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Title: How Big Is It, Really?
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 11:26am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.0, ISO Equiv.: 800

There were loads of people standing right next to me. It was INSANE! I forced myself to stand as close as possible to get the first two shots.

Title: This is LONG!
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 11:26am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/3.5, ISO Equiv.: 560

This statue is 46 metres long, with the dimensions at the face of 15 metres high and at each foot of 3 metres high and 5 metres long. The hall was built after the statue of reclining Buddha was completed.

Title: Phra Buddhasaiyas พระพุทธไสยาสน์
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 11:23am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/4.2, ISO Equiv.: 1100

Sparkling 'GOLD' - A.W.E.S.O.M.E!

Title: Behold the Giant Buddha
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 11:22am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/3.5, ISO Equiv.: 1000

Two gigantic pillows for Buddha.

Title: The Amazing Soles
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 11:25am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/3.5, ISO Equiv.: 720

The soles of Buddha are inlaid with mother of pearl with 108 auspicious signs portraying natural scenes of Indian and Chinese influences. The soles are HUGE. I tried to capture the entire soles, but trust me...there are hordes of people right behind me. Mission Impossible!

Title: Buddha in Phra Rabieng
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 10:28am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.0, ISO Equiv.: 200

Phra Rabieng is a double cloisters surrounding the courtyard of the chapel and is connected by four main direction Viharas.

Title: The Belfry
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 9:28am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

Belfry is the time teller of every monastery. In Buddhism it symbolizes “awakening for the noble-truth and the feeling of peace”. In Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, there are two bell towers, one in the south and one in the north.

Title: Marco Polo Was Here?
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 9:37am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

Marco Polo (c. 1254 – January 8, 1324) was a merchant from the Venetian Republic who wrote Il Milione, which introduced Europeans to Central Asia and China. There are four pairs of Marco Polo in Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์. But, why statues of Marco erected in Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์??

I waited for someone to walk through the gate before snapping this shot :)

Title: Lan Than the Temple Guardian
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 8:58am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

Lan Than?? That's a rude word in Cantonese! According to watpho.com Lan Than” or Rock Giants with weapons represents nobleman warriors in Chinese opera style clothes. The giant with a looking down fierce-face, holding a weapon in one hand and wearing a tight suite of armor, can be found as gate guardians. They were both high-rank soldiers and combatants. Source: http://www.watpho.com/en/data/Ballast.php

Title: A Monk?
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 9:25am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

There are loads of giant rock statues in Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์. This statue might represent a monk.

Title: The Mini Pagodas
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 10:33am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

I think these mini pagodas are traditional joss sticks burners.

Title: The Pyramid of Chedi :)
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 9:43am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

I was tempted to climb up this chedi and reach the peak just like French 'spiderman'.

Title: A School in Temple
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 9:05am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

This building is an elementary school in Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์. It was Friday morning. Pupils were playing Thai national anthem with their brass instruments.

Title: In Deep Meditation
Location: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Bangkok, Central Thailand
Date: 4 September 2009, 9:17am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

Another statue left next to the temple's bodhi tree.


Halfway exploring Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์, Thai prayers were blasting out from loudspeakers. The sound of prayer was soothing and relaxing. I can hear two monks chanting side by side. The prayers led me to Wat Pho's วัดโพธิ์ ubosot.

"Ubosot is the ordination hall, where new monks are ordained and other important ceremonies take place. The ubosot is not necessarily the largest building in a temple compound, and may not always be open to the public. In fact, the ubosot is supposed to be off limits at all times to women, but this rule is seldom enforced. The ubosot will always have an alter with at least one Buddha image". Source: http://thailandforvisitors.com/templeterms.html

Inside Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์ ubosot, there is a grand alter with a large sitting Buddha, all finished in gold and crystal. I saw monks in bright orange robe and devotees dressed in white seated with hands clasped in prayer. Interestingly, monks were seated on an elevated platform higher than devotees. I guess monks are revered and much respected in Thailand. The ubosot is small but it is a BEAUTY. The elderly chief monk was seated directly beneath the golden statue of Buddha. A devotee was making her rounds collecting donations for the temple. I managed to capture two short videos with my hand phone. Check out the YouTube videos below.

For my grand finale, I visited one of the world's largest reclining Buddha known as PhraBuddhasaiyas พระพุทธไสยาสน์. According to Wikipedia "The reclining Buddha is forty-six metres long and fifteen metres high, decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet. The latter display 108 auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Pho

By noon, there were loads of visitors lining up to see PhraBuddhasaiyas พระพุทธไสยาสน์. Some visitors were 'glued' to the BEST SPOT. I HATE CROWDS!! I have no other option but to forced myself and virtually 'pushed' them aside. Sight...I wish I had a better lens to capture the entire statue. Capturing large subject with my basic Nikon D60 DSLR is always a big letdown.

Next Post...From Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์ to Wat Arun วัดอรุณ, Temple of the Dawn.

Wat Pho's วัดโพธิ์ Ubosot

6 comments

  1. fufu Says:
  2. you took the video??

    well, i know how it feels like when visitors tend to glue at the same position and you gotta wait them to get out of the picture >.< believe me China is even worse!!

    and did you pay for the entrance fee?? i was told that visitor(non-thai) need to pay :) but my thai online friends brought me in so i dont need to pay =p

    they know where to get in... and sometime they just speak thai to me...while walking in those wats lol well, it indeed save me a lot of bath

    wat arun...wow...another great temple XD

     
  3. shloke Says:
  4. Yep! With my lousy hand phone.

    About tourist hogs...I guess I'm a lil' bit impatient. In China, I might shout 前进!!!

    Whoah! Not bad. fufu got FOC entries with Thai friends. Well, non-Thais need to pay 50 THB. But, worth every single cent...Wat Pho is so 'colourful' and NICE!

    Cheers!
    mylo

     
  5. fufu Says:
  6. your mobile is not bad ya =p the video is totally alright...

    wow you write chinese here!! good!! or get it from google translate?? lol

    erm... i was just back from japan and jobless atm... so i didnt mind to get free entries hohoho =p

    yeah compared to cihna... thai's temples are worth to pay...and also cheap!!!!

     
  7. shloke Says:
  8. About my mobile...so far so good :)

    Translated from google...I guess the translated Chinese words sound different.

    Well, I don't mind having a Thai companion. Can save loads of money. Wat Pho still OK, but entrance to Grand Palace is 350 THB - VERY EXPENSIVE!!

    Cheers!
    mylo

     
  9. Roger Says:
  10. Alex, I'm sure you've gained great merit after taking all those pictures with so much care and sensitivity. Looking forward to your take on the majestic Wat Arun

     
  11. shloke Says:
  12. @Roger,

    Wow! I don't think I deserve any sort of merit. Well, I snapped loads of pictures (over 100++) and narrowed down to the best pictures. Also, I'm a humanist and nonbeliever. But then again, I always try my best to get different angles and perspectives.

    I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY since I bought my Nikon D60 DSLR late last year.

    Roger, I'll be posting my latest post about jungle trekking from Hemmant to Bishop, Fraser's Hill. Wat Arun & Grand Palace will be updated later.

    Cheers!
    mylo

     
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shloke
Traveling & photography are the most rewarding & enriching experiences in my life. Photography is all about discovery, enjoying myself, having adventure, learning people & nature. The greatest experience for me is the connection I felt with NATURE. If you haven’t seen Malaysia, you haven’t seen the world! My photography works are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported.
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