| camera | Canon EOS 40D |
| exposure mode | shutter priority |
| shutterspeed | 1/100s |
| aperture | f/7.1 |
| sensitivity | ISO200 |
| focal length | 17.0mm |
| resolution | 896x700 pixels |
|
Rust proofing
The young man has purchased a pick-up truck, and immediately brings it to the Village temple, where the head monk inscribes a prayer for safety and good fortune in wax on the engine bonnet and then liberally applies holy water...that should help things along.
comments (9)
This is quite funny! These monks were not born yesterday. They know that the wax will keep their blessing visible for a long time.
Ray: That's right, Martin.
And the driver has something to counter-act his boredom...instead of watching the road, he can stare at the waxed prayer, and try to decipher it from upside down. ...ye gods! Just returned from a nearly 2000km road trip up-country at the weekend, and witnessed countless vehicles on the roads behaving as though that is exactly what their drivers were doing. Thailand has one of the worst road trauma records in the world.
And I buy an insurance policy. Sheesh!
Ray: Ha Ha.
Most Thai vehicle owners don't buy comprehensive insurance...I suppose they believe the monk's blessing is cheaper and more positive, as it is about prevention rather than repair.
An interesting mix of old and new parts of their culture
Ray: Yes. Easy to find incidents like this in Thailand, Nigel. Just go into the foyer of any big building in Bangkok, and you will find evidence of it.
LOL at Mary.
Ray: Ha Ha!
I suppose next year Mary will go looking for the PEI resident Buddhist monk when her vehicle insurance invoice shows up in the mailbox... We were at the local temple to deliver 999 books that Na had printed for the monks to offer to kids...blessing of the books was next in queue after this blessing of the car.
A couple of weeks ago I read your story about buying a car and the blessing - immediately recognised what is going on.
Nice picture and I like the movement of the monk's sleeping mat in his hand while doing the blessing.
Ray: Those hand-made blessing wands scoop up an enormous amount of holy water...my camera cops a dousing every time I visit the temple with Na. The monk knows I don't have a religious hair on my head, and I think that encourages him to direct lots of water at me.
Very nice shot showing how different cultures are all around the world. I like the traditional/modern confrontation!
Ray: Thanks, Richard.
Thai religious practices, and cultural traditions, are quite interesting. I attended a traditional up-country wedding yesterday, and found it fascinating.
I had visions of the car belonging to the monk and it had just broken down! "That's it, I'm going to give you a damn good thrashing". mal
Ray: Who has been watching re-runs of Fawlty Towers, then!
[The car thrashing scene is possibly the funniest scene ever shown on TV in any country, IMHO]
Ah, no need for insurance now!
Ray: Ha Ha! A lot of Thai vehicle owners don't bother with comprehensive insurance...the monk blessing is cheaper, and is known to be at least as useful as the frequently shonky car insurance that exists in Thailand. Also, Ellie, it is about prevention, rather than repair, and that has got to be sound thinking. {I have insurance, but Na also insisted on having our car blessed...see my story http://www.all-my-world.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Stories.CarStories#AnchorCS04 }
A nice way to take care of cars
Ray: It is good entertainment, as well.
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