Royal Embassy of Thailand in Belgium | Mademoiselle Le K Blog-Trotter

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Thaïland: On the road from Amphawa to Chumphon

Posted on June 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

Second day of the trip:

we leave Amphawa and its klongs to Chumphon. A lunch on the lovely Ban Krut Beach, almost desert and very clean. And as we say in French, “no shadow of (pas l’ombre)” a tourist (picture 2).

A few tables scattered here and there: excellent thai food. I’m intrigued by the giant Buddha off set on a small hill facing seafront (picture 3). After lunch, we visit the temple Prachuap Khiri Khan, where the giant Buddha rises.

Then we hit the road to Hin Chang Spirit House. A temple dedicated to Ganesh. I didn’t count how many statues of elephants, but it’s pretty impressive (pictures 4 & 5)! You can find all sizes and colors. And not to mention firecrackers … yes, deafening (I’m not exaggerating) with a maximum of smoke, facing the altar (picture 6)!

And while the mini bus away from Hin Chang Spirit House, I have a king of vision on the side of the road! My meeting of the day! A traveling monk from Cambodia (pictures 1 & 7). Angor Wat is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. There is something mystical and magical (I promise I will post some pictures!)

. The monk walked from Cambodia and goes south of Thailand. I couldn’t explain why he reminds me of David Carradine on the road in the famous Kung Fu series (I think?). Undaunted, the monk continues his road, a water bottle in hand. The best meetings are often those due to chance … Don’t you think so?

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!

Thailand, Klongkone Mangrove Conservation Centre

Thailand, Amphawa: Romhub, the unusual market of Mae Klong

DESTINATIONS

Visakha Bucha Buddhist Celebration Near Amphawa

Posted on June 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

Without a first trip in Thailand when I was a student,

I will never become a photographer. And never showed my pictures of “Priests and Thai bikers” and all that follows … I will always have a very special link with this country, priests, people and landscapes!

Very emotional and souful to be back here years later, in the small village’s temple near Amphawa, Wat Bang Kapoam to celebrate Visakha Bucha: the birth, enlightenment and entry into nirvana of the Buddha. The most important festival of the Buddhist calendar. My first Vishaka Bucha.

I enjoy the atmosphere of Buddhist temples, the feeling of fredoom’s movement, the back ad forth of the people. Tonight, some of the priests set their camera during the ceremony (pictures 3,4 & 6). In the background, the monotone voice of a priest recites mantras in a microphone (picture 1).

I recieve a small booklet of the Buddha’s life: I do not read Thai. Gradually, the temple gets full. People present their offerings (picture 3). Then suddenly everyone goes outside to light candles (picture 5).

We follow the procession of the priests. Slowly we turn three times around the temple, punctuated by the monotone microphone’s voice that imperturbable, continues to recite. The moment is pretty unreal, carried by voice I follow. I finally put my waterlily candle (with a very ingenious system to remove the candle from its waterlily envelope!) to make a wish. Tomorrow I take the road… again.