• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

Asia, Travel
/
April 22, 2015

Almsgiving to the monks Chiang Khan

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

There is one vivid memory that has stayed with me since my return from the small Northern village of Chiang Khan in Thailand.

It’s of the morning when I had to get up around 5 to prepare myself for the ceremonial offerings to the monks. Chiang Khan is not a particularly bustling place, especially during the early spring nor is it hot in temperature. In fact, the morning air was chilly – or rather, comfortable for me, chilly for the locals, and the streets were quiet.

Monks in Thailand_GirlGoneTravelChiang Khan in the early morning.

As I walked out of my hotel, I could see small groups gathering with their offerings. Some vendors lined up to sell them, though many locals simply cook their own.

Thailand_GirlGoneTravel Thailand_GirlGoneTravelThis is a daily ritual, one that takes place at dawn. The food or alms are giving as the monks make their way to the temple. Residents line up along the path and wait for the monks to receive their offerings and in exchange, give them blessings.

Monks in Thailand_GirlGoneTravel

They walk in order with the eldest monk, or he with more years in service, in the lead. They carry with them tins often wrapped in the same cloth and color as their robes. The monks don’t cook or shop, as their commitment is to prayer, community service, and learning. So it is the role of the community to provide for them in this way.

Thailand_GirlGoneTravel

Though offerings often consist of rice or fruit, there are times when they will receive something more unique; an offering that speaks more to the tastes of a departed beloved in exchange for a prayer and a blessing from the monk in that person’s honor and memory.

There’s a lot of waiting around at first.

Monks in Thailand_GirlGoneTravel

But when you hear the bells and chants, something in the air shifts and the energy changes.

Monks in Thailand_GirlGoneTravel Monks in Thailand_GirlGoneTravel

I thought it an honor to be invited to take part in this ceremony. I couldn’t understand the blessings that the monks bestowed on me, but it felt rewarding to give back a little something to a community that opened itself up to my experiencing their culture to the fullest.

Thailand_GirlGoneTravelI highly recommend taking part in this experience when visiting Thailand. It might also help to ask a local guide to explain and maybe teach you what to say during the offering, as well as after, and to give you a translation of what the blessings are. But, even if you don’t have access to a guide, do take the time to take part. One other thing I noticed was how grateful the locals present were with the gesture. And there’s nothing more rewarding than that.

Monks in Thailand_GirlGoneTravel

Monks in Thailand_GirlGoneTravel

 

Photography is property of the publisher and may not be used without consent of GirlGoneTravel.com

 

Disclosure: My first trip to Asia was sponsored by Thailand Tourism and their partners, and I was invited to experience what they have in store for those planning to attend this year’s TBEX Asia conference in October of 2015. All opinions are my own.

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008
2 Comments
  • thebritishberliner
    April 25, 2015

    Lovely photos Carol and how lucky that you were able to see it.
    The art of giving and sharing with monks is taken very seriously in Thailand. We went to Chiang Mai and even though we weren’t able to take part in this particular ceremony, we did go to various temples and were shown how to pray and participate in some of the rituals.

    Reply
    • caincarol
      thebritishberliner
      April 27, 2015

      Thank you! I was very lucky to have experienced it.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
Visiting Thailand and Cruising the Mekong River
Next Post
Getting a Trademark: The Why and How

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe53 Post(s)
  • North America316 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

Contact

  • carol@girlgonetravel.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a des If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a destination for you. This list of good eats were all within close proximity to each other and spots we made time for during our short weekend visit. So definitely note that this doesn’t even begin to cover the tip of the iceberg, but makes a good starter list!

📍@ShortStackEats in the heart of Downtown Madison is clearly a UW favorite. Loved their pancakes! We thought it was a pricey for breakfast, and only offered drip coffee, but the scene was fun, food was good, and service was friendly.
📍@SardineMadison is a waterfront French bistro that has stood the test of time (we’ve been coming here since we lived in Madison!). It can feel very corporate some nights, but their Happy Hour and brunch are definite highlights and it’s a really nice dining experience overall.
📍@EatattheAudrey impressed us! It’s not your usual “hotel restaurant” and I would say it easily stands alone as an eatery worth checking out in Madison. Great breakfast options, cozy vibes, nice bar, and good service!
📍@RamenStation1124 good, affordable ramen.
📍BlindShotSocialClub We really loved this spot for brunch (sorry, was enjoying the company and totally spaced out on capturing food images!). Golf fans will love hitting the putt here (you can reserve a private room too), and what I though was most cool was the delicious and wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from. This place is a total vibe!
📍@StringsRamen is a chain, but I have to say it is some of the best ramen I have had in a long time. I especially loved how you can choose your ramen but heat level but also by Japanese region which allowed us to taste a couple of new flavors!
📍@Parthenongyros has been around awhile (hubby recalls coming here during his college years!) and was voted #1 take out in Madison! Though we indulged inside and away from the snow. A delicious, quick bite when strolling around State Street.

And again, this is just a starter list. There is so much more to eat and enjoy in this top foodie city! What other spots would you add to this list?

#madisonwi #foodiegram #foodiedestinations #goodeats @destinationmadison
I love to travel. It has always been important to I love to travel. It has always been important to my family. My parents got my first passport weeks after I was born. They couldn’t afford to travel like I do now, but they understood, as immigrants, the absolute privilege that comes attached to having that shiny blue American booklet and they wanted me to have it.

I was yet again reminded of my privilege when my travel back home on this last trip was delayed over 24 hours. I have a village in place to make sure my kids were ok. Having my own business meant I didn’t have to report in to anyone, and was still able to work remotely so none of my clients were inconvenienced by it. Though the airline covered our hotel and food, we never worried that we couldn’t do it ourselves otherwise. While we were annoyed, we weren’t stressed.

So while I love to travel, and I love sharing my travels with you, I acknowledge that being able to do so, and dealing with the consistent travel disruptions so prevalent today without worries is a privilege…one that started with a little blue booklet that gives me more access to the world than some others do.

And I want us all in this travel space to be reminded of this. Of how lucky we are. Of our privilege to access and time and money.

So let us travel with grace and awareness. Let us remain rooted in reality and perspective. Acknowledging that our escapism isn’t one so easily accessible to others. Understanding that this is also why local stories have as much value as those to exclusive destinations, if not more. And, never forgetting, especially in the travel influencer and media space, that were it not for hosted campaigns and paid-for travel opportunities, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we so beautifully curate online.

It doesn’t matter how often you travel, or how far. Just that hopefully you will be able to gift yourself the experience of doing so and experiencing something new.

#travel #travelmedia #travelinfluencer #wheretonext
As I work on compiling all the good eats I experie As I work on compiling all the good eats I experienced in Madison, WI, I have to ask: what is your favorite meal of the day, and where did you experience a highlight of the same?

I am a huge fan of breakfast. This beauty was a blueberry pancake order from @shortstackeats. Pancakes are not a big thing for me, but these were pretty perfect. I am craving them still. 🥞♥️

#madisonwi #goodeats #travelingfoodie @destinationmadison
We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a qui We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a quick trip to Madison, WI - my first time back in 14 years! Though we were here for family matters, we did take a moment to explore a bit of what used to be a place we called home.

We couldn’t do anything else until we drove around Lake Monona, where we once had a home, and took in the wintery views (there is an epic 13.2-mile trail that loops around the lake that is worth exploring if you visit!). Though our time was limited, we were able to enjoy some of it along State Street exploring the shops, eateries, the FREE @mmocamadison, and the beautiful architecture of the WI State Capitol Building (the Dane County Farmers Market will soon pick up again - Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 2023 around the Capitol Building and it is one of the best farmers markets anywhere!). 

We booked a room at the @hiltonmadison Monona Terrace to be within walking distance of all the downtown fun (tip: for a room with a lake view make sure to book at the upper levels above 10th floor for an unobstructed view of Lake Monona). 

Madison, WI is a skip and a hop from the Finger Lakes so this short and sweet visit didn’t feel difficult at all. And we absolutely loved the winter scenery and seeing what has changed (a lot) since we lived here.

Stay tuned for my list of where we ate!

Have you ever been to Madison, WI?

#madisonwi #weekendgetaway #wisconsin @destinationmadison
The joy of that first sip of the day. #randommom The joy of that first sip of the day. 

#randommomentsarethebest
I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t be I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t believe how easily I’ve been waking up in the early mornings since our last trip. Not sure how to shake it, or if it’s temporary, but here it is: the rare sighting of me up and moving early in the day. Am I a morning person now? Has travel ever permanently changed any of your habits?

#morningperson #lifeinthecountry #newme <-😂

Copyright © 2023 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice