This morning I was picked up by the tour operator at my hotel. I had pre-booked the tour before I left China. It turns out I was the only one on the tour. Since I am fairly fit and we were traveling faster than my guide usually goes, he offered to take me to the waterfall also.
It was much like many trails I have dinner in the forest but there were some vertical climbs. It was interesting to see how the jungle changed as we climbed higher.
We first came to an old temple that is not used anymore. The monks used to walk the path we took but since the road was built, go by car instead.
There we saw a Peacock and hens. The make Peacock seemed to be aggressive to everything including the chickens that wanted nothing to do with him.
https://youtu.be/xt6FgPE8Lts
Paenaezo, my tour guide, helped capture some great video.
On the way to the main temple we were quiet and on the lookout for monkeys. And we found them! He said that we were very lucky. This is only the second time he has seen them in all the tours that he has done.
https://youtu.be/J50CcJDVWSg
From there we went to the main temple. At these stairs are places where ashes are placed when a monk or benefactor dies. After 100 days it is sealed. I asked Paenaezo what happens when he dies. His ashes are scattered in the jungle as he is from the Hill tribe on the mountain.
Pictures of the temple.
The view of the city from the top of the mountain. It was a heavy pollution day.
More temple pictures.
The murals behind each statue tell the story of the Buddha. The statues are erected for benefactors to keep repairs of the temple.
Inside here men and women are blessed with health. Men have water put on their shoulders and women are given a cotton bracelet to wear for 3 days.
There is also candle flames for each day of the week you are born. You take oil from the trough and add it to the correct candle for luck.
From there we headed down the other stairs to where the hill tribe sells items and food.
Heading to the waterfall.
The waterfall. The source is at the top of the mountain and this water feeds into the canals that go around the old city.
From there we went back a slightly different path. We passed an old fig tree that is huge.
On the right side of the previous picture is a what looks like an elephant head. They call it the elephant tree.
I also saw a banana tree. I have not been near one before.
The bananas are small and very sweet. They are like the ones the park uses to feed the elephants.
There were bikes waiting for us to ride down the mountain on the road. On the way, we stopped to eat lunch near the base of the temple. I had Pad Thai. The total climb was 6.5 miles (10.5 km) to the top.
At the bottom we stopped at an arboretum and had coffee made from local beans.
Riding back to the bike and kayak shop, we rode the whole perimeter of the old city. I miss the padded seat of my bike! Paezaeno took me back to the hotel in his motorbike. He has an apartment in the temple near my hotel.
What a great day!