On Day 11 of our tour we visited the Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, Northern Thailand's most sacred temple located about 15 kilometers from the city of Chiang Mai near the top of Doi Suthrep Mountain. In order to reach it we had to drive up a sometimes dizzying switchback two-lane road. The original founding of the temple is wrapped in a legend (with various versions to it), but it is generally believed to date back to 1383 when the first stupa was built at the site. The main legend is that the Lanna King Nu Naone heard of a monk holding a relic of the Buddha (in this case, a part of the Buddha's shoulder bone) and asked that it be brought to him in 1368. When the relic arrived it broke into two pieces. The smaller piece was enshrined at the Wat Suan Dok temple and the other piece was placed on the back of a white elephant that was then released into the jungle. According to legend, this white elephant climbed up Doi Suthep Mountain and stopped at one point, trumpeted three times before dropping dead. The king took this to be an omen and ordered the construction of a temple at the site. Over the centuries this temple was expanded and more holy shrines were added, creating the beautiful complex one sees today. The bus dropped us off at the foot of the complex and we took the funicular train to the top. There is also a 306-step staircase (capped with two cool Naga snake banisters) that can be used to access the site. The original gold-plated Chedi (stupa) is the most holy area of the temple grounds, holding the Buddha's relic. But surrounding this golden Chedi are numerous pagodas, statues, bells, shrines and a museum. It's interesting to note that you'll see aspects of both Buddhism and Hinduism at the site. During the tour our guides told us that at times it was prudent for the rulers to combine aspects of both religious beliefs in order to appease their subjects and avoid ethnic conflicts. Although this is a Theravada Buddhist temple, you can see images, for example, of the Hindu God Ganesh (who is typically portrayed with an elephant head and four arms). Later that day we stopped by an artisanal center to visit a silver and silk shop before continuing on to a local home/restaurant for dinner. The following day we flew to Laos.