Final Field Trip

Of course we had to take a photo before we boarded the bus for the final field trip of this school year.

Once onboard the bus, the Thai music videos began...The old big black box TV is housed at the front of the bus and speakers are placed all through the bus, so there is no escaping the blaring sound. Might as well enjoy the singing and dancing.

Looking out the window during the three hour ride, I was struck by the beauty of the countryside. The vivid wild flowers and lush green tropical plants create a beautiful backdrop for the simple thatched roofs that perch precariously on four poles like stilts. Small bonfires in the front yards are used to stay warm during the cool mornings and also to cook their meals. Bumping along, we passed an elephant on the side of the road, a buffalo cart filled with rice bags, motor bikes zipping by, and a saffron clocked Monk just walking.  Rubber trees lined one side of the road while the salt flats dotted the other side. I wonder if that is where the expression "salt of the earth" comes from?

Arriving at the Ban Chiang National Museum which acheived UNESCO World Heritage status in 1992, we take a picture.
Thai's love their photos and enjoy "posing" for them.

The artifacts in found in the museum near Udon Thani are believed to be between 3,500 and 7,500 years old. Fragments and whole pots are classified  into three periods, early, middle and late based on the shape and the whorl design. The ancient pottery displayed at the museum is exquisite and reminds me of Mexican and Mayan pottery.

An old Thai tradition was to be buried with whole and broken pots covering the entire body... gives a whole new meaning to "you can't take it with you."

One of the original archaeological excavation pits is located at Wat Pho Sri Nai, just a short distance from the World Heritage Museum. The outdoor pit contains 52 human skeletons that were interred with ceremonial pottery.

Of course the day would not be complete without eating and stoping at a Thai temple to light a candle, burn incense, and shake the fortune telling sticks.      Buddha Blessings from Thailand!