When I say Bangkok, you say HOT…Bangkok…HOT

January 21, 2011

(I will add pictures later today.  We have to leave really early this morning.  Traffic!  UPDATE: The pictures are now added.)

It is really hot in Bangkok.  Upon leaving the airplane you can just feel the hot, smoggy air.  It is completely overwhelming after being in the quite temperate Chiang Mai.  Our flight was delayed for about 45 minutes so we are a little off schedule.  We depart the airport for the afternoon activities.  Our luggage is sent ahead the Bangkok Christian Guesthouse where our new home base will be.

We are attending one of the largest Wat’s in the area.  We go to the Dhammakaya Wat.  This Wat can hold up to 300,000 people for mediation.  They are currently expanding so the new area will be able to hold up to 1 million (yes, million) people for mediation (this expansion is to be completed by April 2012).  This is truly a Mega-Wat.  As you drive into the parking garage your car wheels go through a bath so they are cleaned prior to entering the parking garage.  The complex is beautiful but overwhelming.  Building community in this type of environment must be a challenge.  

This is the view as you drive on the extensive compound.

Bathroom sign:  Monks, Men, Women

These little Buddha's are on the roof (the gold part).  There are 300.000 on one of the roofs.  Hope to have a million on the roof by time construction is finished.

Dining hall.   Can sit up to 1,600 monks.

Monks racking leaves on the compound.

Ordination building.  It is very beautiful inside and out.

Water lilies are everywhere.

Buddha sitting in half lotus position.

Rooster running around on grounds.  There were lots of peacocks too.

Pathway to nirvana.

This is me 6 hours out of the hospital.  See I am getting better.

This monk took us through an exercise to help us learn to mediate better.  It was wonderful.

Group photo time.

This is outside where we are staying.  These are the dirty dishes for the night.  This street restaurant was so busy it was hard to get down the street.  Food stalls are everywhere.