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Published: December 30th 2015
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Our first day trip involved visiting various temples. We started at the famed big Buddha in the center of the island. There were lavish steps with shiny tiles and mosaics of bright greens and blues. My friend Bobby was the first to walk up and did not know about the rule of taking shoes off before entering a sacred temple. Some monks yelled at him in broken English, "disrespectful merican"! The Thai believe that the feet mark the lowest part of the body and therefore they should never be pointed at Buddha because it is a sign of disrespect. Like many worship grounds, other dress code applies (covering shoulders, modest clothes, etc.)
In Wat Plai Laem, we visited the 18 arm image, Guanin: the Chinese Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. She is said to be the protector of children, women, the sick, and the poor. They say each of her pairs of arms extend out to help multiple people at once.
After that, we drove to visit the Kunaran Temple of mummified monk. This monk was born in 1894 and he lived to be 79 years old. It is believed that his simple life, meditation, and healthy lifestyle contributed
18 Arm Image
Chinese Goddess of Mercy and Compassion to his longevity and the impressive preservation of his body after his death. In fact, the disintegration of his eyes mark the only noticeable change in his body. In the temple he is protected in a glass case and they put Ray Ban sunglasses over his eyes to cover them.
Next, we drove to the Grandfather Rock (Hin Ta) and Grandmother Rock (Hin Yai) which line the shore and overlook the ocean. The legend and tale of the rocks begins with a son who still lived with his two grandparents. They believed it was time for him to get married and start a family of his own. So they took a boat across the island to ask for the hand of a beautiful woman, but their ship was capsized during a big storm. The story states that they were unable to swim to shore, so their bodies turned into rocks, and they still remain to this day.
Near Hin Ta, we found a small treehouse bar tucked into the area, which has a Rastafarian bob Marley vibe to it. Our last stop was to the fishing village of Bann Hua Thanon. Here, Lauren, our TA (teacher's assistant) instructed
us to write in our journals about surroundings and specific descriptions of our setting. We were told to avoid letting opinions or emotions seep through. Later, we used these descriptions to write Walt Whitman esque poems during class at the beach.
Coming back to the resort after a long and eventful day, we relaxed and showered before going out to dinner. We met up with Jen at an Irish bar in town that had a live band. A bit touristy, the place was expensive with an extensive "American menu." Koh Samui is a very popular tourist destination, and I've definitely noticed the influence that tourists have on their restaurants and local businesses. It's very common to hear American music playing in restaurants or bars.. In fact, I've probably heard more Miley Cyrus songs this trip than Thai artists combined.
The night ended with making our way back to the Rastafarian bar and relaxing to the songs of Bob Marley while the ocean waves crashing against Hin Ta.
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