Sunday Bloody Sunday

Sunday, Sept. 14th

In Thailand each day of the week is represented by a color. Today is Sunday and the color is red, which represents the blood of the people. The people here are very passionate about two things: Buddha and the Royal Family. As we drove through the streets of Chiang Mai on our way to the Buddhist temples it was hard to miss the large, billboard-sized photos of the Royal family, including the King, the Queen and the King’s late sister. The city of Chiang Mai reminds me very much of the countryside of the Philippines or Costa Rica. The people here are very friendly, and for some reason I’m surprised to see the abundance of tourists.

When we arrive at the first Buddhist temple Patty tells us that a ceremony is being held for a Buddhist monk who has passed and asks that we not take pictures inside the temple. The tradition is to keep the body for 100 days before it is cremated. Here are some pictures from the first temple.

The Bodhi (sp?) Tree is a place where buddhist throw away their sins.

It is wrapped in the yellow ribbon as an offering.

By the time we enter the temple the ceremony for the late monk had concluded

so we were allowed to take pictures.

An offering of flowers.

I took a picture of a monk taking a picture. Honestly, I was feeling a bit rude

taking pictures inside of the temple until I saw this monk.

Journal Entry #7

The second temple is located high in the mountains. The local people typically start their trek from the bottom of the mountain and make their way up to the top via stairs to make their offering to Buddha. We drive to the top of the mountain where we climbed up only 306 steps to the top of the temple—the “short cut” to the temple. We were lucky that we were able to visit this temple on a Sunday where we were really able to get a glimpse of the day in the life of a local and a monk.

Locals unload offerings from their cars.

Local children.

The beginning of the 306 steps.

Suzanne making it up the steps in the rain.

Student and Sifu.


Tourists =).
Young monks.
An example of an elaborate offering.

I thought it was interesting that toilet paper was included in this one.

The young girls are from a local tribe know for its poppy fields; aka Opium.
Local praying to buddha.


This is where the baskets of offerings end up. Included in each basket is a name of a person. The monks collect all of the offerings, pray for the person whose name is included, and then puts the contents of the offerings to good use.