Tag Archives: Asia

Wat Suan Mokkhaphalaram: The bouddhist Meditation Centre

Posted on July 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

Arriving late in the afternoon at Wat Suan Mokkhaphalaram, a famous Buddhist meditation center located in a forest, my camera is low bat! But thanksfully I can use my modest smartphone: sorry for the quality of the pictures! Suan Mokkh literally means “The Garden of Liberation”. First Vision: Thai and foreign people, all dressed in white, wandering here and there among the monks in a natural setting. Paths, inscriptions and altars amid lush vegetation … Created in 1959 by the Thai monk Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, the monastery is dedicated to meditation. Thailand, with a population of 66,720,153 inhabitants in 2011 (Wikipedia), there are between 200,000 and 300,000 monks (Wikipedia) and 32,000 temples. Picture above: we follow the monks into a building nestled on top of a hill and filled with paintings. Pictures 2, 6 and 7: this facetious energetic monk made us a quick presentation of the foundations of Buddhism. And explained principles such as finding the right balance. He also told us some excerpts from the life of Buddha. And with lots of spirit and emphasis, he commented some paintings (made by the monks of the monastery), as the “Human arragement by Flowers” (picture 4) that I find it quite confusing. I listen carefully. Sometimes I loose the point: some explanations are in Thai. I also try to interpret other reliefs and draws, when the guide ask us to go back to the van. We have to hit the road to the last stop of the day: the city of Surat Thani, where we will spend the night. Sarah, big up to you ; )

Follow my whole trip in THAILAND and Twitter. You can also discover my other pictures in the Facebook of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Facebook of the Royal Thai Embassy in Belgium. ENJOY!

Visakha Bucha Buddhist Celebration Near Amphawa

Thaïland: On the road from Amphawa to Chumphon

DESTINATIONS

Thailand: Visit of A Silk Workshop

Posted on July 10, 2013 | Leave a comment

Like in a road movie, today the road seems endless!

I’m really tired and we roll, roll … again and again in the direction of the famous Surat Thani town. And we often stops.

After a long lunch break on a desert beach, where I met a small community of fishermen: here I am in a silk workshop. I really enjoy the visit, I do like natural materials, workshops and crafts!

The first silk workshop I visited, was in Kyoto. There was the old weaver master who makes the kimono and obi silks for the Emperor of Japan. I was impressed cause he is a living legend, but very humble man too. He taught me the first looms in Japan, came from Lyon (France).

After crossing a shop (last picture), I arrived in a rather large yard, facing a carved bird cage and fifteen or twenty looms under a courtyard. At first glance, the workshop can seem a bit messy. And most of looms are busy. By women only of every ages.

An all-female world! Mixing the deafening sounds of looms with the ones of the individual radios and fans of the workers. The women are silent and focused in their work. Every move is executed with precision. Sometimes a smile appears. There is a bit of greenery in the back of the court.

Each loom customised by a weaver, expresses her personal world (picture 3). I wish I could stay longer. Spending a day with these women to better discover their work (picture 1) . How do they weave, what are the floss silk used, the machines and their technique? Who are they?

But once more I’m the last one and I have to hurry to jump in the van. Cause the rain finally falls! Fortunately it won’t last…

Thailand: The Pak Tako Estuary in Chumphon

Thailand, Klongkone Mangrove Conservation Centre

DESTINATIONS

Thailand: A Beach between Chumphon and Surat Thani

Posted on July 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Early this morning, we left Pak Tako to Surat Thani.

A long road and little sleep the night before. Along the way we stop to have lunch on a desert beach. A seafood restaurant (picture 2): too bad for me, I do not like seafood, lol! Huts and threatening sky. Stray dogs and cats and too many mosquitoes! I decide to explore lonely one side of the beach.

Fantastic light giving an emerald reflection to the sea, the tide is low. On land, post card’s palm trees and conifers. Far away, empty canoes ripple on the surface of the water. Opposite, a small fishing community. I have the feeling of walking into a movie set. Light wind, the sky is covered like waiting for an impending tropical storm.

Always impressive, the sky turns black at once, no rain yet. I go to the boats first (picture 3), and then to the fishermen sitting in a large hut covered with palm leaves. Men, women and children are busy unraveling the threads. Exchange of smiles, I show my camera to ask if I can take pictures and portraits.

I appreciate when people photographed are complicit and forget my presence. Sometimes there are meetings and great energy, as in this group. As always the best meetings are those due to chance. I barely had time to make some shots that other journalists arrive (!). It starts to rain, I have to leave in the direction of the restaurant. Many thanks to this small community for their hospitality!