Monks!

I had a decent night sleep and was thinking about exercising this morning. I actually set my alarm and did get up and started to get ready, but my body was telling me otherwise. Kudos to those of you who have multiple young ones, I don’t know how you do it!

I decided to skip out on exercise since my body was hurting anyway AND I knew I was going to be spending some time walking around this morning.

I had read about this market (not really touristy, mostly locals) that I wanted to check out. Last night I went, but by 5:00pm everything closes down, so I knew I would have to go during the day. Since I enjoy the afternoons better at the orphanage I decided I would go to the market in the morning and spend my afternoon at the orphanage.

The market definitely wasn’t touristy and I got stared at a lot! I had forgotten what that felt like (luckily it hasn’t happen recently) but I will NOT miss that when I go home! I also could tell the market wasn’t touristy because it was, well, gross. It was a mixture of clothes and food, and by food I mean meat left out in the open and FISH! Ugh, nothing is worse than a hot market and the smell of FISH! Needless to say I didn’t spend much time there but explored some of the other places!

I was on the hunt for a KNIFE and had no idea how hard it would be to find one! I can’t make PB&J without a knife and I found spoons and forks but no knife! So I knew I couldn’t have that for lunch today, but hopefully I will find one soon!

I came back picked up my laundry and took a well needed shower to get off the smell of fish (gross) and it was the coldest one YET (awful!)

Since I didn’t have a knife I was forced to eat out again and since I didn’t have a ton of time I chose the Coffee Bug. I got the fruit again and a coffee cake, it was ok but if I can help it I don’t think I will go back!

I made my way to the bus stop and was a bit confused as to WHO I should show my card to! There are always a couple of guys hanging around but I handed it to the guy AT the desk. I have no idea what his job is..I can’t imagine it’s just to sit there and tell people which yellow truck they should get on, but hey it’s Thailand. He pointed and off we went!

Since I am at the beginning of the line it’s just me for a while, until we stop at that one place for a bit and then everyone hops on. I stick close to the back to get some fresh air but oh man I hate those trucks!

I kept my eyes peeled and it’s a good thing I did because I saw the Vieng Ping Children’s home come and go as we passed it at about 50mph. I pressed the button and luckily the guy pulled over and let me off! I think sometimes if my driver is standing by the guy I hand my card to he knows, but I guess if not I need to press the button. So maybe this thing IS more like a taxi than a bus because (minus that one stop) I don’t think we stop anywhere else unless someone needs to get on or off. It sorta makes me laugh because it’s so different from the public transportation in other countries.

I remember in Vietnam we were on the bus (which does NOT stop for anything) and Khaly was translating that the bus driver and ticket taker were giving this girl a hard time because she missed “the stop” but needed to get off and he wouldn’t let her (he COULD have pulled over I think..maybe he was being a jerk) but anyway he commented that this was a bus not a taxi!

ANYWAY luckily I didn’t have to walk TOO far to get back to the orphanage. I was a little bit early for the afternoon shift but as I got close to the baby house I could already hear them crying! Both Sally and Mahena were there which made it nice to talk to people besides the babies (yesterday I was asking one baby where I should go to dinner, etc.)

It was the typical afternoon of trying to decide which crying baby I should hold. I ended up getting stuck (well not STUCK but) with one who I could NOT put down (I had to be standing or he would cry!) Holy moly was I sore! Mom and Dad you do NOT have to worry as I will not be having kids for a while!!!

It was another good, crazy, tiring time and I left to come back to go to the Monk Chat! I had read about a temple where you could go chat with monks. They would practice their English and I could learn about..well..anything!

I am a blonde, a TRUE blonde and let me tell you why! So I bought those new orphanage “appropriate” pants the other night and they have been working out okay. They are grey (goes with anything) and fit pretty well, except for the waist! They have a drawstring but it is just one big piece of string, so the first time I tied them they were falling down ALL day! I then had to take a fair amount of time to pull them really tight, attempt a knot and then pull the knot really close (if that makes any sense). I had to REALLY plan ahead when I had to pee as it would take at LEAST five minutes to undo the knot. So anyway, I just had to pee and I am writing this and was a bit frustrated because it was taking so long and my fingers were hurting. All of a sudden, a light bulb went off..why don’t I cut the string so I can make it like a NORMAL drawstring! Now I LOVE these pants..sometimes I just amaze myself! (Mom and Dad please don’t be embarrassed by me..I did figure it out..sometimes it just takes me a bit longer, HA!)

I started walking to try and find a tuk-tuk and of COURSE I had to walk for what felt like miles before I saw one (why do they always hunt me down when I am 2 minutes from the hostel!)

I showed him where I wanted to go and he told me 80 baht which was probably reasonable for the distance, but I only wanted to pay around 50 baht so I told him 40 baht. He sort of laughed and then told me (well I figured out) I should take the red truck for 40 baht. And THEN (I still can’t believe it) he helped me flag them down! The first one wasn’t going there but the second one was. I wanted to ask him why he was so nice and helping me! I have learned that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is and should be avoided in Asia. BUT I figured I was in a truck full of people, it was still light out and I felt comfortable enough so I went with it! Before I knew it he was dropping me off at the temple for 40 baht. I really will never know why that man was so kind to help me, but it was great!

I made my way to the monk chat and it was pretty crowded. After signing in I was put at a table with THREE monks! I felt so, weird! I was thinking it was one-on-one and then another one sat down so it was me and FOUR monks! At one point there were SIX of them at my table but I think maybe there were so many because it wasn’t so busy? It was kind of funny but a little much! I can’t remember EVERYTHING we talked about, but I learned a little bit more about Buddhism. Most of the monks were from Burma and you can be a monk and then leave if you want (you leave when you are no longer happy being a monk). They get up at 5:00am and spend their day in meditation (there is no set time..) and they all go to university (they study 10 subjects). Their robe colors have no meaning besides the fact they like it and they believe in cause and effect. Mom, I did explain how you accidentally bumped into a monk on the crowded ferry and they said that was ok because the monk didn’t intentionally touch you (they talked a lot about intentions). The monk just has to confess to the higher monk but it doesn’t sound like that’s a big deal. They can’t eat after 12:00pm (yeahhh that wouldn’t work for me) and they also spoke about being reborn and how you are reborn until you can live like Buddha (basically, without sin). I am sure there was a lot more but it was really interesting and a great way for them to practice their English and for me to learn more! Oh yeah I did ask (because two guys did NOT want to talk) and they are SUPPOSE to attend these, some are just more motivated (or confident) to practice their English!

I was there for a little over an hour and then left to find some dinner (sorry monks, I gotta eat!) I knew I was somewhat close to another “main” area of Chiang Mai so I decided to head there, I just didn’t realize HOW long a walk it was! But, I had read on my map about this place that sounded like it had good steak so that’s where I went! I realized that it was on the same street Mom, Lorna and I went to the spa (one of the reasons I LOVED having time to explore Chiang Mai with them) so it was cool to know where I was!

The place looked beautiful and I checked the menu for some steak (I don’t know how you vegetarians do it!) I was brought inside to a table and that’s when I realized I had entered, HEAVEN! It was a buffet and Julie Bulie LOVES buffets (a little too much!) It was honestly so AMAZING! The food, well just everything was wonderful! And granted I had my fair share of sweets, I actually REALLY enjoyed the veggies as it has been FAR too long since I have had veggies!

I was disgustingly full and after my chat with the monks I have decided in my next life I want to be a camel. I know, I do NOT like the heat and get very grumpy, so maybe I won’t have a lot of camel friends, BUT I love the idea of storing food (I think they store food AND water..maybe just water..but if I am a camel I am going to store both). I realize I eat so much because I don’t want to be hungry later! Who knows when I am going to eat again, so I just like to eat a lot in the hopes that when I get hungry later I can just eat what’s already in my stomach! The monks did say you can be reborn as an animal..so I am thinking, camel. Oh AND I like the pyramids as well, so I am thinking an Egyptian camel.

Anyway, since I was in another part of town I decided to check it out a little bit, but I think I was too late as most things were closed. I will definitely head back to that area again.

I wasn’t quite sure how to get home but I figured I would attempt the red truck. I flagged one down, showed him the card Prachit had given me and off we went! About 5 minutes into the drive I realized we weren’t really going the way I thought we should go. I didn’t say anything because we weren’t going in the opposite direction, just more of a roundabout way and there was a woman in the front so I figured maybe he had to drop her off first. But, when he pulled over and just stopped, I knew I would somehow have to explain to him we weren’t where I wanted to be. Ironically enough, we had stopped at the place the yellow truck always stops in the morning and tries to peer pressure people to get on! I did have to laugh at that. I got out, showed him my card AND showed him another card from the hostel. The one Prachit gave me was in Thai but the hostel one was in English so I was hoping he could figure it out.

I think he said something about not reading the whole thing (part of it is in parenthesis) but we were off again and this time we ended up where I needed to be. I wondered if he was going to rip me off (I was the only one in the truck at this point and granted it wasn’t my fault we got lost as he did drive out of the way) but he said 40 baht, I paid, and we were all set!

I am going to be changing out my videos this weekend, so make sure to check them out!

Hugs and kisses from my new monk friends!