Bangkok is strewn with photos of the much revered king. His former residence is spectacular. The Grand Palace is enormous and greatly detailed, filled with temples comtaining the sacred Buddha, as is the nearby Wat Pho, the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok, dating from the 16th century. There I encountered the grand reclining Buddha, measuring 46m long and 15m high, as he has passed into final nirvana.
I arrived to a wet Bangkok. it was the start of their New Year. all through the city, locals and foreigners alike were drenching one another with buckets of water, as signifies good luck. complete chaos on the streets! I managed to stay dry by seeking refuge behind the sealed windows and locked doors of taxis, until one night after many hours of carousing, fortune struck and I joined the wet festivities. my dear friends Anika and Chuck were in town and together we indulged in several nights of meals that last for hours as in Thai tradition, followed by one drink that mysteriously turns into three…Azfar joined from Taiwan, and from high atop the roof of the Vertigo bar we looked into the deepening hues of a setting sun above a city that was far from sleep.
We are living in a treehouse on Morjim beach, in the north of Goa. I fall asleep to the sounds of a lulling sea and wake to the melodic cacophany of birds. We have found paradise, secluded from the many tourists and merchants of Calangute and Baga beaches. Several days spent in serenity, where once again I recall how beautiful and simple life can be. On the 13th the journey continues to Bangkok…
I am quite certain that I was an Indian princess in a past life. when we arrived to the Shiv Niwas Palace in Udaipur, I felt at home. This was to be our residence for the next 3 days, what was once home to the royal family, and is now the guest quarters for soulful travelers seeking stately refuge. It was within these walls that I felt the side of an India that tells of its riches and history.
The Lake Palace is a spectacular sight, only reachable by boat but admirable from any distance. This tranquilty defines Udaipur.
The Ranakpur Jain Temple is one of the most magestic visions of craftsmanship and beauty. A little background, the Jains are a sect of Hindus known for their asceticism and nonviolence. This is the largest Jain Temple in India, built under the reign of monarch Rana Kumbha in the 15th century. Composed of four subsidiary shrines, 24 pillared halls and a total of 1444 columns, each from one piece of marble, of which no two are alike. All are decorated with most elaborate sculptures and filigrees, including the domes. The beauty of these artistic works is unimaginable!
The color of Jodhpur is mesmerizing. A blue that lights up your soul at the sight of this vast urban sea. It is said that this shade of blue is meant to repel mosquitos. Perhaps this is why so the air seemed so calm. Mehrangarth Fort lay atop this palatial city, looming dark and massive against a city of color.
It is the markets of India that appeal to me the most. To observe the people as they pass by on rickshaws, bicycles and motorbikes, mingling with the cows and other livestock. I am attempting to blend into a world that I am only beginning to understand. I wish for a moment to look through the eyes of a small child, eyes that reflect sincerity.