Assumption Cathedral

Near the Oriental Hotel is this beauty. Built in 1910 this cathedral has a high vaulted ceiling and this amazing marble altar brought in from France and is the principal Catholic church in Bangkok. The ceiling is patterned with all these gold starbursts. The rose window has two large towers on each side.

The Oriental Hotel

Repeatedly voted the world's best hotel for its service, The Oriental Hotel was established in 1876. The white room you see is called the Author's Suites. It is located in a narrow wing of the hotel lined with white shutters. Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward and Joseph Conrad all stayed in the hotel and spent time writing in this room. They still serve high tea old-school style and when I told them I was just here to look around they were so accommodating - "Please enjoy and take many pictures."

It is located right by the river among side streets and alleys. And at the end of the cramped city maze this fabulous place appears.

There is an enormous garden in back that follows the river. My camera ran out of batteries but trust me this place is breathtaking!

It is amazing to me how quickly I have become accustom to a new life. I left the house today and was going over things I had to get done in my head and felt sort of blaze about the day's errands and then I stopped and said to myself - You're in Thailand!! You are doing these things in Bangkok! It really made me giggle. How quickly we take things for granted.

I started a new class today. It is a private class so it will be just one student every Monday thru Friday from 9 to 12. He is about 15 and his family is moving to Gainesville, S.C. and he wants to perfect his English before he leaves. He is a wonderful student and very eager to learn. I think we will enjoy our time together very much. Private classes are the best. The three hours flew by.

Saw something disturbing today.

I went to my neighborhood market to get my favorite pad thai and saw the woman who cooks from the cart get hit by what appears to have been her husband - in public. I had noticed him on several occasions as I have been there repeatedly in the last couple weeks. He always shyed away from me and hid in the back of the kitchen and occasionally would peek around the corner and smile at me. He is a small man about 30 years old at the most and honestly I thought he was flirting with me and just terribly shy.

But today was different. I always sit at one of the tables outside the restaurant near the stand where she cooks so that I can watch her as I still find it fascinating. I ordered my lunch and after waiting only about two minutes, he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and came up to her and yelled and proceeded to smack her in the face repeatedly. She did not attempt to fight back. She simply closed herself up and got backed into a corner. I rose from my chair and was about to get involved when an older man from the street shouted something at him and split them up. Both men proceeded to walk away as if not much had happened. She immediately returned to cooking with tears in her eyes. Every time I had been there before she would always smile and when I would pat my stomach with satisfaction we would both smile. After this man hit her, she never looked me in the eye.

There is another woman who works with her and when the girl was being hit, she backed away and refused to get involved. When it was over, she looked at me and shrugged. There was another woman in her fifties buying something to go when this happened and she gave him the look of death and then went on her way. No one comforted the girl.

I sat there and ate me lunch angry and heartbroken. He kept walking by me as he was setting up other tables preparing for the rush and I so desperately wanted to do something. But I didn't. I did not have my passport on me because the office where I work is using it for my work permit application and there are police all over this area and I figured the last thing I needed to do was get involved in an altercation without my passport on me.

What shocked me most was people's reaction to it. I seemed the only one horrified. I think it is dangerous to make assumptions about Thai people with this one incident, but I couldn't help being deeply saddened by the apparent lack of outrage and concern for the young woman's well being.

I must point out though, I do not know their relationship. It could be her brother, cousin, boyfriend or boss-I don't know. Not that it much matters.

One thing I know for sure, it appears he is the owner of this place and today will be my last visit.

This is a picture of her.
God Bless her and keep her safe.

More Golden Mount

The Golden Mount

The Golden Mount sits atop a man-made hill that overlooks all of Bangkok. Up until the 1960's this was the tallest point in Bangkok. And then the skyscrapers arrived. However, the view is still astounding. You walk up steps that go around the outside of the temple. Surrounding the temple is a wooded area with odd monuments and tombs all dedicated to the benefactors who helped in its construction. The wooded area is oddly Gothic with a Buddhist flair. The Golden Mount is located at the Wat Sacket which for thousands of years served as a crematorium.

After climbing the circular staircase you arrive at a small sanctuary which holds a shrine in the middle where people pray and meditate. The grounds of this place and the panoramic view are well worth the climb. Along the climb to the top are a series of bells and gongs that you are encouraged to ring as they are known to keep the deceased quiet. Some of Buddha's remains are said to rest somewhere in the sanctuary.

At the very top - on the roof - is a large gold point with a shrine on each side for further meditation.

This is considered a particularly sacred place for the Buddhist because its height and view are known to offer perspective.

And they are right!

When in Thailand - ya gotta go!