Before the hubs and I left for Thailand, we got a lot of questions about what we were going to do while abroad (aside from eating of course). Temples. Lots and lots of Temples. Thailand is filled with an innumerable amount of Temples (actually there are 40,171 temples to be exact).
The Temples are a way for the Thai People to honor Buddha. And how the people of Thailand honor Buddha was actually one of the things that had the greatest impact on us from our travels.
the Golden Mount
an offering bell that we left at the top of the Golden Mount
Every day, in some capacity, I think that literally almost everyone puts forth an offering in some way. Whether it be an offering of food, flowers or gifts, donations given to the Monks, time spent visiting a Temple or simply praying, giving an offering to Buddha is a part of the Thai people’s everyday life.
local offerings
There is so much honor given to Buddha, and so much gratitude for life itself. The people of Thailand’s spirit truly shines from the inside out. I think that must be why they call Thailand “the land of smiles.” And honestly, we felt that the entire time we were in Thailand. The people were so nice and so kind, and take so much pride in their work and their life. (I think we literally only saw one local person our entire trip who wasn’t smiling.)
even the dogs are happy
Getting to experience such a different culture, and being a part of such a positive culture and way of living was so special for us both. When you see those with less, giving what they have in offering, or in spirit, and still being so happy and grateful for what they have…it really makes you pause and be grateful for your own life and your own blessings.
Wat Srisuphan – the Silver Temple in Chiang Mai
As far as which Temples to visit while in Thailand, I don’t think that you can go wrong. There wasn’t one Temple that we visited and thought, “huh, wish we had skipped this one.” All of the Temples are beautiful – gleaming in gold and metallics, and intricate detail, you would be hard-pressed to be disappointed.
Wat Phra Yai – Big Buddha Temple on Koh Samui
Although we did make a point to hit the biggies while we were in Thailand, we also did a bunch of wandering and just enjoyed stumbling across more local Temples as well. And in my opinion, that is really the best way to experience a new culture. Don’t get so caught up in your itinerary that you miss special opportunities to just wander and experience what lies ahead of you.
So whether you would like to spend your time at all of the “famous” Temples, or you would prefer to wander and experience Thailand as a local would, one thing will ring true no matter what you choose. You will experience a culture filled to the brim with gratitude, pride and honor, and you will enjoy enough smiles to last you all of your days.
