Schwedagon Paya Yangon, Burma
I Swear to god, it’s Shwe dagon. I’m glad I’ve lived long enough to witness one of the wonders of the world. I heard this was a special place, but I had no idea. The whole trip was worth it just to see this one…
Prang
In Thailand it is called a prang. In Cambodia it is prasat. In Sanscrit the word is sikhara. You can think of it as a type of stupa, or you can argue that that no, it has its own separate towering logic. The old and…
Ayuthaya Stupa Love
This post is travel advice on exploring stupas/chedis, prangs and wats in Ayuthaya. I’d give your visit two or three days. With an adventuresome spirit and no hills, you can bicycle the relatively short distances with ease. Nothing like the freedom to come and go,…
Ayuthaya
Ayuthaya, the once upon a time Thai capital city that lasted 417 years, rivaling the population of London and Paris at the time, and ruled by a succession of 33 kings was sacked by the marauding Burmese in 1767. It is now a UNESCO heritage…
Drala
Ahh! There’s nothing like the wind in your face as you’re cruising down the Chao Phraya River in a ferry boat in the heart of Bangkok. The city has a nice rhythm, the people amiable and friendly. Around the water all is mellow. Doing the…
Pure Land
Burma, or Myanmar has the most stupas per square mile of any country in the world. There is a Burmese name for a male stupa builder, payadagaji and a name for a female stupa builder, payadagamaji. It is in their blood. I am soon to…
Burma Bound
This second post carries the good news that I (and you as reader) are heading out to Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand in mid January 2011. The plan is to record impressions of life around temples and stupas in these three Theravadin Buddhist countries. It…
