Wat Bang Phra - The Magic Tattoo Festival

Thais from all over the country come to pay respect to their "teacher", Luang Poh Pern, and also to have their magical tattoos recharged. Many of you might have seen footage of this event on the Discovery Channel, it is quite moving. I decided to go when my friend Jordan from Los Angeles mentioned his mutual love for tattoos. We both decided to meet each other there that Saturday morning at the end of the 124 bus station line. Well, little did I know that we were idiots for planning a strategic meeting point through transportation in a country like Thailand. I never found Jordan but I did end up meeting a friendly young Thai man named Is who took me under his wing during the festival and practically showed me every nook and cranny this joyous festival had to offer its devotees. He didn't speak English too well but I spoke every bit of Thai I had learned up until that point, which had only been about two months, but we seemed to understand each other pretty well.
The ceremony started around 9 am with over a thousand Thai people present. Many of them were sitting on the ground facing the shrine for Luang Poh Pern. Others were making offerings. As I waited around not knowing what to expect next, I heard the first howl of rage, echoeing in the distance. Some of the devotees, in a deep trance had been taken over by the animals tattooed onto their bodies. Sometimes a monkey. Sometimes a tiger. If they were a tiger they would roar and clench their fingers like claws. If they were a snake they would crawl on the ground. Some were calmed by their friends rubbed their ears. Others gave a loud growl, startling everyone sitting quietly around them, and then go charging towards the shrine at the front of the parade ground. At the shrine there was a line of soldiers and volunteers waiting to catch hold of them.

All I could do was gawk at the sight of something so foreign to me. I remember reaching for my camera trying to capture this intense spiritual passage taking place before me without getting caught in the claws of these animals.
...But it was impossible.



Devotees to the Thai Buddhist temple Wat Bang Phra work themselfs into a trancelike state during a religious festival Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, in Nakhon Chaisi, Thailand. Thais come from all over Thailand to be tattooed by the temple's monks on their bodies being inked by hand using a long metal stylus. The religious tattoos are believed to be protection from ghost and bad spirits.



Holy water is sprayed among the crowd of devotees during the religious festival taking place at Wat Bang Phra on February 27, 2010 in Nakhon Chaisi, Thailand. As a sense of cleansing the soul, people stand in line to take bottles of the sacred water home with them.



Pid-Thong, a gold leaf, is placed on the Buddha statue after prayer and offerings are given. The pid-thong is placed on the statue to receive luck and wealth in return.



A temple monk tattoos the body of devotee to Thai temple Wat Bang Phra using a long metal stylus during the religious festival Saturday, February 27, 2010 in Nakhon Chaisi, Thailand. The religious tattoos are believed to be protection from ghost and bad spirits.


To view more photographs from The Magic Tattoo Festival at Wat Bangphra, visit the album!

Koh Phi Phi Island

Koh Phi Phi island had my spirit running wild.
The exotic blend of white sandy beaches by day and 2-for-1 buckets by night created many unforgettable memories, and not to mention the greatest opportunity for this snap happy girl. It was a last minute decision to hop on a bus to this exotic island with a few of my friends from Europe. We left on a Thursday and arrived Friday afternoon where we settled into our bungalows and hit the beach with a bottle of Hawaiian Tropic. It's not everyday you find the time and decide, "Today, I think I'll hit the beach." And it's certainly not everyday you arrive at the beach completely blown away at its stunning beauty. Being able to swim in the ocean gives me this unbelievable sense of strength. I believe it is because water is one of the strongest elements on earth; it cannot be broken, it can assume many shapes; it joins easily with itself. I like to associate myself with this irresistible force. To lose yourself in time, in concert with others, and then to reclaim our identities. I got to experience sensations I didn't know existed in my being, the one's that escape when you have found yourself to be completely free when embracing the happiness which we all deserve.
Freedom.
At last, nothing stood still.



Peikko Solla, 23, of Florence, Italy, closes his eyes for a moment to take in a deep breath of the sea salty air aboard the island ferry, February 12, 2010 to Koh Phi Phi Island, Thailand.




A view of the Andaman Sea and rocky shore amongst many far away islands from one of the beach’s on the island, February, 13, 2010 on Koh Phi Phi, Thailand.

Song’s Pad Thai, a Pad Thai stand on Koh Phi Phi Island, has a daily special which features “The Best Pad Thai.” I tasted this recipe almost every other day while I was on the island and I can garuntee this to be one of the best indeed!



"Freedom is like taking a bath - you have to keep doing it everyday!" - Flo Kennedy



To view more pictures from my trip to Koh Phi Phi Island, visit my Flickr.

Thammasat Rice Harvest

An event that takes place every year at Thammasat University is the Thammasat Rice Harvest. In the Fall, farmers plant the rice in the field which is located just a few short blocks away from the Rangsit campus. Once it has sprouted and is ready to be harvested in the Spring, around February, students come and do just that. About twelve of us from the Tha Prachan campus came to volunteer and help out with the harvest and ended up establishing our own team, known as Team Farang, go figure. We were told that once all the rice is harvested, it is then kept and prepared for the new incoming students to eat in the Fall as sense of welcoming. A very unique tradition indeed.



A local farmer shows university students how to harvest the crops properly by hand before heading out to the rice field during the Thammasat Rice Harvest Febuary 24, 2010 on Rangsit Campus, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.



Fredrik Rendel, 24, of Stockholm, Sweden, takes a break from harvesting while in the lead during the Thammasat Rice Harvest, Febuary 24, 2010 on Rangsit Campus, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.



My glory moment after my first cut of the evening.  Had a blast at this event, if you can't already tell.



Butchered crops from various rice plants appear quickly about the field as the day draws to an end while teams hurry to the finish to see who will be declared the winner during the Thammasat Rice Harvest, Febuary 24, 2010 on Rangsit Campus, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.





'Team Farang' a group of international students from the Tha Prachan campus finish in first place during the Thammasat Rice Harvest, Febuary 24, 2010 on Rangsit Campus, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.

To see more from the Thammasat Rice Harvest, visit my Flickr!

The Land of Smiles

We are all destined to do great things,
“Dreams come a size too big so we can grow into them.”


It’s been two months since my departure from the states and to be honest, I’ve never felt more alive. The fact that I have never traveled outside of the United States besides Canada is surprising but altogether liberating. All my life I have been a girl who has dreamed of adventures. When I was young I would tie up bed sheets with necessities such as food and the occasional gadgets to guide me in my journey. I would get lost in the California valleys as though I was traveling the world in search of something great. Today, I worked hard to get where I am always striving for the next best thing and taking every opportunity that comes my way. But this opportunity, the chance to study in Bangkok is one I will never forget because this is the beginning of a new chapter. Do I dream like I am living, or am I living like I dream? This journey marks not only a new dent in my archive but it’s bringing me to discover myself, something I have been anticipating for quite a while now.


I have discovered nature, beauty, love and loss, friendships, culture and so much more. I never realized how big the world actually is, and I need to discover all of it. I want to discover all of it. I want to capture all of it through my lens and take it all in through my lungs as well. Despite the struggle to keep my head above water at times, I always remember to enjoy what is around me. The universe is so beautiful.


And so my journey starts here. An assortment of words, feelings, quotes and of course…pictures.




International students make a toast to starting the semester off studying in Bangkok, Thailand at Thammasat University during dinner at Bombay Blues, a local Indian restaurant located on Soi Rambutri.



Thai sweets and assorted nuts at a market near the Wang Lang Pier on the way to Thammasat University.



A variety of fresh fruit shakes wait to be prepared on Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan Campus. Tangerine, pineapple, dragonfruit, melon, apples and many more are blended together making a flavorful breakfast guaranteed to start your morning off right.



Fresh sushi at 5 baht a piece comes to a total of 25 baht averaging less than 1 USD, for a complete meal. Pictured above is fresh eel, shrimp, salmon, squid and octopus all with rice.



A local food stand near my apartment on Arun Amarin, near Pinklao, fried fish is available every afternoon during lunchtime.



On the ferry boat from Wang Lang Pier to Tha Prachan, a monk sat across from me and some friends. He glanced at us for a moment, nodded, then continued to gaze out at the water while we drifted along the Chao Phraya River.



During a parade in Chinatown, one of the musical performers pauses to give a pose to the camera.



Wat Traimit, 'Wat' meaning Temple in Thai, near Hua Lampong Railway station and Chinatown contains “The Golden Buddha,” a 5.5 solid gold Buddha statue to give prayer to for those who enter the Wat.



A day spent at Chatuchak Weekend Market, frequently called J.J. Market, covers 35 acres containing 5,000 vendor stalls. The market offers a wide variety of products including household items, clothing, Thai handicrafts, religious artifacts, collectibles, foods, and live animals. Above, a young man performs for the crowd music played on a traditional Thai handcrafted hammered dulcimer.



Wat Pho, also known as The Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. Its official full name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn. I attended this temple on a field trip with my classmates for our Thai Traditional Medicine class seeing as Wat Pho is also known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage establishing a school for traditional medicine and massage.



Wat Pho is one of the largest and oldest wats in Bangkok and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest: the Reclining. Made as part of Rama III's restoration, the Reclining Buddha is forty-six meters long and fifteen meters high, decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet.



Gold plated Buddha statues surround the entry ways to Wat Pho.



Puang-Malai, a Thai flower garland, are virtually seen everywhere in Thailand since it is used as a traditional welcome gift and as an offering, can be purchased at almost every street corner from many street vendors who spend their days putting these beautiful flower garlands together.



Wat Laung-Phor-Boat-Noi memorials, where ashes are kept sacred behind a marble stone plaque in memory for those who have passed away.




To see me through my travels in city of Bangkok and much more throughout Thailand and it's surroundings, follow me on Flickr; Thailand Collection.

The City of Angels

Not many people are aware that I spend eight years of my life growing up in California.  I was born in San Diego, what I consider one of the greatest cities I have encountered thus far.  What many others don't know is that throughout my entire upbringing, I had never traveled to Los Angeles.  Shocker,  I know.
This holiday season was spent with my family in San Diego, which is always a nice contrast from the rain and sleet I have the pleasure of waking up to in Detroit.  From there, I took a train up to L.A. where I could celebrate the New Year and of course, depart for the spring semester in Bangkok, Thailand.  I will admit, the city wasn't as impressive as you see on television but then again, nothing seems to be nowadays.  I spent most of my time taking pictures of the city and staying with a friend of mine, Ben Duffy, who I met when I attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.  He moved to L.A. to pursue his passion for skateboarding.  We ventured off to Venice Beach where I had a chance to photograph the sunset which certainly was the highlight of my time spent in L.A., next to frolicking about the Santa Monica Pier.




Waistin' Away


I Will Follow You Into The Light


That's It For Me


To You, The New Year


Santa Monica Pier

East Hills Wrapping Party

People helping people, what a great concept.  Especially when it comes to enlightening children about others, just like them who struggle and could use their helping hands.
I'll admit it was pretty weird going back to my old middle school, not only because it was completely under lock down for some reason, but because it reminded me of a time where all that mattered to me was myself.  I guess you can't really help it when you live in a society like we do today with the media blasting subliminal messages.  Although when I got there, I was so blown away at the range of 5th-8th graders who donated so many gifts this holiday season to children, just like them who are battling cancer.  Each grade took time during their lunch and recess periods to wrap the hundreds of gifts donated to The Bottomless Toy Chest.  The goal of Kid2Kid is to build awareness and encourage children in metro-Detroit to find their own way to help the Bottomless Toy Chest brighten the lives of pediatric oncology patients.
Ideas include hosting a toy drive, planning a fund-raiser or get friends together for a "wrap" party. This program is ideal for scout troops, church groups, schools, birthday parties and more!

For more information call (248) 646-8931 or email Rosalyn@Bottomlesstoychest.org

Once again, I love days like these.  I love my job.

The Greatest Gift of All

A monumental day of giving.  These are the kinds of days where I value my job, the people I work with and the beautiful children and families I meet.  I remember the first time I ever photographed a young girl with cancer she looked at me and said, "My name is Ashleigh and I have cancer."  I set down my camera and tried to hold back what felt like tears about to unravel.  I looked at Ashleigh and said to her, "That makes you one of the strongest people I know Ashleigh."  We starred at each other for a moment longer before I took another picture of her beautiful blue eyes and warm smile.  She then leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I beat it."

On Sunday, December 13th 2009 The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live To Give Foundation reached out their hands to help seven local families with a child fighting cancer this holiday season by suprising them with the greatest gift of all...giving them a holiday to remember.
Not only did I have the pleasure of attending this wonderful day but I got to capture moments between the donors and the families, children and friends.  I was able to portray their beautiful souls through my lens for the world to see the essence of these families and love they have for each other and for us, the donors who made this day, the best day.

2 year-old Vanessa Goley rests her head against her mothers while waiting in line for brunch during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

The Yahia Family and members of The Bottomless Toy Chest gather around Santa Claus after opening gifts during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

The Bottomless Toy Chest Administrative Assistant Whitney Coulson helps 3 year-old Breanna Massey, a cancer patient, open one of her gifts at brunch during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

6 year-old Isaiah Burris picks out toys from 'The Bottomless Toy Chest' for himself and 9 year-old brother Darren Burris, a cancer patient, during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

11 year-old Zakaria Yahia, a cancer patient, takes a moment to read the card given to him by his stocking donors during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

4 year-old Perla Perez, a cancer patient, enjoys one of her gifts from The Bottomless Toy Chest during The Bottomless Toy Chest and Live to Give Foundation 2009 Holiday Party, Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Detroit Golf Club in Highland Park, Mich., 17911 Hamilton Rd.

Smiles Heal.

Excellent work to both teams who contributed to making this day so special. 

Give yourselves a pat on the back!