I'm back from my trip and way behind blogging, so I'll start posting and making links when I sort my pictures out. ;) There was internet access over there, but between busy days and convenience matters (I didn't bring a computer to take advantage of free WiFi) I didn't really have the time until late in the trip in Bangkok.
So I'll start posting and linking here... it'll take me a while!
9/27 Four Faced Buddha (Bangkok)
9/26 Reclining Buddha (Bangkok)
9/26 Golden Buddha (Bangkok)
9/23 Floating Market
9/22 Grand Palace (coming soon...)
9/21 Maglev Train (Shanghai)
9/21 Where is the Watermelon?
9/18 Shànghǎi
9/17 Hángzhōu
9/16 Nánjing
9/15 Yángzhōu
9/14 Sūzhōu
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Four Faced Buddha
At a busy intersection in downtown Bangkok is a Four Faced Buddha. There are several throughout Thailand, but this is the best known one. As you can see it is a busy outdoor shrine.
The dancers are a money-raising method for this temple - the women dance in exchange for a donation.
Worshippers buy a dozen incense sticks, a candle, and four garlands. Then they pray to each of the four faces, leaving a garland and three incense sticks in a tray of ashes.
It is considered good luck to release fish or birds, and just outside was a vendor selling cages of small birds. My mom bought a cage and we took turns releasing the birds, who I'm sure were very happy to be free again!
The dancers are a money-raising method for this temple - the women dance in exchange for a donation.
Worshippers buy a dozen incense sticks, a candle, and four garlands. Then they pray to each of the four faces, leaving a garland and three incense sticks in a tray of ashes.
It is considered good luck to release fish or birds, and just outside was a vendor selling cages of small birds. My mom bought a cage and we took turns releasing the birds, who I'm sure were very happy to be free again!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Reclining Buddha
The Reclining Buddha is enormous - the head rises 15 meters above the ground.
Each foot is 3 meters high and 5 meters long.
A friend took this slightly fuzzy picture of me, which shows how large it really is! The total length is 46 meters.
For a donation you receive this pot of coins. By the side of the Reclining Buddha are 108 small pots, one for each auspicious sign of the Buddha. The tradition is to toss a coin into each pot, thus blessing you to live to be 100+ years old!
Each foot is 3 meters high and 5 meters long.
A friend took this slightly fuzzy picture of me, which shows how large it really is! The total length is 46 meters.
For a donation you receive this pot of coins. By the side of the Reclining Buddha are 108 small pots, one for each auspicious sign of the Buddha. The tradition is to toss a coin into each pot, thus blessing you to live to be 100+ years old!
Golden Buddha
This large Buddha weighs 5.5 tons and is plated with pure gold.
For a donation you receive incense sticks, a garland, and three gold leaf squares. This leaf is 24 karat gold, and sticks to skin very easily, thus the paper enclosure.
By the side of the large Golden Buddha are three smaller ones. What you do is take the gold leaf shown above, and carefully apply it to these smaller ones, by pressing the gold against the statue and rubbing it for a few seconds through the paper.
For a donation you receive incense sticks, a garland, and three gold leaf squares. This leaf is 24 karat gold, and sticks to skin very easily, thus the paper enclosure.
By the side of the large Golden Buddha are three smaller ones. What you do is take the gold leaf shown above, and carefully apply it to these smaller ones, by pressing the gold against the statue and rubbing it for a few seconds through the paper.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Floating Market
One side trip outside Bangkok was a trip to a floating market, and we passed this orchid farm on the way.
We got into long boats and sped to the floating market via a series of narrow canals.
A typical house along the way - easy access to the canal!
They were blowing soap bubbles and tossing rocks into the canal, and waved as we passed by.
A portion of the floating market. People would sell their wares or cook food as we wandered by. While many vendors carried their stock in boats there was also a larger permament building with various souvenirs for sale... that portion of the market had all the signs of the classic tourist trap. ;)
We got into long boats and sped to the floating market via a series of narrow canals.
A typical house along the way - easy access to the canal!
They were blowing soap bubbles and tossing rocks into the canal, and waved as we passed by.
A portion of the floating market. People would sell their wares or cook food as we wandered by. While many vendors carried their stock in boats there was also a larger permament building with various souvenirs for sale... that portion of the market had all the signs of the classic tourist trap. ;)
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Maglev Train
Here is a (blurry) shot of the top speed the Maglev train in Shanghai reached - 431 km/h, or 267 mph! This train turns the 30 km trip from the depot to Pudong Airport into an 8 minute journey.
I'm positive this is the fastest I've traveled on land.
Speedy Train
I'm positive this is the fastest I've traveled on land.
Speedy Train
Where is the Watermelon?
Our trip included meals, and they have been delicious and very large.
About to Feast
A typical meal that we were served in China was 20 to 30 courses of food - no kidding. Each course was a plate shared by the whole table, but even still, if you average eating 1/10th of each plate that still comes out to 2 to 3 plates of food. And sometimes there was an individual soup (or two) brought out! What is pictured above are just appetizers...
One thing that remained constant through every lunch and dinner was the last course: sliced watermelon. It became a little joke when we were stuffed and couldn't eat anymore, people would start to ask if the watermelon was coming soon. ;)
About to Feast
A typical meal that we were served in China was 20 to 30 courses of food - no kidding. Each course was a plate shared by the whole table, but even still, if you average eating 1/10th of each plate that still comes out to 2 to 3 plates of food. And sometimes there was an individual soup (or two) brought out! What is pictured above are just appetizers...
One thing that remained constant through every lunch and dinner was the last course: sliced watermelon. It became a little joke when we were stuffed and couldn't eat anymore, people would start to ask if the watermelon was coming soon. ;)
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