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Published: April 15th 2009
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Welcome to Thailand
My first trip out East! A great introuction to Asia. Bangkok. How does one describe a place so foreign from what they may be used to? Different does not necessarily mean bad. By this I mean it will be just as difficult to explain how beautiful Bangkok is as well as how different it is. I suppose that’s a main part of its charm, its exotic uniqueness that is never ending.
As I consider Bangkok and Thailand overall after my time there, perhaps it is unfair to describe it as foreign. When one thinks of foreign, the word home does not come to mind. In Thailand, there is no doubt that the people go above and beyond to make travelers feel at home. Day after day, the Thai culture shined through and if anything is really foreign, it would be the notion of homesickness.
As for my time here, I am glad to say it was a trip of business and pleasure. While I had two weeks off for winter break, there was also a job conference for next year’s jobs the following week. This conference I had no choice but to attend. What does this mean? To put it simply, three weeks off paid in one of the
best locations on earth. Ahh, this teaching gig is getting better and better! As for the conference, I am happy to announce on this blog that I have decided to take a job in Taiwan. The International Bilingual School at Hsinchu gave me quite a good impression. The students sound to be very high caliber, not to mention the location. For those of you who may be interested, here is the school website: http://140.126.247.134/ Taiwan is a country with democratic government, a rich Asian culture, an outdoor lover’s dream come true, and the geography that allows me to go to either Tokyo of Bangkok in just three hours. Yes, perhaps the perfect home base for seeing all of Asia. Anyway, back to Thailand.
With this trip I was quite lucky to have friends along. Of course my Spanish sidekick Jorge of getting in trouble internationally was in Bangkok for a few days while I was there due to the hiring conferences. Asami, another good traveling friend from Japan and I were able to see some sights of Thailand as well. On this note, there are some of these pictures that I give her credit to. Usually they’re easier to
spot because they simply look better than mine. Adding up the elements of having three weeks off, good traveling friends, two stores that sell beer for a dollar always in sight and an amazing location, this vacation contained all the needed elements. As for blogging this trip, I decided to take major pieces and divide it into four sections. With so much happening, a day by day approach would just be too much. Therefore, I hope by giving some well explained examples of the journey, the point will be made.
The first major Wat (temple) that I was able to visit was Golden Mountain. After walking the many steps to the top I was able to get a better sense of Bangkok. From the top of this temple, it becomes evident how rich the Thai culture really is. Every part of this Wat gave an impression of peace and serenity. From the many gardens interwoven on the path, to the breeze bringing out a soft melody of the chimes and to the warmness given from the monks, there is no mistaking this is a holy place. Being at the top of Golden Mountain is an experience that should not
be missed. While you are able to appreciate the visual spectacle of a shining golden stupa reaching to the sky, you are also able to see a panoramic view of the entire city. Add the gentle chanting of monks and those praying, you have the recipe to merely sit and take in the Thai version of feeling peaceful and centered.
After seeing Golden Mountain, another must is the Reclining Buddha. The full name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn (Thai: วัดพระเชตุพนวิมลมังคลาราม ราชวรมหาวิหาร). This monument was surreal. Every part of the Buddha has the golden glow given from the paper rubbed on. It is quite a surprising monument, in that you can’t really understand it until you are inside the building. From the outside, you only see parts. Once you enter the temple (with your shoes off of course), you get the sense that this Buddha is dominating all known space. A very enjoyable perspective.
I'm also showing Wat Arun on this blog. This is one of the oldest wat's and perhaps the most beautiful. It's known as the sunset temple, due to the amazing colors given off at sunset. What lloks like tile on the walls is mainly
Rockin Jorge
Apparantly Jorge knew the band, so he got to sing. Siempre! composed of pieces of shale. This wat was very impressive in the detail and color that went into it. Hopefully the pictures help to show this.
At this point, I must remark on the craftsmanship of the temples. The angles, colors and overall is design is a clear example of how Thailand can be so foreign, yet so beautiful at the same time. While there are many pictures on this blog that try to convey the presence o f these temples, beyond any doubt there are hundreds of more faces to these temples that are not shown. They are truly works of art, and in their beauty they initiate a sense of serenity. It’s rather difficult to imagine this feeling could ever become tiresome.
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