The highlight of the 17th century Wat Pho, the temple adjacent to the royal palace, that is also a school of traditional Thai massage, is the golden reclining Buddha or Phra Buddhasaiyas. This 46 meter long gilded statue is also the most visited tourist attraction in Bangkok, so braving throngs is de rigueur. We passed by […]
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The Wat Sene Souk Haram (from the Sanskrit Sukharam) also known as the temple of 100,000 treasures, is one of many beautiful temples in Luang Prabang. Its facade and doors are heavily gilded and every inch of space on its walls, columns and even under its roof is covered with stenciled patterns. The secondary structures […]
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Imagine for a moment, that you are an early French explorer, stumbling upon these crumbling ruins in the shadowy half light of dense tropical jungle. And making the startling discovery that those tree covered towers are in fact eerie, mysterious faces! Hundreds of them! With hooded staring eyes and implacable smiles! In the vast silence of […]
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These are two images from the Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham, in Luang Prabang. The first is the generic landscape view of the red interior nave and altar, with its array of gilded Buddhas. Gorgeous enough. Take the trouble to perambulate around to the back however, and you will be rewarded with this peculiar, but stunning detail […]
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On a peninsula gently cradled in the palms of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers, sits the picturesque royal city of Luang Prabang. And crowning it, like the mythical jewel on the forehead of a Naga, is the Wat Xieng Thong. A confluence of rivers is sacred to Asian communities. And that is the reason this auspicious spot was […]
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The Urge To Wander 