+ I have had a Buddhist prayer hanging in my room for nearly a decade always wanting to know what it said and more importantly what it meant. Learning about Hinduism, Taoism, and other Eastern religions and history only spiked my interest more.
+I've got this thing for colors. Cultures of colors draw me in.
+ Native wildlife! Elephanta being the one of the only animals-next to humans- that can show compassion threw me into a love for the enormous animal.
As an experiential leaner I had to jump at the opportunity to cultivate the knowledge and experiences this holiday had to offer.
Upon arriving in Bangkok I was instantly reminded of past travels in Latin America: the smells, the layout, the colors... Only this time I didn't know what the signs said nor what the vendors were saying. After a short explorative run/walk outside my hostel I packed my gear onto my back to explore the temples via river boats with some Thai girls who had worked with my friend Clarence. I couldn't have asked for a better day on no sleep in such a culturally rich part of the country. Lily and Mae guided me to Wat Pho (the home of the large reclining Buddha), Wat Arun (known as the temple reaching to the sky), and a local flower market. The temples themselves were architectural and decorative feats in extremely unique ways. Beautiful and so meaningful for the Monks and Thais who were also getting just as many photo ops of the temples. Yet, what I enjoyed most was lunch and dinner. Being with two locals we found local food stands without a word in English and they ordered me what seemed good. We all shared a variety of noodle, curry, and veggie dishes. The most interesting of this was one dolloped with some brown-ish cubes that are apparently chicken butt....
My second day I was out on the metro trying to find things around the city with my guidebook as companion. After a few other Buddhist exhibitions and meeting up with Lily, we stumbled upon a parade laced with all sorts of Thai dancers outfitted in a variety of tradition dress. Although we didn't stay for the whole parade, we wove through all the groups and captured the moments prior to their smiles exhausting in the extensive crowds of other tourists lining the street
That was a perfect end to my city experience before I headed on an overnight train ride to the North.
That was a perfect end to my city experience before I headed on an overnight train ride to the North.
The North is more my kind of place. The mountains, trees, and rivers stretch near and far. My first stop was the little town of Pai- nestled right along a river in a valley of mountains. Pai is well known as a little hippie town full of foreigners on motor bikes, with beer and booze flowing, and night markets with all sorts of tasty treats until the wee hours of the morning. For me it was a place to nail my handstands in yoga with a eccentric Thai Hindu, rent a bicyicle, chase sunrises, and drink an unreasonable amount of tea.
My mornings all started with a beautiful sunrise. The first of which I headed up to Wat Phra That Mae Yen- a white Buddha in the middle of the mountain. My walk up there was a bit unnerving with overhearing what I can only hope as tourist police reprimanding some English speaking man and dogs chasing me for a good 500 meters. Upon arrival I was releaved and pleased to stand alone with such an iconic symbol on a hill, only to be joined by a handful of his faithful followers all the way from Bangkok. The monks prayed and blessed the temple with me looking on. After the sun rose over the valley we all descended around the same time and they were taking photos of me. Just as I had some of them atop the temple. Deciding that their photo taking meant I could talk to them I asked them for some portraits and they even joined me in some together- very careful my to touch the lone woman, a really humbling experience for someone like me who is still star struck by any monk walking down the street.
My other mornings were spent watching the sunrise alone from the yoga studio overlooking a mini pond and big peaks and on the back of a motor bike admiring the sun with a newly made friend above waterfalls in the farm fields.
My days were spent on the back of my rented bicycle. I rode the hills by depressing elephant riding camps, past the memorial bridge built after the conflicts between Burma and Thailand, to Pai Canyon where red and white rocks trail out for a beautiful view of the ranges surrounding Pai. With my bike as my vehicle I enjoyed tea overlooking gardens and mountains, to a strawberry farm, ending at a hot springs with some British friends whom had never experienced such a wonder.
Pai was a refreshing place place to be- and somewhere I could have spent much longer having great Chai and coconut milk with the wonderful people I met. Yet, I had to head to the city of Chang Mai as an outlet for my next travels. Chang Mai is a city full of temples- rumored to be over 300 in the old city inside the moat. I spent a few days chasing sunrises and visiting all the temples appearing at random entrances along all the streets. My favorite of these was Wat (if you haven't caught on, wat means temple) Phra That Doi Sutep- which basically translates to the temple on the hill. I convinced an Irish girl to join me at sunrise and it was the best time to go! The temple was lit in the darkness while the sun rose overlooking the city. Pretty fantastical- despite the shallow layer of smog.
The north has treated me well and still have more to share about my experience in the jungle with some giant beasts, but that is another blog post entirely!
It is where we go, and what we do when we get there, that tells us who we are.
-Joyce Carol Oats
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