Early Saturday morning, Ani (the eldest of host sisters who is 22), Tee (my exchange partner), and I began a two-day adventure to Saraburi province which is famous for its waterfalls, steak, and farms.
But first we went to a temple where a shrine was set up for a tree trunk whose guardian angel haunts the area. Legend has it that the tree was cut down in order to become the first ceremonial post for the creation of Bangkok as the capital. (Hundreds of years ago, when a new town was to be built, a huge hole would be dug and a tree would be cut down and used to smash a person at the bottom of the hole. This ceremony is no longer practiced.) After it floated down the main river and finally reached the right area, another tree had already been used. The tree stump then floated against to river's current and finally stopped at this area where a town already existed. Since the people of Thailand believe that each tree has its own female guardian angel (remnant from the traditional rural beliefs), the village people created a shrine for it in order to show respect.
After that, we moved on to different shrine where the "footprint" of Buddha is kept. When I saw it, I thought that the translation was bad and it was supposed to be the "foot path" of Buddha because the enshrined area was about 18 inches deep and two feet wide, but Tee confirmed that for a long time it was actually believed to be the print of Buddha, but now it is seen more for the idyllic aspects of it.
The silver, glass and gold staircases (from left to right) with 5-headed dragons gaurding them and the temple up top for the Buddha's footprint. Legend has it that if you make a wish at the top and don't breath until you get to the bottom, your wish will come true. I held my breath the whole way down the silver staircase...
Contrary to what you might think, this is not a picture of me. It is actually Tee- we just have the same haircut! He is ordering some flaky bread with different fillings (taro, chicken, bean, or pineapple) that is characteristic of this province-
But first we went to a temple where a shrine was set up for a tree trunk whose guardian angel haunts the area. Legend has it that the tree was cut down in order to become the first ceremonial post for the creation of Bangkok as the capital. (Hundreds of years ago, when a new town was to be built, a huge hole would be dug and a tree would be cut down and used to smash a person at the bottom of the hole. This ceremony is no longer practiced.) After it floated down the main river and finally reached the right area, another tree had already been used. The tree stump then floated against to river's current and finally stopped at this area where a town already existed. Since the people of Thailand believe that each tree has its own female guardian angel (remnant from the traditional rural beliefs), the village people created a shrine for it in order to show respect.
After that, we moved on to different shrine where the "footprint" of Buddha is kept. When I saw it, I thought that the translation was bad and it was supposed to be the "foot path" of Buddha because the enshrined area was about 18 inches deep and two feet wide, but Tee confirmed that for a long time it was actually believed to be the print of Buddha, but now it is seen more for the idyllic aspects of it.
The silver, glass and gold staircases (from left to right) with 5-headed dragons gaurding them and the temple up top for the Buddha's footprint. Legend has it that if you make a wish at the top and don't breath until you get to the bottom, your wish will come true. I held my breath the whole way down the silver staircase...
Contrary to what you might think, this is not a picture of me. It is actually Tee- we just have the same haircut! He is ordering some flaky bread with different fillings (taro, chicken, bean, or pineapple) that is characteristic of this province-
posted by Rebecca | 8:05 PM
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