Sunday, March 16, 2014

1-17-14 Biggest Buddha In Thailand!

I had a super rough week, and so I decided to make myself get out of my room no matter what. I knew if I stayed in there cooped up any longer, I'd spiral even more into depression.

It took me forever to crawl out of my room,
but I did to meet up with my neighbor because
I wasn't in the mood to see anyone else.
My neighbor took me to eat Yen Ta Fo, pink noodles!

NO DURIAN.
NO RAMS.

This is not gelato, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I kept trying to show my neighbor I wanted "gelato," and
kept typing that into Google Translate... until I realized that
the translation said "ice cream."
Silly me.

I arrived in Ang Thong late but safe... and I was treated to a delicious
dinner of an alternate version of chicken and cashews with rice.
Very sweet, Ashley's boss, Kim, also bought cake and ice cream to
celebrate one of her employees' birthdays and a welcoming of a new staff member!

1-18-14


The next day, we went to pay the biggest Buddha in Thailand a visit.
But when we first walked in, we spotted Guanyin.

Here is the Big Buddha.

People were throwing bread crumbs... and bread ROLLS
to the fish, but they seemed to tear those apart quite quickly.

Lucky Buddha! :)

I love how a lotus flower housed this temple :)

Ashley and me!


You can see several "layers" of this temple :)

As we left, we saw the Big Buddha from afar.

Ashley, Calvin, Me
***STAY TUNED. THERE ARE MORE PHOTOS BELOW
RELATED TO THE BIG BUDDHA AND HELL PARK***
My trackpad isn't working properly, so it would take me a few hours
just to drag them all up here. And frankly, I'm just too lazy to
put myself through that needless frustration. :P

1-19-14

On Sunday, I went to Siam Paragon.
As it was the first time I went there and
I was all by myself, I probably looked
really touristy. Wide-eyed and confused,
I wandered around looking for one of
the most-filled bookstores in Bangkok.

The mall was so gigantic and fancy that
there was a floor that was just for cars.

Justin, do you like these? :)
If you do, buy me one and I'll drive you
around in it. :D

Looking down, I saw some performers.

Having originally walked from Victory Monument (bus and train stop)
to Siam Paragon (mall), I thought it would be easier just to walk back
to Victory Monument. Just my luck, though, my Google Maps and internet
stopped working as I was in Bangkok, so instead, I boarded the train to
return. Not a good idea because protest stands were set up everywhere.


Even the circle was cleared of all traffic for the protestors. See
the big screen?

The screen originally was not this muddled, but it
shows people standing on a stage giving speeches.

Scared beyond all reason, I tried to get out
of there as soon as possible. I didn't want
to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

People listening to the speeches.

*Phew!*
I made it back to Muang Thong Thani, Impact Arena!


Aren't those elephants odd-looking? Look at their trunks, haha :D

**Okay, as noted above, here are the rest of my Big Buddha and Hell Park pictures.**


In front of one of the temple buildings, there were elephants and dragons!

The buddha looming from behind the temple.

Hissssssss!

Trying to keep my hair from flying in front of my face.
Touching the Buddha's fingers!


Finally in front of the Big Buddha!


Awesome jump picture of Ashley and Calvin!

Mulan in the Burmese-Siamese War
Look how bloody and graphic the depiction is!

We then saw another Guanyin area, in a more Chinese-inspired temple.

The Monkey King

Fuk Luk Sau

Guanyin

Fuk Luk Sau

Then, we entered "Hell."

Don't lie. This is what happens to you!

I don't remember which sin this was... but the message is DON'T DO THAT SIN!

Don't be an adulterer either!


If you murder animals...

Anyway, it was horrifying and put me on edge a bit as we walked through
these terrible representations. It reminded me of punishments my mom used to tell 
me that people had to suffer through eternally, after they committed 
sins during their lifetimes. However, it was still extremely terrifying
and I walked out disbelievingly, unsettled that someone actually thought
of this idea and put it together for people to walk through.
I guess they technically were successful, since they are probably
able to inspire such discomfort in their audience.

In front of the Big Buddha and the lake with the fish

Calvin banging a gong :D

Year of the Horse
(2014 is Ashley's year!)

Year of the Snake

Year of the Rabbit

For my mom

Year of the Monkey

We ended up walking around in the lotus-encompassed temple.

Inside were many Buddha and monk statues

A lotus flower :)

One of the aberrations in monks lol

Inside that temple, this is what we saw :)

It was filled with images of the Buddha's life.

A beautiful flower :)

We finally walked into this very sparkly temple.
(Yes, I recognize that that is probably the best description of a temple I've ever given.
*Sarcasm*)

But honestly, that's my first thought and was mostly my only thought
as I admired it from within.

Bye, bye, biggest Buddha in Thailand!

We rode away on our motorbikes and enjoyed a peaceful evening before I left for Bangkok the next day.

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