Viewed from across the complex grounds.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Wat Jed Yod~ Chiang, Mai
Large chedi behind the Wat. These contain ashes of important monks over the history of the wat.
Wat Jed Yod~ Chiang, Mai... sacred Bodhi tree
Every wat has a Bodhi tree in a prominent position on it's grounds, and here is the Bodhi tree of Wat Jed Yod.
Wat Jed Yod~ Chiang, Mai
This Buddha seemed to enjoy a menagerie of miniature animals surrounding him.... at least many people seemed to think he did.
Wat Jed Yod~ Chiang, Mai
This building is the oldest wat in the city limits. There are several small chedi, altars, an old library and an active monastery on the grounds, as well as the ruins associated with Wat Jed Yod itself. Here you can see a closer view of the relief sculptures on the building walls. Most of these sculptures are gone now, but you can see how they used to ring the entire structure.
Sunday Market street performers
Thai's also love tradition. This woman was doing a simple, hand gesture-filled sway, while her partner played traditional Isaan (Northern Thai) music on his kohn, a traditional Thai instrument made from bamboo, that is blown into using a steady, circular breath, and when played properly, sounds similar to a small organ.
Sunday Market food court in temple courtyard... Chiang Mai
Here is me and my dinner in said courtyard... my favorite meal of the whole market... a pad thai cooked inside an omelette!! Mmmmmmm...... omelette!!!!
Sunday Market food court in temple courtyard... Chiang Mai
One of many food courts set up in the courtyards of small wats for the huge Sunday evening market in the streets of the old city in Chiang Mai.
Walking for Working Women 2008...
Drag Queens and folk singers were also represented this evening! As I walked home that night I felt lucky to have stumbled across this event. I learned more than I wanted to about Thai politics and culture... the culture BEHIND all the beauty and smiles. These women were intelligent, strong and full of energy!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Walking for Working Women 2008...
There was a large number of Burmese women in the crowd that night. I learned that in Thailand, Burmese are used as a cheap labor force, meaning Burmese women are very easily taken advantage of and abused. These 3 women were using dance and mime to tell stories of very profound meaning. Brilliant, intelligent and moving, it was my favorite part of the night.
Walking for Working Women 2008...
There were many speakers from several of the industries with a large female workforce, such as house keepers, seamstresses, construction, and even representatives of the sex industry. In Thailand women have no rights and no protection by the government in the work place. These women in this photo were asking for regulations to be put in place in the sex industry... fair working hours and wages for one thing.
Walking for Working Women 2008... The Relay Challenge!!
The cinderblock moving portion of the relay... this event included having to put on and take off big rubber work boots. This was the final event, and by this point the crowd was going crazy!
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