Accommodation, Part 15: Topland Hotel, Phitsanulok

You can see some of the temple roofs at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat along the bottom of my window here.

The rainy season is in "full tilt boogie" mode throughout Thailand lately, and I've been thinking more than usual about friends in places in Phitsanulok (as well as other regions) currently underwater. Phitsanulok is roughly halfway between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.  An interesting bus ride, if you have the time.

So far they seem to be holding up as best they can through the flooding that's plagued them recently; the Nan river having overflowed it banks in many areas and sending WIDE swaths of brown, earthy water across vast areas that normally aren't submerged.

Anyway, being some 10,000 miles away the best I can do is hold the positive thought for them and try not to worry. In that spirit the time seemed right to post about a happier time at a hotel I've enjoyed there.

Another room view. The bath and shower are behind the mirror.

The Topland Hotel and Convention Center is located about 500 meters/300 yards from the banks of the Nan, so it may have had some problems when the last heavy rains came through, but I can't say one way or the other at this point.

If you're going there soon you can always contact them directly via the phone number or email at the end of today's post.  I do know that during more serene times it's a nice place to stay, and a place I'd book again, myself.  There were lots of areas to wander and explore near the hotel itself.

You can see in the top photo that from my room I gazed out over the extensive grounds of Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, a place you should definitely wander over and take a walk around, if you're in the area. Those who were reading this blog in November last year saw a two-part post about that temple - those who are catching up can see Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

TripAdvisor currently rates Topland as #3 of 30 hotels listed for Phitsanulok, and with rates for a double "Superior" around $35USD and "Deluxe" around $50USD, it's what I'd call a good value.

The reception desk at the Topland Hotel

There's a large indoor shopping mall within an easy walk, and a night market along the river - although it might be having some flooding problems right along about now.

A street in downtown Phitsanulok

Topland Hotel and Convention Center

68/33 Akathodsarod St. - A. Muang - Phitsanulok, Thailand 65000

Tel: 66-55 247800-9, 245390-4

E-mail: phsoffice@toplandhotel.com
http://www.toplandhotel.com/index.php

Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, Part 2

There were no plans for a second post about Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat after part one the day before yesterday, but I knew at the time I'd prepared too many pictures for a single post. Oftentimes the posts take a direction I don't consciously choose myself, and that one ended up being more about history and visitors making merit. Anyway, to keep the pictures somewhat together here are a few more from that visit.

In the top photo today you can see a little more of the extensive grounds around the temple that holds the large bronze Buddha statue, next to the the tall chedi. Below is a view of the entrance to the main temple. The ranad eek (xylophone) player was sitting just to the left of the entrance, behind the large white urn the young man is walking in front of. I didn't plan that (naturally) but it's a good point of reference for perspective, I suppose.

The row of seated Buddha images was in another part of the temple grounds, and although I've used a nearly identical image for the post about Visakha Puja day I'm adding a very similar one again today, since this is where it was taken (and I like the picture).

This temple was one of the earlier places where I'd seen the pig heads offered; the skin removed from the skull and splayed out flat, adorned with joss/incense sticks. They almost appear to be smiling, although we all know they'd probably have been happier to be still roaming around on the hoof. There were a couple of dozen offered on tables at this temple.

Lastly today here's another view of the Buddha statue itself, from a slightly different angle. I think it was the black walls and the massive amounts of gold adornment and painted detail that made this particular temple stand out in my memory as it has. For me, it was just breath-taking.

Visiting Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat

About halfway to Chiang Mai from Bangkok in the city of Phitsanulok stands the beautiful wat (temple) Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, home to a large 14th-century bronze Buddha statue known as the Phra Buddha Chinnarat that's the second most revered statue in the country - second only to the Emerald Buddha, housed within the Grand Palace.

Throughout the year people travel enormous distances to pay their respects at this particular temple because of the miraculous powers the statue is reputed to have. They hold a week-long festival in its honor during the time of the sixth day of the waxing moon of the third month in the Thai lunar calendar. How's that for a mouthful? As we go along you'll undoubtedly notice there are a number of holidays and events important to the Thai that are based on points on the lunar calendar; you may remember another we covered recently: Loy Krathong.

The miracle granted the most significance happened back in the 15th century, when the image is said to have wept tears of blood when princes from Ayutthaya finally succeeded in running the troops from Sukhothai, but as we haven't even scratched the surface of Thai history I'm going to let you look that one up yourselves for now.

I have no guesses as to how many tens of thousands of visits are made to this particular temple in any given year, but people were moving through at a pretty steady clip the day I was there. After stopping to buy the usual offerings of candles, joss sticks and flowers they entered the temple to quietly pay their respects, as did I.

In the photo below you can see a small square of paper between the joss sticks. The folded paper holds the gold leaf, also used while making merit. There's another story about them from July you might be interested in: Putting Gold On The Back Of The Buddha.

On my way towards the temple I stopped near a group of students who were listening to the monk (above right) speaking. Some just listened, some were taking notes, all were paying close attention to what he said.

A man was playing music on a ranad eek (xylophone) outside the entrance to the temple, a soft melody that set the tone for my visit inside. Shaded from the sun it was cooler inside the temple, and I paused to kneel before the meticulously polished image towering in front of me to make my offering before wandering around the inside, admiring - as usual - the fine craftsmanship and detail.

If you're ever in the area - perhaps driving to another destination further North - I highly recommend stopping in and spending some time here.