If there is something regretful when traveling, it’s being in a time crunch, rushing as not always there is enough time to see and experience everything. Bangkok is huge and has a lot of attractions, places to go to. I shall hopefully visit it again someday as I did not get to see all it has to offer, but on the last full day in the city, right before closing dinner, we decided to go on the audio walking tour via Steemfest app. No regrets there. Yet, I did not drink enough water and got a migraine. Don’t let the shade of the buildings in the city fool you, drink your water dummy! Luckily, 7-Elevens are on every corner selling paracetamol among other useful things, so I was able to continue with the tour after sitting outside the cafe of a random hostel for a short while.
Do you feel like a dumb tourist? Yeah, me too. It was my very first time visiting real temples. Even though I felt extremely awkward and shy about etiquette, I tried my best to follow the guidelines and to be respectful. There are several rules visitors should be aware of in Buddhist temples such as taking off shoes before entering the temple, not turning back to Buddha, dressing appropriately covering shoulders and knees, no taking photos of the people praying or the monks without their permission, and more. I felt very much out of place, yet it was an amazing experience. I was mesmerized by the peacefulness and the vibe of these sacred places of worship.
Temple kitty says hello! Meow to you too!
Look, even the kitty is wearing a saffron-colored collar! Monks must be taking good care of the little guy.
Blooming bonsai trees in colors
The public school system in Thailand had its beginning here at Wat Mahan after the order of King Rama V. The first school still exists in the original place today. Randomly, we began to talk to a local who turned out to be one of the teachers there. I was taken by surprise of his curiosity of strangers such as ourselves. It made me cautious as genuine friendliness is hard to come by these days, but perhaps, it is just a lovely trait of Thai people. He gave us some good advice on what to see in the city, then we parted our ways.
Bodhi Tree
Strange I thought. This tree must be special since it has a saffron ribbon around it. Indeed. According to the audio tour on the Steemfest app, this Bodhi Tree or the tree of awakening was brought here by King Rama V from Sri Lanka as a sapling. Bodhi Tree is an ancient fig tree under which Buddha sat as he attained enlightenment. The tree at Wat Mahan is believed to be a direct descendant of it. As I was walking by it, I heard the most soothing sound its leaves made in the wind. Buddha himself must have enjoyed it as well.
Oh, the clusters of wires everywhere! I had never seen anything like it before.
Tiger God Shrine
No photos! No photos! Shouted a lady sitting at the entrance. Unlike most Buddhist temples, no photography can be taken inside this Taoist shrine. The vibe inside was a lot more different than in Buddhist temples. We stepped inside only for a short while since the place seemed to be very busy, noisy, and filled with worshipers buying food offerings, praying, pouring oil, and burning incense. It felt intense and chaotic, we did not want to disturb much of those who were going there to worship.
Tuk tuk?
Phuang Malai
Phuang what? Not what, Malai. It is a bunch of flowers strung together creating beautiful decorations that can be found in shrines, temples, and random places all over like hanging from a tree. Other than looking pretty, Phuang Malai has many meanings. They are often given as offerings or as a sign of respect and importance, for good luck, as souvenirs, and more. I saw a person giving out or selling (not sure) Phuang Malai in the middle of the busy traffic of Bangkok. Drivers of cabs and vans also had Phuang Malai, most likely for good luck and safety on the road.
Prince Nara Palace and Pridalai Theater (first theater in Thailand) on Phraeng Nara street, shame it appears wasting away by time and elements now.
You wondered how could you hear rooster singing in the middle of the city? This is how!
Red Whiskered Bulbul Bird
While on the tour I snapped this shot of the Red Whiskered Bulbul Bird without any knowledge about them at the time. Then later I spotted the same birds in a bamboo cage and similar bird feeder while in Koh Chang which made me wonder what’s up with that. As it turns out, in Thailand bird singing competitions are quite a thing and every year thousands of people gather to witness it and in hopes to earn some pretty grand prizes if their birds do well. Red Whiskered Bulbul Bird is one of the most popular singing birds in Thailand.
Wat Suthat Thepwararam
Wat Suthat Thepwararam is considered to be The Spiritual Heart of Bangkok and is one of the ten royal temples of the highest importance in Thailand.
One of my favorite bits from visiting Wat Suthat was these meditating Buddhas sitting outside the temple by all of the walls of the courtyard. Something about the reflection of them on the marble floor and the patterns. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Under restoration at the time, but still impressive. These grey pillars are Chinese-style pagodas. Exactly twenty-eight of them surrounding the temple for twenty-eight different lives of Buddha on Earth.
Phra Buddha Trilokachet image at Ordination Hall
If walls could tell stories? These do, through the breathtaking, entangled murals of the past lives of Buddha. Where does one life start and one end? One could spend a lot of time studying every detail hard to grasp just by a glance.
Guardian lions
Since the last post including these googly-eyed thingies, I’ve learned that they are guardian lions which is a Chinese influence in Thai architecture. More particularly they originate from Chinese Buddhism and serve as protectors from spiritual or physical harm attempting to enter temples and other buildings. Now that explains why they always sit by the entrances!
The Giant Swing
Squirrel friend! Hi! Isn’t it adorable?
The Democracy Monument in the daylight
Fascinating how tiny cultural puzzle pieces reveal themselves to those curious enough. Sometimes accidentally, sometimes by repetition, and sometimes by seeking them out in the unknown. Bangkok is a truly amazing melting pot of culture with discoveries awaiting on every step. Until next time! Thank you for checking out what I managed to capture!
Do you feel like a dumb tourist? Yeah, me too. It was my very first time visiting real temples. Even though I felt extremely awkward and shy about etiquette, I tried my best to follow the guidelines and to be respectful. There are several rules visitors should be aware of in Buddhist temples such as taking off shoes before entering the temple, not turning back to Buddha, dressing appropriately covering shoulders and knees, no taking photos of the people praying or the monks without their permission, and more. I felt very much out of place, yet it was an amazing experience. I was mesmerized by the peacefulness and the vibe of these sacred places of worship.
The public school system in Thailand had its beginning here at Wat Mahan after the order of King Rama V. The first school still exists in the original place today. Randomly, we began to talk to a local who turned out to be one of the teachers there. I was taken by surprise of his curiosity of strangers such as ourselves. It made me cautious as genuine friendliness is hard to come by these days, but perhaps, it is just a lovely trait of Thai people. He gave us some good advice on what to see in the city, then we parted our ways.
Strange I thought. This tree must be special since it has a saffron ribbon around it. Indeed. According to the audio tour on the Steemfest app, this Bodhi Tree or the tree of awakening was brought here by King Rama V from Sri Lanka as a sapling. Bodhi Tree is an ancient fig tree under which Buddha sat as he attained enlightenment. The tree at Wat Mahan is believed to be a direct descendant of it. As I was walking by it, I heard the most soothing sound its leaves made in the wind. Buddha himself must have enjoyed it as well.
No photos! No photos! Shouted a lady sitting at the entrance. Unlike most Buddhist temples, no photography can be taken inside this Taoist shrine. The vibe inside was a lot more different than in Buddhist temples. We stepped inside only for a short while since the place seemed to be very busy, noisy, and filled with worshipers buying food offerings, praying, pouring oil, and burning incense. It felt intense and chaotic, we did not want to disturb much of those who were going there to worship.
Phuang what? Not what, Malai. It is a bunch of flowers strung together creating beautiful decorations that can be found in shrines, temples, and random places all over like hanging from a tree. Other than looking pretty, Phuang Malai has many meanings. They are often given as offerings or as a sign of respect and importance, for good luck, as souvenirs, and more. I saw a person giving out or selling (not sure) Phuang Malai in the middle of the busy traffic of Bangkok. Drivers of cabs and vans also had Phuang Malai, most likely for good luck and safety on the road.
While on the tour I snapped this shot of the Red Whiskered Bulbul Bird without any knowledge about them at the time. Then later I spotted the same birds in a bamboo cage and similar bird feeder while in Koh Chang which made me wonder what’s up with that. As it turns out, in Thailand bird singing competitions are quite a thing and every year thousands of people gather to witness it and in hopes to earn some pretty grand prizes if their birds do well. Red Whiskered Bulbul Bird is one of the most popular singing birds in Thailand.
Since the last post including these googly-eyed thingies, I’ve learned that they are guardian lions which is a Chinese influence in Thai architecture. More particularly they originate from Chinese Buddhism and serve as protectors from spiritual or physical harm attempting to enter temples and other buildings. Now that explains why they always sit by the entrances!
Fascinating how tiny cultural puzzle pieces reveal themselves to those curious enough. Sometimes accidentally, sometimes by repetition, and sometimes by seeking them out in the unknown. Bangkok is a truly amazing melting pot of culture with discoveries awaiting on every step. Until next time! Thank you for checking out what I managed to capture!
Informational sources: Temple etiquette; Wat Mahan; Bodhi Tree; Phuang Malai; Prince Nara Palace; Red Whiskered Bulbul Bird; Bird singing competitions; Wat Suthat I, II; Guardian lions
Song of the day: Grimes - 4ÆM
It looks like you got around a bit whilst you were there. Great photos...I like the close up one of the wall with the mural-design on it.
I hope you're well and have a great Christmas. 2020 is going to be the best, don't worry...I have connections. It's all sorted. Best ever. (I got your back) 😃
Now that I think of it, a bit indeed, yet I wish I still got more time and after a while it is sinking in how much I enjoyed my time out there in the land of beautiful chaos. Before I went there I thought I would be a lot more anxious about so many people and everything brand new, but I just got lost in the translation, explored, had so much fun, and expanded my world.
Thank you @galenkp! You know, all is well, still waiting for the white Christmas here however. It would be all I could wish for then. Hope you and family are well as well!
Ahaha, that's good to know! ^^ Cheers to the best 2020 ever! No really, I wish you the best year ever too :)
Hey there, thanks for replying. I'll talk to my contacts and see what I can do about your white Christmas...Stay tuned...It's going to happen. x
Your contacts must be really good :D That would be epic!
How does Christmas typically look like for Aussies?
It's usually hot (Been 46 here today - Celcius). It's expected that Christmas day will be a mild 30-32 degrees this year.
So Christmas is a BBQ generally, cold cuts, salads, seafood. Starts with a big breakfast then lunch at around 2pm with picking over leftovers for the rest of the day whilst we play board games or swim in the pool. That's sort of what ours looks like anyway. Australia is so multicultural that everyone's looks different.
And you?
I always find the traditions of various cultures interesting, even though I am no a fan f tradition much at all. Do you ever wonder what Buddha would think of all the reverence paid to him as a person who wished people not listen to him out of reverence?
A lot of great shots in the mix.
It looks like the kind of place many people get accidentally electrocuted.
I might be wrong or not fully understand the meaning of things, but somehow I never understood in any religion the need of building monuments, churches or temples while so beautiful, filled with traditions and with good intentions. Yes, I have wondered and something tells me he would rather people sit somewhere in nature with themselves in mind instead of golden temples with his image in center.
Still appreciating the beauty of them though, hehe
Thank you :)
I was thinking the same when my head bumped in them while walking on the sidewalk for the first time and then the one day when it was raining with lighting in the distance.
I have never understood it either. People talk about "the house of God" and then go into a building made by the hands of men and governed by the rules of men - while nature waits outside.
Perhaps you are too tall :D
VERY BEAUTIFUL...
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.
@c-squared runs a community witness. Please consider using one of your witness votes on us here
Hi @m31!
Your post was upvoted by @steem-ua, new Steem dApp, using UserAuthority for algorithmic post curation!
Your UA account score is currently 5.503 which ranks you at #601 across all Steem accounts.
Your rank has not changed in the last three days.
In our last Algorithmic Curation Round, consisting of 88 contributions, your post is ranked at #8.
Evaluation of your UA score:
Feel free to join our @steem-ua Discord server
Congratulations! Your high-quality travel content was selected by @travelfeed curator @elsaenroute and earned you a reward, in form of an upvote and a resteem. Your work really stands out! Your article now has a chance to get featured under the appropriate daily topic on our TravelFeed blog.
Thank you for being part of the TravelFeed community!
Did you know that you get larger upvotes when posting through TravelFeed.io? Also, thanks to the travel writing contest by @invisusmundi you can now earn up to 100 STEEM on top of the post rewards when posting through our new platform TravelFeed.io! Read the contest announcement for more information on how to participate.
We are continuously working on improving TravelFeed, recently we presented at SteemFest⁴, published our Android app and launched our Steem witness.
Please consider voting for us as a witness. If you're not sure how to do that, it's easy: Head over to our Support Us page and hit the witness voting button to vote with Steem Keychain, or Steemconnect if you are not a Keychain user. Alternatively, use this Steemconnect link or head over to the Steemit Wallet and enter travelfeed in the box.
Learn more about TravelFeed by clicking on the banner above and join our community on Discord.
First of all, I much appreciate your kind words for Bangkok and I’m very happy to know that you would like to visit Bangkok again someday.
Nice tour with interesting stories and beautiful photos! I especially like the two temples; the architecture is magnificent, the Buddha images are beautiful, the Guardian lions are amazing, etc.
The squirrel is adorable, I agree with you. Great shot!
Thanks so much for sharing. ;)
Congratulations @m31! You have completed the following achievement on the Steem blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
You can view your badges on your Steem Board and compare to others on the Steem Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPVote for @Steemitboard as a witness to get one more award and increased upvotes!