Tucked behind or inside every gas station, clothing store, restaurant, four star hotel, Starbucks– anything at all!– in Thailand, you can see a tiny but gorgeously ornate Buddhist shrine.
Sometimes as you walk by, the curls of incense will kiss your senses and aromatically relax you.
Sometimes, the business or home owner will be walking by with a tiny offering of food for the shrine.
Sometimes, incense in hand, the person will be deep in prayer.
They always look happy.
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Meanwhile, in big, bright paintings, splashed across skyscrapers or ringed with gold sun-flames, you will see the King and Queen smiling and waving.
My favorite mural was this one of the King’s many talents. Look at him in his myriad of elements… even saxophone!
Given our American cynicism for government, there’s something so sweet and refreshing about all these loving hollers to the rulers.
The author, Lillie Marshall, is 6-foot-tall National Board Certified Teacher of English, fitness fan, and mother of two who has been a public school educator since 2003. She launched Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 3.7 million readers have now visited this site. Lillie also runs TeachingTraveling.com and DrawingsOf.com. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media!
