My last day in Chiang Rai was actually super rainy so I basically spent my whole day sitting in my room and eating random Thai food I acquired when I got sick of my room. Today I made it to Chiang Mai, a city with, so far, less rain. I spent most of my day on the bus so I didn't really get a great chance to look around, but I did get to see some cool temples. You know you spend a lot of time looking at temples when you can start to identify what style they are. The bus ride want bad actually. I got the mid-tier bus since the cheapest bus I think is a van and the expensive bus isn't worth it. The ride went smoothly for the most part. The "temporary bus station" is actually just a dirt field so, to no one's surprise but the guy who set up the temporary bus station, got super muddy after a two days for rain. We also were stopped by the police who were clearly looking for someone in particular so ignored us for the most part (other the the stopping our bus thing). I can actually recommend the bus, even if it takes three hours. Hopefully Chiang Mai will be a bit easier to navigate than Chiang Rai. So far it is a bit easier to get around, there is just more easy to get to stuff.
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While I avoided the flooding of southern Thailand, it is still raining in Northern Thailand, where I am. After a late start and an omelet made by some Thai guy without pants I hit the road to try and get to Wat Rong Khun, aka the White Wat, designed by National Artist of Thailand Chalermchai Kositpipat. While I heard Wat Rong Khun really comes alive in the sun, when sun light is captured by the countless small mirrors on the buildings, it is still interesting in the rain. The building itself blended into the sky in a rather interesting way. Chalermchai Kositpipat also put some pop culture elements into his design for the White Wat. The pop culture references vary form completely obvious to somewhat subtle. I believe his point was to encourage you to think about how to blend the modern and the traditional in a way that enhances both. The Wat's gardens also had the nicest bathrooms I have used. I actually included a picture of them but they are also covered in little mirrors and engaged sculptures. The little town thing next to the Wat has a small exhibit of Chalermchai Kositpipat other art. Chalermchai Kositpipat has a theme, classic depictions of Thai religious images. The pop culture references that make Wat Rong Khun particularly interesting was largely absent from the exhibit. While there was a small room with some paintings of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, former President George W. Bush, and Osama Bin Laden, the sculpture miniatures of the Buddha look like they could have been made in 1650.
I arrived in Chiang Rai, a small city in Northern Thailand yesterday at around 1:00. The airport only seemed to have like two taxis though since it took until a little after 2:00 to actually get one. After getting a quick late lunch I walked around the city a bit, seeing the rather impressive clock tower and the Chiang Rai International Flower Show. I also went to the Hill Tribes Museum (which didn't permit photos). The museum was well put together but was very word heavy; forentually they had words in English, somewhat of a rarity in Thailand. The next day I woke up kind of late and decided to check out the Temple of the Emrald Buddha, Chiang Rai and the other temple next door. While the original Emrald Buddha is in Bangkok contemporary Asian artists constructed a new Emrald Buddha in Chiang Rai. The Wat also had a small but we'll put together museum with some of the Buddhist stuff they acquired over the years. The next Wat was not as impressive. After getting some more money and figuring out how to get bus tickets, I found a Cat Cafe. A cat cafe is exactly what it sounds like, a cafe with cats in it. While it is hard to imagine that the health inspectors in a more developed country approving a restaurant filled with animals, I believe the concept originated in Japan, a country I always thought had quality health inspections. The coffee wasn't bad and was actually reasonably priced. The cats seem happy, well fed, and well groomed. At the end of the day I hit the night bazaar for dinner. The food was good but the Chiang Rai night bazaar is kind of small as these things go.
I have finished up my time in Bangkok and am waiting for my flight yo Chiang Rai, a city in Norther Thailand. It should be a nice change form the fancy malls of Bangkok. I do plan to do a South East Asia retrospective when I return to China.
Yesterday I went to Srinakharinwirot University, one of Juniata's exchange partners and the University where all my Thai friends go to, to talk to their next batch of exchange students. It was a bit more formal then I thought, they even brought the guy who funds the program (who also sponcered the TnT kitchen), to speak a bit about why he likes Juniata. Aftet the two Thai former exchange students spoke I talked for a bit about thinks I thought was important. We also sat down afterwards so I could help with questions they had, something I think I did better with. Finally, Srinakharinwirot University is trying to figure out why Juniata is not sending them any students, eventhough that is part of the exchange. I think I might end up helping them figure this out when I get back to the US.
Today was my first real day in Bangkok so my Thai friends from Juniata and I met up. First I saw the Temple of the Golden Buddha, while many Thai temples have golden Buddha statues this is the most golden of the golden Buddhas. It is actually made of real cast gold, as opposed to being covered in gold leaf, and, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, has the highest intrinsic value of any religious object on Earth. It is defiantly a cool thing. While there, I saw two exhibits, one on the Buddha itself and one on the Thai of Chinese Dissent. The Buddha exhibit was actually kind of helpful. The Chinese Thai exhibit was also kind of interesting. While the Buddha kind of ended up in Bangkok's Chinatown I heard it is fitting since the Chinese are basically New York's Jews. They both left their homelands for a more prosperous nation because of political instability and have built reputations in the gold and jewelry industries. The Chinese seem to have been in Bangkok since before there was an America though. I then had lunch and checked out a small park with two train cars bring reused as libraries. Finally I went to Suan Lumphini, Bangkok's big urban park, to walk around and meet my friends. Just FYI, Bangkok has giant lizards just walking around the park. The picture of the giant lizard is one that was one of about 400 that is just in the park. My friends and I had dinner at a grilling type of place before having drinks at a trendy mall.
Even with some internet problems in the previous days that ment I couldn't post, I have made it to Bangkok, Thailand. I am now planning out my day and hope to uodate more regularly. I also would like to do a South East Asia Retrospective at some point, since the histories, cultures, modern political situation, and even languages of South East Asia are very intertwined.
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AuthorI am a junior at Juniata College spending a year studying abroad at East China Normal University. Please feel free to join my on my journey to China and beyond. Archives
November 2021
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