The Grand Palace and such adventures

So all week we were working at the Thaifex food fair, the largest food fair in all of Asia. It was pretty sweet. The first day I walked around and ate all the samples, mmm --Then I realized if I continued doing that I was going to get fat. I spent the rest of the week at the booth trying to avoid the samples. At the booth we mostly spoke with potential customers and introduced our products to them. Since I don't know everything about the products yet and there were plenty of people there who did I mostly felt useless. The really cool thing was having the time to really talk with and get to know my coworkers though. Mostly I work with girls around my age give or take a few years which is fun because we more or less have a lot of things in common.

Our booth at the food fair

So Friday during a slow moment at the booth the girls started asking me what I was going to do over the weekend. Really I had no idea. Originally I was going to take a customer up to the plant in Supan Buri but that would have meant missing out on Dad Pinvises' birthday so I didn't go. (They had a few people going already anyway so they really didn't NEED me) I still had most of Saturday open though. After some quick research Thursday night I figured I would go to the Grand Palace. "Who will you go with" the girls at work asked. The Pinvises' were all busy so I figured I would just go by myself. Let's be honest, I really enjoy going on adventures by myself sometimes. Then Fon, one of my coworkers meekly asked, "Can I go with you?" As much as I enjoy going on my own adventures I was even happier to make a new friend at work and I was excited to be shown the temples by a local and practicing Buddhist.

On Saturday Fon and I met in front of our work bright and early. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Fon's parents had come along as well.

The first place we went was the Grand Palace or the official residence of the kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Construction of the palace began in 1782 during the reign of King Rama I.

When we got there I had to rent a Thai skirt because apparently my knee lengthed shorts were immodest (not by normal standards just by entering the temple standards). It was fun to wear the silk skirt around but man was it hot!

One of the main attractions at the palace is the temple with the emerald Buddha. It was actually a lot smaller than I thought but pretty cool none the less. They wouldn't let you take pictures inside that temple so I don't have any pictures of him.

The rest of the palace grounds were just a bunch of really cool buildings. The art work and detail were amazing! I could have spent all day there just looking at it but we had a lot of places we want to see so we didn't have much time to dedicate to any one place.

After the grand palace we went to Wat Pho or the temple of the reclining Buddha. Before we went inside the temple there was this alter type thing with a little Buddha that people were praying to. I sat there and watched as Fon and her mom lit a candle and placed it in front of the alter. They then kneeled and prayed, sticks of incense and a single locust pressed in between their hands. Next they stood and pressed a small piece of gold foil to the Buddha as they told him of their needs and desires. It was a very peaceful experience sitting there watching them worship. As I sat and watched them I meditated on my own beliefs and thought of the similarities among all the world’s religions.

Inside the temple the reclining Buddha was huge! Words just can't even describe it. It's a good thing I took pictures even though even those don't do it justice.

From what Pho we hopped on a little Tuk Tuk as foreigners apparently like to call them and got dropped off at the docks where we took a boat across the river and went to Wat Arun or temple of the dawn. Once again we entered and I watched as Fon and her mother prayed. Sitting behind me was a young Buddhist boy fully engrossed in his prayer. I couldn't but help marvel at his faith and patience as a young boy. I can't imagine any of the young children I know sitting there so reverently and still, fully engrossed in worshiping their god.

All in all it was a very educational, spiritual, and humbling experience. Fon and her family were so amazingly nice. I've met nice people everywhere I have gone in the world. No matter where you go there are those who are so charitable and giving but I would have to say that as a culture in whole the Thai people nicest people I have ever met. It's almost embarrassing to me how they cater to my every need and treat me as if I'm royalty. I only wish I had something to offer them in return. I am so grateful for the example they have set for me. It's funny, for not being Christian they truly live such Christ like lives.

They had this really cool wall at the place we at lunch