Life's a Trip: Chapter Seven - Back in Bangkok
December 28, 2006
Not much happened on December 27th, so I'll sum it up briefly. I spent the day on the beach and got burned beyond belief. During the evening I flew back to Bangkok. Nice and simple.
On the morning of the 28th I wake up and
resolve to go “temple hopping.”
First stop: Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchaworamahawihan
This temple, colloquially known as Wat Suthat, was constructed in 1807 after the 27th anniversary of the founding of Bangkok by King Rama I. The temple contains the largest bronze cast Buddha image in Thailand and the grounds contain representations of the Satta Mahasathan or the “Seven Great Sites.” The Seven Great Sites are the places where the Lord Buddha resided after enlightenment.
According to the plaque at the entrance of the Seven Great Sites, “Lord Buddha attained under the Bodhi Tree in the fifteenth hour on the lunar full moon day of the sixth month. He enjoyed the happiness of enlightenment through seven weeks in the Seven Great Sites as follows:”
Site One: The Bodhi Tree
“The Lord Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree and meditated for some time. It was here that he attained Supreme Enlightenment.”
Site Two: Animissa Chedi
“After the Lord Buddha had achieved Supreme Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree at Animissa Chedi he gazed at the tree in gratitude for providing him with shelter. From then on the tree was known as the Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Enlightenment. He sat in this place for one week.”
Site Three: Rattanajangkom Chedi
“Lord Buddha created this place for walking meditation between the Bodhi Tree and Animissa Chedi. He practiced walking meditation here for one week.”
Site Four: Rattanakara Chedi
“Lord Buddha sat in a crystal house which a deva (celestial being) created for him and considered Abhidhamma in this place for one week.”
Site Five: Achapalanikrotha
“Lord Buddha sat under a Banyan Tree where a goat herd had rested. At that time Evil's daughters (Tanha, Raka and Aradi) came to seduce the Lord Buddha by dancing, singing and showing their bodies. But he did not succumb to them and drove them out.”
Site Six: Mujjalin
“At the time that the Lord Buddha rested at Mujjalin it rained all day. The King of Naga, Mujjalin, had faith in the Lord Buddha and worried that he might get sick from sitting in the rain. He covered Lord Buddha and made his reverence.”
Site Seven: Rachayatana
“During his seventh week of enlightenment, Lord Buddha sat under the Rachayatana Tree. Two merchants, Tapusee and Phanlika, gave him Sattu rice. They listened to Lord Buddha speak and accepted the Dhamma (his discourse) as the path to true refuge.”
Lines of Buddhas surrounding the minor wihan (chapel).
The main wihan of Wat Suthat.
Pillars of the ordination hall (ubosot).
Phra Sri Sakayamuni, the 8 meter tall bronze cast Buddha inside the ordination hall (ubosot).
Adjacent to Wat Suthat is the Giant Swing of Bangkok. Measuring 30 meters high, this monstrous swing was originally built in 1784 for use in a Brahmin ceremony.
Here's the story. According to an ancient Hindu epic, after the god Brahma created the world he sent Shiva to look after the new world. When Shiva descended to the earth, Naga serpents wrapped around the mountains in order to keep earth in place. When Shiva found the earth solid, the Nagas moved to the seas in celebration. The Swing ceremony is a re-enactment of this story. The pillars of the Giant Swing represent the mountains, while the circular base of the swing represents the earth and the seas. In the ceremony monks swing trying to grab a bag of coins placed on one of the pillars.
The ceremony was discontinued in 1935 due to numerous fatalities during the reenactment. What's the world coming to when you can't safely ride a 30 meter high swing while leaning off your seat in an attempt to grab a bag of coins which is attached to a giant pole as others scramble to do the same? Sometimes I think I just shouldn't leave the house.
Second Stop: The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings which served as the official residence of the King of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in the Baromphiman Palace, King Bhumibol moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace.
The grounds are absolutely stunning. Here are a few of the more prominent sites:
Entrance to the Grand Palace.
Prasat Phra Debidorn: This building is only open one day a year (Chakri Day - April 6), at which time visitors can view the life-size statutes of the first eight kings of the Chakri dynasty.
Phra Sri Ratana chedi flanked by many other chedis. Interestingly, Phra Sri Ratana houses a piece of the Buddha's breastbone.
A "Yak." These statues of mythical giants are said to protect the Buddha images on the premises from evil spirits.
A model of the Angkor Wat at the Grand Palace.
Incredible artisan work. You could look at it for hours and still not take everything in.
The Emerald Buddha of Wat Phra Kaew: The most important icon for Thai people. This photo may seem to be relatively low in quality because photos are not permitted from inside the wat.
Third Stop: Wat Kanlaya
Upon completing my tour of the Grand Palace, I elect to cross the Chao Phraya River in an attempt to find Wat Arun (the Temple of the Dawn). Once I get to the opposite bank of the river I realize that I don't really know where I'm going, so I simply wind my way through the riverside market looking for someone who looks knowledgeable.
I carefully select a young man who has fallen slightly behind the group of friends that he is walking with. Each guy in the group is wearing a yellow shirt bearing the King of Thailand's emblem, so they practically look like tour guides. I quicken my pace so that I'm in step with the straggler and say, “Excuse me, could you tell me where Wat Arun is?” His reaction simultaneously reads that he's thrilled to have encountered a farang (foreigner) but he also seems petrified to reply. As he stumbles over words which I don't understand he rapidly and repeatedly shifts his gaze from me to his friends, as though he's trying to lure them back through sheer force of will.
It works because in a few seconds his friends realize that he's gone and they head back in our direction. One of the young men politely says hello to me as he approaches so I ask him where Wat Arun is. He happily explains the directions and sends me on my way.
I've walked a mere 25 meters before I hear someone yelling after me. The guy who had just finished giving me directions jogs up to me and says, “Actually we're going to Wat Arun as well, come take the bus with us.” Warning bells are most likely going off in your head right now. Trust me, they we're ringing loudly for me too However, these guys seemed nice enough and I was quite curious to see what would happen next.
The group of us walk down the street in an X formation, I'm in the middle with two of the guys in front of me and two behind me. As we walk everyone stares, which is strange because tourists are an everyday sight in Bangkok. I suppose that this situation was somehow out of the ordinary based on the looks that it attracted.
After about five minutes of walking we encounter a group of about 40 people, all of whom are wearing yellow shirts bearing the King's emblem. The men that I was walking with begin speaking in Thai to the people nearest to them and everyone bursts out laughing. The only word that I catch is “farang,” so aside from the laughter, I know that they're talking about me. As the group converses amongst themselves I scan my surroundings and notice that there is no bus stop where we're standing. Strange... As I begin to wonder what I've gotten myself into, the young guy who I initially spoke with (the one who seemed terrified by me) grabs my hand and stands there, ever so casually holding my hand. Very strange... Once again everyone laughs.
A middle aged man then comes over to me and says, “It looks like you've made a friend.” I laugh and reply, “Apparently...” He then introduces himself and asks where I'm from. I introduce myself and tell him that I'm from Canada. His face lights up. Am I about to get conned again? I feel like I am, but this situation is just so weird that I have no idea what to expect. He smiles at me and says, “I've been to Canada many times. You know, Toronto, Vancouver...I went to school in Pittsburgh for six years, so I had a lots of chances to go to Canada.” He seems really genuine when he says this, so I'm inclined to believe him, but my previous experiences tell me that I shouldn't. We converse further until the bus rolls up and the people closest to the door begin to pile on. It's definately not a public bus...
What the hell is going on? I 'm escorted onto the bus by my “friend” who is still holding my hand at this point. Guess there's no turning back. Upon entering the bus I quickly scan the scene and finally realize what's going on. These people are on a tour! Now I just need to figure out where the tour is going and how much it's going to cost me to join them. I am guided to the back of the bus by the guy who's holding my hand and we take adjacent seats. Seconds later, the man who was talking to me outside of the bus takes the microphone and begins speaking to the group, first in Thai and then he breaks into English and says, “And this is our guest, Chris. He's from Canada.” Everyone claps and says hello to me. Suddenly I'm no longer hesitant to be with this group or on their bus. I smile and wave to all of them. After the man with the mic (Peter) finishes speaking, the bus pulls into traffic and we're off to the next temple. As we drive everyone around me takes turns at asking me questions. They're exceptionally curious and friendly.
My new Thai friends
When the questions finally died down the woman who is sitting across the aisle from me leans over and says, “You have no idea what's going on, do you?” I smile and say, “To be honest with you, I don't have a clue, I just asked for directions!” She explains that I have joined a tour for members of the Computer Science department at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok. The group is celebrating the upcoming New Year and the two year anniversary of their department by visiting ten temples in one day. Their final two stops just happen to be Wat Kanlaya and Wat Arun. She then pulls me in close and quietly explains to me that the guy who is holding my hand has autism, so I shouldn't worry about the deeper implications our hand holding shinanigans.
So, everything makes sense now. I sit back and smile. Sometimes you're pleasantly surprised in life if you simply give people the opportunity to impress you. For the next hour or so I tour Wat Kanlaya and Wat Arun with the incredibly friendly members of Srinakharinwirot University. During our encounter, I exchanged email addresses with many of the group members and have been corresponding with them ever since I returned from vacation.
Buddha under construction at Wat Kanlaya
Wat Arun profile: There is an incredible amount of detail on the building. The apparent gradations in colour come from small tiles that cover most of the outside of the building.
The sun getting ready to set behind Wat Arun.
After seeing Wat Arun I parted ways with the lovely folks from Srinakharinwirot University and headed back to Sukhumvit to round out the day with another suit fitting. My first full day in Bangkok had gone off without a hitch and I had high hopes for the remaining days. And I definately wasn't disappointed...
Not much happened on December 27th, so I'll sum it up briefly. I spent the day on the beach and got burned beyond belief. During the evening I flew back to Bangkok. Nice and simple.
On the morning of the 28th I wake up and
resolve to go “temple hopping.”
First stop: Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchaworamahawihan
This temple, colloquially known as Wat Suthat, was constructed in 1807 after the 27th anniversary of the founding of Bangkok by King Rama I. The temple contains the largest bronze cast Buddha image in Thailand and the grounds contain representations of the Satta Mahasathan or the “Seven Great Sites.” The Seven Great Sites are the places where the Lord Buddha resided after enlightenment.
According to the plaque at the entrance of the Seven Great Sites, “Lord Buddha attained under the Bodhi Tree in the fifteenth hour on the lunar full moon day of the sixth month. He enjoyed the happiness of enlightenment through seven weeks in the Seven Great Sites as follows:”
Site One: The Bodhi Tree
“The Lord Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree and meditated for some time. It was here that he attained Supreme Enlightenment.”
Site Two: Animissa Chedi
“After the Lord Buddha had achieved Supreme Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree at Animissa Chedi he gazed at the tree in gratitude for providing him with shelter. From then on the tree was known as the Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Enlightenment. He sat in this place for one week.”
Site Three: Rattanajangkom Chedi
“Lord Buddha created this place for walking meditation between the Bodhi Tree and Animissa Chedi. He practiced walking meditation here for one week.”
Site Four: Rattanakara Chedi
“Lord Buddha sat in a crystal house which a deva (celestial being) created for him and considered Abhidhamma in this place for one week.”
Site Five: Achapalanikrotha
“Lord Buddha sat under a Banyan Tree where a goat herd had rested. At that time Evil's daughters (Tanha, Raka and Aradi) came to seduce the Lord Buddha by dancing, singing and showing their bodies. But he did not succumb to them and drove them out.”
Site Six: Mujjalin
“At the time that the Lord Buddha rested at Mujjalin it rained all day. The King of Naga, Mujjalin, had faith in the Lord Buddha and worried that he might get sick from sitting in the rain. He covered Lord Buddha and made his reverence.”
Site Seven: Rachayatana
“During his seventh week of enlightenment, Lord Buddha sat under the Rachayatana Tree. Two merchants, Tapusee and Phanlika, gave him Sattu rice. They listened to Lord Buddha speak and accepted the Dhamma (his discourse) as the path to true refuge.”
Lines of Buddhas surrounding the minor wihan (chapel).
The main wihan of Wat Suthat.
Pillars of the ordination hall (ubosot).
Phra Sri Sakayamuni, the 8 meter tall bronze cast Buddha inside the ordination hall (ubosot).
Adjacent to Wat Suthat is the Giant Swing of Bangkok. Measuring 30 meters high, this monstrous swing was originally built in 1784 for use in a Brahmin ceremony.
Here's the story. According to an ancient Hindu epic, after the god Brahma created the world he sent Shiva to look after the new world. When Shiva descended to the earth, Naga serpents wrapped around the mountains in order to keep earth in place. When Shiva found the earth solid, the Nagas moved to the seas in celebration. The Swing ceremony is a re-enactment of this story. The pillars of the Giant Swing represent the mountains, while the circular base of the swing represents the earth and the seas. In the ceremony monks swing trying to grab a bag of coins placed on one of the pillars.
The ceremony was discontinued in 1935 due to numerous fatalities during the reenactment. What's the world coming to when you can't safely ride a 30 meter high swing while leaning off your seat in an attempt to grab a bag of coins which is attached to a giant pole as others scramble to do the same? Sometimes I think I just shouldn't leave the house.
Second Stop: The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings which served as the official residence of the King of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in the Baromphiman Palace, King Bhumibol moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace.
The grounds are absolutely stunning. Here are a few of the more prominent sites:
Entrance to the Grand Palace.
Prasat Phra Debidorn: This building is only open one day a year (Chakri Day - April 6), at which time visitors can view the life-size statutes of the first eight kings of the Chakri dynasty.
Phra Sri Ratana chedi flanked by many other chedis. Interestingly, Phra Sri Ratana houses a piece of the Buddha's breastbone.
A "Yak." These statues of mythical giants are said to protect the Buddha images on the premises from evil spirits.
A model of the Angkor Wat at the Grand Palace.
Incredible artisan work. You could look at it for hours and still not take everything in.
The Emerald Buddha of Wat Phra Kaew: The most important icon for Thai people. This photo may seem to be relatively low in quality because photos are not permitted from inside the wat.
Third Stop: Wat Kanlaya
Upon completing my tour of the Grand Palace, I elect to cross the Chao Phraya River in an attempt to find Wat Arun (the Temple of the Dawn). Once I get to the opposite bank of the river I realize that I don't really know where I'm going, so I simply wind my way through the riverside market looking for someone who looks knowledgeable.
I carefully select a young man who has fallen slightly behind the group of friends that he is walking with. Each guy in the group is wearing a yellow shirt bearing the King of Thailand's emblem, so they practically look like tour guides. I quicken my pace so that I'm in step with the straggler and say, “Excuse me, could you tell me where Wat Arun is?” His reaction simultaneously reads that he's thrilled to have encountered a farang (foreigner) but he also seems petrified to reply. As he stumbles over words which I don't understand he rapidly and repeatedly shifts his gaze from me to his friends, as though he's trying to lure them back through sheer force of will.
It works because in a few seconds his friends realize that he's gone and they head back in our direction. One of the young men politely says hello to me as he approaches so I ask him where Wat Arun is. He happily explains the directions and sends me on my way.
I've walked a mere 25 meters before I hear someone yelling after me. The guy who had just finished giving me directions jogs up to me and says, “Actually we're going to Wat Arun as well, come take the bus with us.” Warning bells are most likely going off in your head right now. Trust me, they we're ringing loudly for me too However, these guys seemed nice enough and I was quite curious to see what would happen next.
The group of us walk down the street in an X formation, I'm in the middle with two of the guys in front of me and two behind me. As we walk everyone stares, which is strange because tourists are an everyday sight in Bangkok. I suppose that this situation was somehow out of the ordinary based on the looks that it attracted.
After about five minutes of walking we encounter a group of about 40 people, all of whom are wearing yellow shirts bearing the King's emblem. The men that I was walking with begin speaking in Thai to the people nearest to them and everyone bursts out laughing. The only word that I catch is “farang,” so aside from the laughter, I know that they're talking about me. As the group converses amongst themselves I scan my surroundings and notice that there is no bus stop where we're standing. Strange... As I begin to wonder what I've gotten myself into, the young guy who I initially spoke with (the one who seemed terrified by me) grabs my hand and stands there, ever so casually holding my hand. Very strange... Once again everyone laughs.
A middle aged man then comes over to me and says, “It looks like you've made a friend.” I laugh and reply, “Apparently...” He then introduces himself and asks where I'm from. I introduce myself and tell him that I'm from Canada. His face lights up. Am I about to get conned again? I feel like I am, but this situation is just so weird that I have no idea what to expect. He smiles at me and says, “I've been to Canada many times. You know, Toronto, Vancouver...I went to school in Pittsburgh for six years, so I had a lots of chances to go to Canada.” He seems really genuine when he says this, so I'm inclined to believe him, but my previous experiences tell me that I shouldn't. We converse further until the bus rolls up and the people closest to the door begin to pile on. It's definately not a public bus...
What the hell is going on? I 'm escorted onto the bus by my “friend” who is still holding my hand at this point. Guess there's no turning back. Upon entering the bus I quickly scan the scene and finally realize what's going on. These people are on a tour! Now I just need to figure out where the tour is going and how much it's going to cost me to join them. I am guided to the back of the bus by the guy who's holding my hand and we take adjacent seats. Seconds later, the man who was talking to me outside of the bus takes the microphone and begins speaking to the group, first in Thai and then he breaks into English and says, “And this is our guest, Chris. He's from Canada.” Everyone claps and says hello to me. Suddenly I'm no longer hesitant to be with this group or on their bus. I smile and wave to all of them. After the man with the mic (Peter) finishes speaking, the bus pulls into traffic and we're off to the next temple. As we drive everyone around me takes turns at asking me questions. They're exceptionally curious and friendly.
My new Thai friends
When the questions finally died down the woman who is sitting across the aisle from me leans over and says, “You have no idea what's going on, do you?” I smile and say, “To be honest with you, I don't have a clue, I just asked for directions!” She explains that I have joined a tour for members of the Computer Science department at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok. The group is celebrating the upcoming New Year and the two year anniversary of their department by visiting ten temples in one day. Their final two stops just happen to be Wat Kanlaya and Wat Arun. She then pulls me in close and quietly explains to me that the guy who is holding my hand has autism, so I shouldn't worry about the deeper implications our hand holding shinanigans.
So, everything makes sense now. I sit back and smile. Sometimes you're pleasantly surprised in life if you simply give people the opportunity to impress you. For the next hour or so I tour Wat Kanlaya and Wat Arun with the incredibly friendly members of Srinakharinwirot University. During our encounter, I exchanged email addresses with many of the group members and have been corresponding with them ever since I returned from vacation.
Buddha under construction at Wat Kanlaya
Wat Arun profile: There is an incredible amount of detail on the building. The apparent gradations in colour come from small tiles that cover most of the outside of the building.
The sun getting ready to set behind Wat Arun.
After seeing Wat Arun I parted ways with the lovely folks from Srinakharinwirot University and headed back to Sukhumvit to round out the day with another suit fitting. My first full day in Bangkok had gone off without a hitch and I had high hopes for the remaining days. And I definately wasn't disappointed...
posted by Christopher Janca at 12:43 a.m.
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