Trixie and Tunnels

As many of you may know, I recently made a transportation investment for the rest of my time here in Thailand. I bought a second-hand single-speed cruiser bicycle which I dubbed "Trixie." I could have maybe opted for a fanicer bike, but the shop I bought it from is willing to buy it back at the end of the semester for 50% of the original cost. Since I'll have a quick turn-around from my last day of classes to the day I fly back, this seemed like a much easier option than finding an individual buyer. Also, it has a basket. I feel like Zooey Deschanel when I ride it.

We visited yet another temple with my Buddhism class. Before you roll your eyes like, "Please, Jess, no more temples," hear me out. Wat Umong is different because "umong" means "tunnel" and the temple itself is basically a small network of man-made tunnels that house really old Buddha images. It is so cool and way different than any other temple I've been to as of yet!

Like many others, Wat Umong has a chedi with a relic inside of it. The wat is located not far from where I live, but it is so surrounded by trees and spaces of land that it feels secluded even within the busy streets of Chiang Mai. My roommate bought a brochure that estimates Wat Umong's construction as early as 1450 A.D.! Things here in Thailand are just unfathomably older than a lot of things in the U.S. It really puts my view of the world into perspective. Thailand in general is just this fascinating combination of an ancient culture and a country moving and developing to fit it with the modern age.

Our main purpose of visiting Wat Umong was to visit the "spiritual theater." The idea of a spiritual theater was developed by monk and scholar Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. He contributed greatly to the development of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand by re-envisioning the teachings as accessible to everyone around the world, regardless of religious beliefs. As someone who holds Christian beliefs but is very open-minded about other religions, this really spoke to me and I was interested to see what the artwork of the spiritual theater would portray. Although I knew the subjects wouldn't be strictly from the Buddhist canon, I was still a little surprised to see images like Jesus Christ, woolly mammoths, and modern cars up alongside the monks and nature scenes.

I have to write a creative paper on one of the images with my own interpretation, so wish me luck! My classes are getting busier, I'm visiting new places and having new experiences, and really enjoying the rhythm of life here in Thailand. Hope everyone is having a wonderful and restful weekend!