist temple Doi Suthep. A spectacularly gaudy temple dating from 1383 AD, which means 628 years of idol worship at this location. It is a sensory experience: barefoot monks in orange tunic robes, the thick smell and haze of incense overpowering every breath, ancient sculptures, dazzling structures and a huge chedi or stupa that is blinding gold. It is sobering and disturbing to see people offering sacrifices, devotion and incense to idols who cannot see, hear, or feel the cry of the heart.
