Muay Thai

With my Thailand tour http://www.stressescapetours.com , I try to offer as many experiences as possible:
The martial art form of Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) was born from the ancient Siamese soliders who went into combat unarmed.
This became a spectator sport at local festivals and for the king and remain a popular entertainment on a regular basis in bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand.
Although I have traveled to Thailand for over 20 years, it was just a year ago that I finally broke down and went to a tournament. My culture junkies had an interest in viewing this popular sport and so we went. A little way down Loi Khroh, a few blocks from the night market is a staium surrounded by small 'girlie' bars. Card tables and fold up chairs are arranged around the stadium and for the steep price of 120 baht for a Chang beer, you can watch boys, men and women beat each other up. Obviously I have not yet discoered the charm of the sport.
But I continue to go now, as an extra event for my group to be part of. It is quite an experience.
Our hostesses are men who have become women, more beautiful and shaely than most hollywood stars. The air is heavy with smoke and loud with cheers fom Thai and farang alike.
Each match begins with the opponents perform Wai Khru Ram Muay beore and after the fight.

Wai Khru Ram Muay is performed to pay respect to teachers, parents and all things held sacred. They pray for their safety and of course for victory. This ritual has been developed throughout the years and regions allowing each fighter to have their own version of it.
There are three sections of Wai Khru Ram Muay:

• The Royal Homage Section-intended to show loyalty to the king
• Kneeling Section-in which the fighter pivots to all four corners of the ring
• Standing Section- to express devotion, gratitude and humilty (as well as to sometimes scare the opponent)

The bell rings and blows are thrown.

Muay Thai is referred to as " The Art of the Eight Limbs" because hands, shins, elbows and knees are used. (In the USA, with Western boxing, only the fists are used-"two points" and most other sport-oriented forms of martial arts are "four points" (fists and feet).
I spend most of my time video taping the fights as well as the half time girlie shows or standing right at the ring to get photographs. Some nights I get better shots than others. This night was only mediocre....

chinese new year

The Year of the Ox: Chinese New Year in Chiang Mai, Thailand

What a treat that we were in Chiang Mai for the Chinese New Year! The parade began at 9 am on Saturday. Lots of firecrackers, dragon dancing and banging of rums and gongs!

boiled pork

fish chips

At night the streets around Warowat were crowded with revelers and food vendors. Fried chicken, fried fish crackers, fruit juices, pad thai, insects tempted all of us! Guaranteed authentic experiences with http://www.stressescapetours.com

108 auspicious blessings

Our Stress Escape Tours to Thailand (Thai Massage course, yoga retreats and unique journeys) see: http://www.stressescapetours.com/ always begin with a trip to Wat Po.

The temple of the reclining Buddha is in the Wat Po compound of Bangkok. Within the narrow Wat is a Reclingin Buddha (46 meters long and 15 meters high). O nthe soles of the feet are 108 auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles. Along the far wall are 108 alms bowls. We take a cup of nmoinal coins and walk down the hall dropping a coin in each bowl. Clink, clink, clink, prayers said, wishes made, blessings sent.

In researching the significance of 108 auspicious blessings, (the number of bowls in the temple of the reclining Buddha in Bangkok), I found the following information on: http://www.hknet.org.nz/108meaning.html

SHOSHU BUDDHIST Followers use 108 beads in their malas. They

implement the following formula: 6 x 3 x 2 x3 = 108 6 senses [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thought] 3 aspects of time [past, present, future] 2 condition of heart [pure or impure] 3 possibilties of sentiment [like, dislike, indifference]
BUDDHA’S FOOTPRINT All Buddhists accept the Buddha Footprint with its 108 Auspicious Illustrations. These areas are considered to have been marked on the Buddha’s left foot when his body was discovered.
BUDDHISM 108 beads on the Hindu maalaa {rosary} 108 Arhats or Holy Ones
HINDUISM 108 Gopis {consorts} of Lord Krishna 108 Holy places for Vaishnavas 108 beads on the Japa maalaa {rosary} 108 Upanishads 108 Divyadeshes - Divine or Sacred Tirtha throughout India and Nepal 108 sacred water taps in Muktinath - Nepal
TANTRA SHASTRA 108 Pitha {Sacred Places} The story goes that Lord Shiva was in deep and incessant meditation. His asceticism was creating great heat in the universe. All existence was in peril and Lord Brahma was deeply concerned. Lord Brahma asked the Mother of the Universe, Maa Shakti, to use Her strength and wile to seduce Lord Shiva. Maa Shakti agreed and was born as Sati, daughter of Shri Daksha. Lord Shiva was so entranced by Sati’s asceticism and extraordinary beauty that he took human form and they were married. Years later, at a feast, Sati’s father insulted Lord Shiva. Sati was so humiliated that she began a deep meditation which led to her immolation. Lord Shiva was completely heart broken. He reached into the sacrificial fire and pulled out as much of His beloved’s body as he could grab. As He ascended to heaven, bits of Sati’s body fell to earth. 108 bits to be precise! In time, these places were acknowledged and worshipped.
SANATANA DHARMA In a book by Khurana, the explanation closely mirrors the original Vedic justifications: A circle has 360 degrees, which when multiplied by 60 gives us 21,600 minutes in a circle. 60 comes from the 60 'ghatis' which Sanatana Dharmiks believe in. One ghati is equal to 24 minutes and 60 ghatis come to 24 hours.
One ghati is divided into 60 parts or 'palas'. So the 60 ghatis multiplied by 60 palasa comes to 3,600. This is further multiplied by 60 (becase a pala contains 60 vipalas) which gives us 21,600. Half of this is for the day, and the other half for the night. So, 21,600 divided by 2 gives us 10,800. For practical purposes, we use 108. Using the number 108 helps us coordinate the rhythm of time and space & we remain in harmony with the spiritual powers of nature.

thank you to : http://www.hknet.org.nz/108meaning.html for such detailed information!

Gold Leaf

As a means to request favors and placate spirits, Thai’s affix small squares of gold onto images of Buddha to earn merit and show respect for a concept or person. During our tour of Wat Po we
stop at this small area to offer our own blessings. I try to make each trip unique and memorable as you can see from our itineraries: www.stressescapetours.com

For a small donation, merit makers take lotus flowers, candles and incense to the alter. On their knees prayers are silently spoken, the candles and incense lit, hoping wishes do come true. Postage-stamp sized sheets are gently rubbed on the Buddha to solidify the prayer.
Gold leaf is valued for its purity as a religious offering. It takes five hours to pound enough gold to fill a small pouch (valued at approximately 250 baht). It is hammered with two wooden mallets and then passed to young girls to cut into 2.5 centimeter squares, packaged and sold.

Wat Po

Home to over 1,000 Buddha images, Wat Po is one of the oldest wat’s (temples) in Bangkok. It is also the home of the famous reclining Buddha (Phra Buddhasaiyas). At forty six meters long and fifteen meters high, the Reclining Buddha is one of the largest single Buddha images, covered in gold with the soles of his feet displaying 108 auspicious scenes, which distinguish a true Buddha, in both Indian and Chinese styles with inlay of mother of pearl.
Founded in the 17th century, making it one of the oldest temples in Bangkok.
In 1832, King Rama III enlarged the temple and turned it into a center for learning. In essence Thailand’s first university, collected information on the history, culture, monarchy, religion, medical therapies ect…
In 1955, the Thai Ministry of Education founded Wat Po Thai Traditional Medical and Massage School. The school offers classes in traditional Thai Massage.

What day is it?

What day is it? Saturday I believe, but I am not certain.

That is one of the most delicious parts of traveling.

Leaving days behind.

Hours stretch without borders when a name is not attached to it.

Here I am on a Cambodian beach on some sea that I should know the name of.

Only the mellow licking of the tide sings in the air.

The day was perfect in fact. I slept soundly as the wind rustled thru the leaves and the sea rolled to shore.

Six brown skinned mermaids laughing despite the horrors of their history amongst the rocks. We splashed and tossed to exhaustion.

Two hour, four handed massage= $20

Bungalow overlooking the sea= $10

Fresh seafood BBQ= $3

How is it that I continue to be so blessed? Time and time again of magical moments. Choice, luck, manifestation.... A long life lived. i would not trade it for my very soul....

Time is a dress maker

September 29, 2008

Living this dual life sometimes makes me immune to all the magic that surrounds me. Thailand is pushing forward in it's love affair with globalization. The unfamiliar has become familiar. The streets I so casually walk blur. Sometimes I forget to open my eyes.

Thailand still exists within the folds of everyday. The glitz and glitter hold hands with straw hats balancing baskets of fruit on bamboo poles.

Martin and I have always lived by the code: "when in America be an American, when in Greece (India, Thailand...) be Greek".

Written in the fabrics of my consciousness.

Stamped with validation through Morocco, Nepal, Bangladesh.

When in Rome.....

And that is how we traveled. Refusing to step into 'tourist' institutions, too proud for our own good I am sure. And I would expect others to do the same. I was pretty unforgiving.

I have broken the code several times since my arrival to Thailand. But that has become ordinary since I have begun leading groups.

So perhaps my code has changed.

It is easier to hold flexibity rather than the rigidity. Oh I may believe the experience may not be as "AUTHENTIC" if I do not eat every meal tucked into tsome one's quarters if someone's home atop wobbly card tables filled with chili, peanuts, nam plaa, sugar and nom sam. But who is to say what is authentic anymore. It is all reality tangled into chapters of life.....

Time is a dress maker, specializing in alterations-Faith Baldwin