Resplendent: attractive and impressive through being richly colourful or sumptuous. This is only way to describe the palaces and wats that pepper the inner sanctum of Bangkok. This is the heart of the Buddhism in Thailand. Pumping prayers, fortune, luck, merit, and hope through the causeways, rivers, and alleys that feed into the outskirts of the … Continue reading Return to Bangkok- The Gauntlet of the Sacred 9
Author: Nathaniel Cromwell
Pattaya: Everyone’s Crazy Little Sister/ There is nothing at the center of the wheel.
If Bangkok is a hard working show girl grinding a living in Las Vegas, then Pattaya is her little sister that comes to visit on the weekends, drink to excess, and pass out on the couch. By day she is a swirl of vendors hawking street food, cheap t-shirts, and trinkets for the deluge of … Continue reading Pattaya: Everyone’s Crazy Little Sister/ There is nothing at the center of the wheel.
The Jade and Golden Buddhas revealed.
Day 2 had me up early. I didn't sleep well- mostly because my body was still adjusting from the trip and the heat. I found a local Starbucks and planning had again paid off. Staying in a more western part of town gave me access to a grocery store that stocked western food and the … Continue reading The Jade and Golden Buddhas revealed.
Day 1. Part 2. The Old Guard of Phra Samut Chedi and Sarod
My first true Thai Wat would take me Southwest to the small town of Pra Samut Chedi. It had apparently annexed itself from the neighboring township three decades ago, it remained tied to its rural agrarian roots while the neighboring sub urban villages to the north became more and more like the showgirl they lived … Continue reading Day 1. Part 2. The Old Guard of Phra Samut Chedi and Sarod
Day 1. “Begin at the beginning”
“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland The Erawan Museum. A 250 ton 29 meter high three headed elephant whose gaze stretches over the horizon of Samut Prakan Province, Thailand. It was the vision child of business tycoon Khun Lek … Continue reading Day 1. “Begin at the beginning”
Day 0- Then just me.
Orlando Airport 360 I dropped Angela off at the airport yesterday for her flight East. Less than 24 hours later I am sitting in the same seat she was in waiting to travel West. I didn't sleep last night, trying to hack my body clock into thinking 5:00A.M. is really 4:00PM. It isn't bad when … Continue reading Day 0- Then just me.
The Plan.
It became an obsession. Where to stay, how many countries to go to. How many places to visit. Whether to try to take small dips into many countries or a deep dive into just one. I decided to structure the first part of my trip (when Angela would be in Europe on tour) around two … Continue reading The Plan.
Standing Up.
Life kicked me in the teeth. Hard. Pushed me down, held me to the ground, and kicked in my teeth. But that wasn't the tough part of it. It was when I went numb that it all really stalled. It started the end of December, when part two of the tour I had done in … Continue reading Standing Up.