In terms of cumulative hours in a car, I think today was the longest travel day of the trip. We left Kamphaeng Phet around 8:30 this morning, drove about 3 hours to Lopburi, had lunch (we joined Noi at MK Hotpot and trusted her to order on behalf of the entire table--she didn't disappoint!), and drove another 20 minutes to Wat Phrabat Nam Phi AIDS Hospice.
Noi ordered us quite the hotpot spread
At the beginning of the trip, it wasn't clear whether we'd be able to visit the hospice due to COVID. The folks living (voluntarily) at the hospice (all HIV/AIDS positive) are immunocompromised, so visitors during COVID obviously pose a huge threat. In previous years, students had the opportunity to visit and converse with folks living at the Wat, but that was not an option this year. Instead, we toured the grounds and visited some of the exhibits, including a display of actual bodies of patients afflicted with AIDS that had died at the Wat and volunteered their bodies to be displayed for AIDS education and awareness. Also on display were bags of patients who had been cremated (as is the custom in Buddhism) whose ashes had not been claimed by family members. It was shocking and jarring and had a tremendous impact on the group. I don't want to characterize this experience as negative or voyeuristic. It didn't feel that way. It just felt significant. In the U.S., we have a different definition of patient dignity in terms of what we share and offer to the rest of the world related to the realities of death. All of the things we saw today were offered voluntarily by the patients themselves with the hope that viewers would learn something and contribute support to fighting the AIDS epidemic. It's my belief and hope that our experience at the hospice had that impact on our group today.
(Note: I took very few pictures at the hospice)
Han providing context for the AIDS hospice
After leaving the hospice, we drove another 2 hours back to Bangkok, where students had free time to eat dinner, shop, etc., A group of students and the faculty hopped aboard Bangkok's amazing subway system to enjoy dinner in the Chinatown district. Han, Kathryn, and I ate at T&K Seafood, this super cool itty-bitty-tiny Chinese seafood restaurant before closing out the night (early) on the rooftop of the Banyang Tree resort. Food update for Nathan: I regret that I got no pictures of our meal at T&K. We had sautéed squid in chili paste, grilled scallops, baked sea-bass, sautéed morning glory, and trust me, it was good.
Views of Bangkok at night
View from the 59th floor
View from the 59th floor
View from the 59th floor
We're feeling kind of fancy...other than our footwear :(
Waiting on the subway at the end of the evening. I told them to "act natural"
I'm going off grid for a few days--I look forward to updating my readers reader upon our return from Koh Samet!
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