The Rajapruk Hotel Phitsanulok

... their training for a short time every day, but still they accept us being in with them. Each day so far has been largely the same, and there is a lot of chill-out time for the volunteers and the mahouts while the elephants do their own thing, but it's hot and the chance to sit under the shade is always welcome. Each day starts with leading the elephants from where they are chained up overnight in the forest (very long chains are used) to another part ...

... company you keep in empty moments." - Oriah Mountain Dreamer This poem addresses so many important lessons one experiences in meditation; learning how to just experience, just experience life, as it is. Can you feel the pain, without trying to change it, to move from it? Can you feel the joy, really feel the joy, without attachment to it, free from desire, knowing that it will not last? Can you remain equanimous with ALL of life, and just ...

... the province of Sukhothai and birthplace of King Naresuan the Great, who governed the province. His memorial is in the grounds of the ruined Chandahana Palace but since it was across the river and the day, as usual, hot we opted for a wander through the market area instead. The problem with market areas in Thailand after one o'clock is that they are deserted. We did spot the location of the night bazaar on Puttabucha road which follows the south bank of the Nan river. The next target ...

... s capitals. No, one more, Thonburi. But then they moved across the river and created Bangkok and made Thonburi a suburb to Bangkok instead. I hit the pub Thursday night, expecting it to be full on for some reason. I seem to think that just because this is Thailand, its gonna be late night pubs full of people in every street corner. Thursday night in a city with 100000 dwellers and a number of backpackers that ...

Fri 23rd: Getting in in the wee hours it Thailand Mk2 having done this before we get t othe Northern bus teminal in record quick time and jump onthe first bus to Phitsanulok. Finding the craziest folk museum which is collecting and recording tradational methods and rites and making wooden cows. It appears one of the least safe jobs is that of a Bull ball bashing technician, some poor but actually well paid and respected crazy guy wedges a Bull's nuts in a large wooden peg having ...

... and stood rigidly to attention. <br><br>At this point we realised that the national anthem was being played, when EVERYONE is expected to stand, even tourists! We were a bit nervous to speak to each other in case we got shot or something but thankfully we survived and caught our train a few minutes later. <br><br>The train itself looked really ...

Yo, delicious people! We started moving again. Hopped a bus out of Bangkok. Picked one of the busiest days of the year to do it. Thai New Year and everyone goes home for the long weekend. We found the bus station filled to capacity. All floor space was filled with the waiting masses. We took refuge in a Dunkin Donuts and got all jacked up on sugar and caffeine to let the time pass. Arrived in a crossroads town in the middle of the country at ...

... so we got a chance to sample a bit of everything. The temples in Sukhothai were impressive, not Angkor status but really nice. We took a bus to the old town and rented bicycles to tour the sites. Christmas day we went to a popular temple in Phitsanulok, Wat Yai, which houses one of the "most beautiful and revered Buddha images in Thailand". Mom bought some lotus flowers to offer to Buddha.

... and room number. . . . . but before we knew it we had awoken fully clothed in our room and a note had been left at the front desk. I guess they had come and were knocking on the door, but we were already dead asleep. Today we went to another buddist temple where one of the worlds largest buddha statues is. It was pushing 36 degrees out so we spent the majority of the day hungover in our airconditioned room. Tommorrow we head to a town called Lopburi, about 2 hours outside of Bangkok.

... styles (the area was under Khmer rule/influence for a long time. The movement towards Lankan represents an attempt to differentiate a blossoming Sukhothai [which means "Land of Happiness"] from their former overlords.). Since I only have one full day here, I decided to start it bright and early, catching the first bus from New to Old Sukhothai at 6.00. On the bus I met an ...