Pictures and narratives from my trip to the Thailand in January 2020.
All photos with depictions of Buddha are presented in respect.
Click a photo for a larger view.
This blog post should be titled December 2019 / January 2020 because I arrived in Thailand on New Year's Eve and made it to Chiang Mai in time to participate in the lantern lighting at Tha Phae Gate (the east entrance to the old city).
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There were thousands of people in the areas around the old city in Chiang Mai on New Year's Eve. This picture is at Tha Phae Gate. The ground is covered with candles that spell out various messages (like Happy New Year). |
As the night went on, more and more lanterns filled the sky.
It was a moving spectacle in more ways than one.
I posted a video of the lanterns including a lantern that I released.
Despite Thailand being predominantly Buddhist,
there were many references and decorations related to Christmas.
This three-story Christmas tree was in a mall in Chiang Mai.
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Street decorations in Chiang Mai.
Thailand is filled with beautiful Buddhist temples.
One of the many temple buildings at Wat Ban Den north of Chiang Mai
Reclining Buddha at Wat Ban Den
Wat Ban Den
An important part of a visit to a Buddhist temple is to "make merit". At some temples, there are prepared packages of various goods that the monks need. These packages can be 'purchased' for any donation and offered to the monks.
The above photo is an offering from myself and my friend. My friend made the offering to the monk while I stayed near the back of the offering area. The monk noticed that there were two names on the paper attached to the merit offering - one written in English and one in Thai. In Thai, the monk asked my friend where the other person was (referring to me). The monk then looked at me and in perfect English asked me to come closer. He then blessed me in English and sprinkled blessed water on me.
The gold plated chedi at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Some things in life are worth doing twice.
On my first visit to Thailand in 2019 I traveled to Phuket. I went back and once again visited Phang Nga Bay. Truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Koh Tapu (aka James Bond Island)
View from the canoe at Koh Phanak
This picture and the one below are of the same spot at Koh Phanak
The macaques are pretty well camouflaged at a distance.
Phang Nga Bay
Wat Chalong in Phuket
This enormous statue of Buddha is on a mountain overlooking Phuket.
This is most commonly known as "Big Buddha".
The view at Big Buddha
About an hour's drive north of Bangkok is Ayutthaya. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Siam (Ayutthaya Kingdom) and has historical sites of city and temple ruins.
Wat Yai Chaimongkol in Ayutthaya
At Wat Yai Chaimongkol
At Wat Maha That
At Wat Maha That
At Wat Maha That
At Wat Maha That there is a stone sculpture of a Buddha head in a Banyan tree.
It is a popular photo spot.
So few people take a picture of the back of the tree.
If you climb the steps and go inside Wat Yai Chaimongkol, there is a place where you can drop a coin a few stories into a bucket waiting below. It is said to be good luck if the coin goes in the bucket. I dropped one coin and it landed in the bucket. My friend looked at me in semi-astonishment. I attribute my luck in hitting the bucket as function of having long enough arms to reach the center of the opening to make my drop.
Bangkok is home to the world's largest weekend market - Chatuchak Weekend Market.
Over 15,000 vendor stalls.
At Chatuchak market
At Chatuchak market
There was a vendor hand painting shoes at Chatuchak market
This is in China Town in Bangkok.
With the exception of some packaged noodles on the far right side of the photo, these are all fungi (mushrooms). I did not get any.
Fresh chicken - really fresh
Some pictures of the flora along the way
I had to ask what this was.
This is สาละลังกา (Sala Langka)
No trip to Thailand would be complete without sampling the food.
Wrapped in the thin egg wrapper are Thai Korat noodles. So good.
I have not figured out exactly how these are prepared, but fried chicken in Thailand is so good.
This ranks in my top five meals of all time.
The flavors in the seafood mixture were incredible.
This had a pretty good kick.
My breakfast (below) was prepared by this lady at a stall in an alley.
I think it was 80 baht. ($2.50 USD)
Pork, rice, morning glory and duck eggs.
Thailand is definitely the place to visit if you want to eat something a little different.