Our final stop before heading back home to Khon Kaen was another Chedi – this one in Roi-et province. I didn’t realize until we were half way up the hill to the temple that I had already been here – twice. Tom didn’t mention the complete name – Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol – so I didn’t know where we were going until I saw the Chedi from a distance and realized I had been here once on a family outing about two years ago and once again with a visiting buddy in September 2009.
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol from a Distance
Tom was about to turn around when I told him I had been here already, but I said we might as well go and see it again and see if there has been much construction progress. They have been building this temple for years and it is not quite completed.
We arrived at the main gate and Tom was going to park in the lot there but I remembered driving a little further up the hill to another gate and we were then able to park right by the temple grounds.
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol is a beautiful temple with meticulously landscaped grounds. It is still being worked on, but there had been significant progress made since my visit last year.
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol Grounds
More statues of Buddhist monks had been added around the perimeter of the temple, work had been done on the ceiling walls, and some of the structures outside the temple were completed.
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol Buddhist Monk Statues
We only spent about an hour here taking some pictures and had the morning sun in our favor. Here are some shots from inside Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol.
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol Inside Temple
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol Buddhist Monk Images
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol State of Buddha
Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol Reclining Buddha
We left Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol at 0900 and started the 2 1/2 hour drive back to Khon Kaen
There was little traffic on a Sunday morning and Tom made good time getting me back to the house in Khon Kaen at 1115 hours. I was happily greeted by my dogs, Milo and Soda and I called my wife to let here know I was back in the house. She was overseeing the construction of our house and came back shortly after to join me for lunch.
All in all, a very good and productive 2 1/2 day road trip. I got to talk a lot with Tom and shared and bunch of war stories. Also got to see a few cities I had never been to and some temples which I am always game to visit and photograph.
Tom goes on the road for these mini excursions quite often and I hope to join him in the future. Our next get together for more pictures will be here in Khon Kaen for the annual silk festival and parade at the end of November.
So, thanks Tom, for letting me tag along and ride shotgun. I thoroughly enjoyed the company and the stories we shared. It was great having all your years of experience in Isaan to guide us from place to place. Nice to travel with someone who knows the roads, hotels, and places to eat and drink. I look forward to future journeys and hope to gain some more knowledge about Isaan – the place we call home.
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[...] stop was Wat Pa Kung – Em told me that the same monk that oversaw the building of Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol had this one built first. A small, unique place that has the lowest ceilings inside that I have [...]
[...] brother-in-law, Em, told me that the same monk that had this temple built was also responsible for Wat Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol being commissioned [...]