Today, 15/12/2008, finally, I'm back. Gah, I'm extremely tired, 4 hours sleeping time for each day, imagine. Yes, I'm really tired. I'm currently lying down like a corpse, resting each individual part of my body and senses. It's like heaven when I finally have a chance to stare (daydream). This is actually the best way to rest your mind.
You know, it was really exhausting to travel a 56km journey to Wat Phra Phatom Chedi (which is the temple that I stay), Amphoe Muang Nakhon Pathom province, to the west, from the Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, just by the second we landed. Wow, the temple is BIG, very big, with its 'stupa, pagoda' shaped like a gigantic bell which is about 120 metres in height, the tallest Buddhist monument in the world, perhaps. The chedi lies in the heart of the town, somewhat celebrating its 120th anniversary this year (really ancient). Even from far, I mean 15 minutes journey away from the temple, I can still see the large scale pagoda, I'm impress. Phra Phatom Chedi means 'The First Stupa', chedi means 'temple'. Moving closer to the chedi, there's a marble steps that lead you all the way up to the north 'vihara' (shrine) where the 'super duper hyper huge' standing Buddha situate. Before entering the shrine, there's a Phra Ruang Rodjanarith, an image of Buddha, bestowing pardon is enshrine in front of the north 'vihara'. Moving further in, there's a surrounding portico (there're numbers of Buddha statues in it) concentrating the central stupa and connecting the four 'vihara's' (each of the four points in the compass), with each concerning Buddha's birth enlightenment, the first preaching sermon, and Nirvana (death) (this are what I learned) and with Buddha 'rupas' in each. Each structures and images are all mainly connected to the Buddha. There's a Wat Phra Phatom Chedi Museum, located at a lower level in the east, while the National Museum is located in the south. For your information, I don't need to pay the admission fees while outsiders need to pay 30 baht per person. After visiting the chedi with master whom I used to call him uncle xu, a monk showed me to my room (a very small one) which located in the west of the chedi compound. After settling down, uncle xu brought me to a room, not too far away from mine to get my clothes (I mean robes that monk usually wears) and taught me the way to wear it. Apparently, it's very difficult to put on, which I took almost 45 minutes, to make it 'perfect'. The temple, you know, is always crowded with people, so wherever I go, there's always at least someone eyeing at me, but what can I do, after all I just have to smile. Hah! Imagine! Dinner is at 8pm sharp, after chanting (it's kind of late for me but never mind). Chanting is require twice per day which is in the morning and evening each while the afternoon session is optional.
The morning came the next day, obviously time is passing at high speed, I woke up at 4 in the morning to bath, to put on my robes (which I took more time than I suppose) and chant. It's breakfast time. Rice for all the 3 meals. I have my lessons then in a quite-open classroom, ready with tables and chairs, mostly we learned about different type of sutras for 4 hours. The fun moments is the afternoon. Uncle xu brought me to the Don Wai market, some people calls this a floating market, however, honestly speaking, it is a market on the banks of the river. This is a 'wow', full of local source of good foods especially the boiled ducks and snacks. We went to the Wat Rai Khing, a temple, and we spent most of our time in both places. The night market (in the area of the chedi) is really fascinating, with many stalls selling FOOD. I ate their well-known Khao-Lam (sticky rice with coconut milk in bamboo), tasted very fine. Most of my visit is to temple like Wat Sisathong, Wat Phra Wayn, Neun Dhama Sala, Neun Wat Phra Ngam, Phra Padhone Chedi and a lot more that I don't really remember.
My grandpa has discharge from the hospital under his own request. This doesn't sounds good for his health. After all, it's up to him. I'm very glad that I still have the chance to see him, so I'm gonna spend most of my time with him. Whatever happen to him, I think is good for him. God bless you, ye ye! =)
