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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

A memorable excursion to Northern Thailand




 View from Wat Phuket
We all final year students are excited for a three day educational trip to Northern Thailand and. On 14th February 2014 in the very early morning, our long journey begins and feels very happy to study new things, knowledge and experience. The trip was organized by MCU, faculty of Buddhism for the four year students of English program. Dr. Ajahn Somphong and Ajahn Mark Hoolahan are caretakers for this long trip who take good care us very well and guide us what should we do and what should not we do during this trip.
                                                            Lanna Onsen hot spring resort


In the early morning of 14th February 2014, our bus arrived to MCU to pick up all students and we all took seats properly and the bus headed to Nan province. It is quite long trip and we had fun, joke and happy talk along way to Nan province. At 11:00, our bus stopped at gas station in Nakhon Sawan and we had lunch there. After finished our lunch, our bus left for Nan province. On the way to Nan province, we all students including staffs introduced ourselves and expressed our feeling regarding this excited trip. It was very happy moment to listen of everyone presentation in the bus.  At about 9 pm, we safety arrived Wat Phuket in Nan province. When we arrived there we feel just normal and we cannot see the view surrounded because of darkness but in the early morning we all wake up and sightseeing around temple and it was a great place seeing breathtaking view surrounded by mountain and everywhere corn and tobacco plantation, it was quite beautiful view.
                                                  corn plantation in Nan province


Beautiful natural surrounded and perfect temperature in Nan province created an impressive location suitable for both visitors and agriculture but we just stayed few hours by donation, looking around beautiful scenery and then we continued to Chaing Rai province. On the way to Chaing Rai, we were really enjoying and looking each side of high way various plantation, beautiful landscape, valley and mountain. We did not even tire despite taking many hours in the bus and we were enjoying spending our time discovering new amazing experience 
                                                                  At natural hot spring



We reached Chaing Rai at night about 8:00 pm and heading to Lanna Onsen natural hot spring resort. The resort is a fantastic and we do had opportunity to take bath in hot spring, for me first time taking bath hot spring and it is going to be always memorable in life. And the next day our first day visited to Wat rong khun or white temple. This temple is a tourist attraction and many tourists came every day to study amazing architecture and it is artistically different from other temples in Thailand. White temple encouraged us to think and gaze. There is no admission fee for visitors who flock here daily, local traders sell souvenirs.  I was so surprise seeing the golden toilet near the white temple. It was first time in my life seeing such toilet. The golden toilet is just like a palace and it is beautify with great architecture and dyeing in golden in the whole building. Many tourists were surprise seeing this golden toilet. 
                                                      Wat Rong Khun or White temple


And after finish visiting and observing the white temple, we continued to Wat Phra Kaew where the current Bangkok emerald Buddha lived in this temple in the past. After visiting around the temple, we continued our trip to a great place called Cherntawan International meditation center to study of Buddhist economic. The center is run by famous author Venerable Vajiramedho who is a very compassionate person and very well-known writer not only in Thailand but also in the west. We were great pleasure to respect and meet him. He explained about his center detail and answered some questions and also we had a simple delicious lunch there. After finish lunch, we were looking plantation, the way to grow mushroom and other vegetable plantation around the center about two hours. And also the venerable gave a gift to everyone and took photo with everyone. So we had a great time and memorable day for all of us. 
                                                             Golden toilet of White temple


And after finish our visiting all places during three days trip, we came back to Bangkok with enjoyment, excitement, and pleasure. On the way back to Bangkok, we all students presented and shared our experiences and knowledge with lots of fun and lot of laughing in the bus for few minutes. We successfully arrived our university at about 2:00 am in midnight.
                             Gourd fruiting at Buddhist Economic Farmer School
                                A great moment with Thai famous writer VenerableVanjiramedhi