Biking Bangkok

Alters to Buddha everywhere

Traditional architecture

Flowers for offerings

Another alter in the flower market

What Arun

I love to explore a city seated on a bicycle.  I have found this to be one of the best types of city tours to take when acquainting myself with a new place.  Bikes can go places that  tour busses can't, they are faster than walking so more area can be covered and the guides tend to be laid back people happy to spend a little extra time here or there answering multiple questions.  

I chose the "ancient city tour" and was pleased within the first few minutes to know that we were ridding right through the typical neighborhoods winding through alleys between houses.  Bangkok is a city filled with modern skyscrapers, humble shacks, and bright temples. There is a distinct contrast between each, yet at any one moment you can see all three in one glimpse crowding together, fighting for control.  

China plates make-up the mosaics

Our ride led us over canals, through daily markets, along the river and past brightly gilded temples.  Alters dripping with offerings of flowers stood in the corners of even the poorest homes.  We stopped in the flower market where ropes of marigolds are strung together to be sold at stalls in front of every temple.  

Chad enjoying street squid

I guess Buddha was hot too

We bordered water ferries to get us across the river.  Long-tail boats flew past with ribbons and flowers streaming from their bows.  We stopped and wandered around the What Arun temple (Temple of Dawn). The temple complex is large, a town filled with spires with the main tower, or prang, reaching  82 meters into the sky.  I climbed the steep stairs to enjoy a magnificent view of the palace across the river.  What intregued me most about this temple was the construction in mosaics out of broken, colorful china plates.  Flowers were created from one dinner plate and cemented to the spire in three dimension.  This particular temple did not have an inside.  Rather it was a land of towering spires to wander around.  Several young monks, wrapped in the traditional orange cloth were busy sweeping.  Or guide told us there was a two week school holiday so many families sent their boys to "monk camp". I had to mull over this one a bit, knowing the boys had to go out in the morning and collect their alms of food to live off for the day.  The remainder of the day is spent in study and meditate.  In fact our guide told us that many men in their early twenties do a stint as a monk to help focus them for the remainder of their lives.  He had done six months as a monk not too long ago.

Worship in corners before fight

We dangled our feet in the fish spa after our ride at the bike shop.  Even the men were a bit squeamish at the buzzing nibbles of the fish on our legs and feet.

Pre-fight ritual dance

After Chad finished his lectures we went to the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium to watch the fights.  I didn't know what to expect  I am not into any type of fighting or martial arts, but found the night interesting.  It started with the lowest division, slowly working up to more skilled fighters.  Thai boxing incorporates punches, elbows, knees and feet.  The opponents were bright boxer shorts and come into the ring draped in flowers.  They move around the ring before the fight begins bowing in each corner and doing a ritual dance before the flowers are removed and the boxing begins.  Every fight seemed a bit gentlemanly with the rules being strictly adhered to.  A interesting as the fight was the audience and ringside music.  The band of ancient instruments produced a bit of a snake charm sound.  The crowd was orderly while being enthusiastic.  Small groups came forward to their players corner to watch up close the fight they had bet on.  They moved as one unit, imitating the ounces thrown.  They yelled instructions and popped the air with their fists as if they were the one in the ring.  

Traditional fight

- Kris

Mid evening two men dressed in traditional fight garb came to the ring.  Their hands and arms were rapped decoratively in rope and they wore fabric braided around their heads.  We soon realized this fight was a bit staged to show us the traditional art of Tahi Boxing.  They twirled with a kick and ducked at just the right moment.  A very impressive display of technique was shown.  

Our heads were bobbing and we couldn't keep our eyes open a moment longer. We headed home.