Reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam, Ayutthaya

These are photos of the reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam in Ayutthaya Thailand. This is one of the must see sites of the city. This Buddha image is 37 meters long and 8 meters high, and one of the largest in Thailand. This reclining position portrays the Buddha as he passed away peacefully.

On the day that I visited this temple, the Buddha image was being cleaned.

Thai people still come to Wat Lokayasutharam to pay their respects to the Buddha by offering lotus flowers and incense.

This Buddha image is constructed of brick which is covered by cement. This is the classic construction style that is seen in the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya.

Reclining Buddha image at Ayutthaya.

Brick Ruins at Ayutthaya

These are more photographs of Ayutthaya, Thailand. Ayutthaya is known for its temples and ancient structures made of bricks. Many of these structures are 500 or more years old. These photos were taken at Wat Thammikarat in Ayutthaya. This Wat is sort of off the beaten track of the main temples and there is no fee to enter.

Buddha image in the alter of a crumbling temple

Bricks- People stacked these bricks inside the main structure. I am not sure what the purpose is.

Wat Thammikarat- inside the structure. You can get a sense of how magnificent this structure was before it dilapidated.

Temple alter at Wat Thammikarat, Ayutthaya

Lots of Roosters. These are associated with King Naresuan who ruled Thailand from Ayutthaya over 400 years ago. Roosters are always placed around his image all over Thailand.

Bao An Taoist Temple Taipei Taiwan

Here are more photographs from Bao An Temple in Taipei, Taiwan. Almost finished uploading all of them. Enjoy!

The roof of Bao An Temple. The roofs of Taoist temples are always decorated with folklore creatures. This one has two dragons and a red pearl in the center. The dragons chase the pearl to make rain.

Another mural in Bao An temple of Chinese folklore.

A Spirit house in Bao An temple in Taiwan.

The entire outside of the temple walls are covered in Chinese folklore paintings. This is a depiction of a scene from the Three Kingdoms, which is a Chinese classic.

This is a little fortune telling station in Bao An temple. After people pray with the moon blocks, they get a stick with a number on it. That stick correlates to a drawer that will have a fortune. You can take your fortune to the temple fortune tellers and they will interpret it for you.

Taoist Temple Bao An

I have a lot of photos from Bao An. Equipped with my new Nikon DSLR, I find myself taking hundreds of photographs a day. I guess I don't really know which ones to post or not. Also, Because of spacing and weird blogging issues, I think it is better to only post about 5 photos on one post. This means that I will have multiple pages for each place I go....maybe not good....maybe good....not sure...but definitely tedious....hmmmm... Anyway, here are some more from Bao An. Enjoy!

A mural at Bao An Temple. The walls of the temple are elaborately decorated with murals which are depictions from popular folk lore. It is kind of like how some churches have the stages of the cross, or other Bible stories painted on the walls.

Offering on the altar of a Taoist temple. Taiwanese people will often leave elaborate offerings on the altar of temples.

This lantern is above the entrance to Bao An temple. I really dig all the lanterns, especially when they are lit up.

Cute Baby. I saw this baby walking around the temple grounds. I thought he was cute. I also thought this turned out to be an interesting composition.

This old man was riding a bike near Bao An temple. I like photos of people. And yes, he is shirtless in the city. hmmm....

Bao An Taoist Temple Photos Taiwan

These are photographs from the Bao An Taoist Temple in Taipei, Taiwan. This temple is a beautiful example of religious art and architecture in Taiwan.

Photo of a Chinese criminal getting a tattoo. In ancient China, criminals were tattooed with the crime they committed.

Photo of a Taoist Woman burning paper money. In Taiwan people burn paper money in order to make merit to the gods. The money is burned to go to the heavens and used to pay "officials" who live in heaven.

Photo of a Taoist Temple Guardian. Temple guardians are painted or sculpted on Taoist temple doors.

Photo of Bao An Temple. This is a Taoist temple in Taipei, Taiwan.

Photo of Confucian Temple. This temple is across the street from Bao An Temple.

Photos of Long Shan Temple, Taipei

Long Shan Temple is one of my favorite temples in Taiwan. Here are a few photographs from my last visit there.

(People Praying at Long Shan Temple)

(Moon Blocks used for Divination at Long Shan Temple)

(Inside Long Shan Temple)

(Beautiful Paintings inside Long Shan temple.)

(Decorate archway at Long Shan Temple)

Tibetan Refugees in Bylakuppe Camp, India

These are photos of Tibetan refugees at a Tibetan refugee camp in South India called Bylakuppe. These are older people who left Tibet in the 1950's and 1960's when China was first invading Tibet.

Photo of a Tibetan woman gardening. This cat was just lounging on this woman's back as she picked vegetables. The woman didn't seem to mind, and she was laughing when I asked to take her picture. This is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. I have a soft spot for cats.

Photo of Tibetan Medicine Doctor. I visited this man's traditionall Tibetan medicine clinic at the Tibetan refugee camp. Tibetan medicine is a holistic form of medicine, that incorporates all aspects of health, including spiritual health. The diagnosis process is a lot like Traditional Chinese medicine, feeling the pulse and looking inside the mouth. The doctor may prescribe certain herbs or even meditation to cure his patients.

Photo of Traditional Tibetan Medicine. Since many of the herbs used in Tibetan medicine are hard to find in India, the are shipped from Tibet. The doctor stores them like this to give to his patients.

Photo of a red Dragonfly. This dragonfly is the same color of the robes of Tibetan Buddhist monks. Could this be an incarnation of a lama?

Photo of an old Tibetan Refugee. This woman came from Tibet in the 1950's as a refugee. She was one of the original people who started the Bylakuppe camp. We visited her in her home and she told us some of her amazing story of survival.

Buddhist Temples at Tibetan Refugee Camp in Bylakuppe

These are photos of Tibetan Buddhist temples at the Tibetan refugee camp in Bylakuppe, India. At the camp there are many temples where Tibetan monks live. The monks left Tibet because of religious persecution.

Photo of Tibetan Buddhism Temple in India

Photo of Tibetan Refugee camp with a Buddhist temple.

Photo of a Tibetan Buddhist Temple of Tibetan Refugees in India.

Model of the Potala Palaca Temple in Lhasa. This is a model of the main Tibetan Buddhism palace temple in Tibet.

Tibetan Refugee Temple in Bylakuppe, India.

Photo of a Tibetan refugee monastery in Bylakuppe, India. This is where the Tibetan monks live, next to the temple.

Tibetan Refugee Art

These photos are from a Tibetan Refugee Camp in Bylakuppe, India. I visited this camp in 2006 when I was studying abroad in India. This camp is interesting because it is in southern India. Most of the Tibetan refugee settlements are in Northern India. These are photos of Tibetan Artists and Artisans at the refugee camp.

Photo of unfinished Tibetan Buddhism Tanka paintings. I visited at art studio and school where young Tibetans were learning how to paint Tankas. These are traditional Tibetan Buddhism paintings depicting gods and goddesses of Tibetan religion. The art is very exact, making sure that each paintings has the right proportions and colors and details.

Photo of a Tibetan Refugee Artist sketching for a Tanka. Like artists in other cultures, these kids were really "cool." They had long hair and earrings and wear dressed in trendy clothes.

Photo of tibetan rug weaving. The camp employed local Indian women to weave Tibetan carpets.

Photo of Tibetan Prayer Flags. This man was making Tibetan Prayer Flags at the artist studio.

Photo of Tibetan artists painting Tankas.

Hassan II Mosque Morocco Photographs

These are more photographs of the Hassan II Mosque in Morocco. I visited this mosque on my last day in Morocco, and watched the sun set over the ocean there. It was a nice goodbye to that country.

Photo of lovers resting on a fountain at Hassan II Mosque. I can only imagine they were wooing each other with Rumi poems as they secretly met at the mosque.

Photo of a muslim woman sitting at Hassan II mosque. The mosaic tile work at this mosque is amazing. All of the building materials for this mosque came from Morocco, except for a few pieces of marble that came from Italy.

Watching the sunset at Hassan II mosque.

Photo of Hassan II mosque over the sea in Casablanca, Morocco.

Photo of Hassan II Mosque.

Photo of the sunset in Casablanca.

More sunset.

A man resting at Hassan II Mosque, waiting for the call to prayer.

Photo of the detailed stone work of the Minaret of Hassan II mosque, Morocco.

Photo of a girl sitting at Hassan II mosque

Photo of the inside of Hassan II mosque. This staircase leads down to the bathing facilities, so worshipers can ritually wash themselves before praying.

Photo of the minaret of Hassan II mosque

the sun setting at Hassan II mosque, Morocco