Swimming to Stay Awake
Posted by Stuart at 04:45 PM on January 03, 2006So it wasn't such a good idea to go to bed around 2 PM yesterday after all. I woke up around 9 PM, went to have a snack at Soi 38, and then was back in bed by midnight. But my night time sleep was more like a nap, and I was up again 2 hours later.
At least I had another productive morning. From 3 AM to about 9 AM I finished grading all of my exams and papers from the university. I went in to the office around 9:30 and finished up the final grades for the end of the semester.
And ever since about 3 PM, I have really been struggling to stay awake. I am determined to do it to try to get a good night of sleep (as opposed to a good day of sleep). So to stay awake once I got home, I went swimming in the pool in my apartment.
I have lived in this condo for eight months, but I have never used the pool before tonight. It's a shame, because the pool is actually quite nice. It's not much of a lap pool, only being about ten yards long. But I was able to do about 50 lengths, which is not bad for being out of the water for the past three months.
The sun was setting, which always makes for good pictures, so after I finished I ran upstairs, grabbed the camera, and came back down to take these photos:
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next to the rooftop pool | is actually a Muslim mosque. |
Nice pic. ^-^
For the record, Phra Phom is not a popular deity in Indian Hinduism. If you read G Coedes's Indianization of Southeast Asia, he writes that Southeast Asians have adopted the worship of Brahma/ Phra Phom as part of their own native worship! That's why there are more Brahma shrines in Thailand than there are in India!
The mix of hinduism and buddhism (and throw in some animism) in Thailand has always confused me. But I am slowly learning more about it. I'll have to swing by the bookstore to see if I can find the book you recommended. Sounds interesting...
I doubt you can find this book at the bookstore, it is a classic study of Southeast Asia. Actually, it is written in French, Les Etats Hindouises d'Indochine et d'Indonesie
Even growing up as a Thai Buddhist, I always question what is Buddhism and what is NOT. To make matters worst, being Chinese, there is also the Chinese element!
Nonetheless, after going for Buddhist Sunday School at an English Buddhist Temple, I realised how mixed-up Thai Buddhism can be.... hee hee
Yin Dee Ton Rub Klab Ban:) Nice flower pic.