Among the steam and smog of Bangkok lies a place where people are trained to press, stretch and pull each other to help maintain optimal health and flexibility. It was here at the Wat Pho Massage School that I decided to get training in massage to help people do what is also known as a passive yoga.
The Wat Pho Massage School is one of many schools that train people in the art of Thai massage. This school is probably the best known around Thailand as well as outside the country, but the thing that attracted me to this school was the flexible schedule of class offerings. There are three classes offered for massage, Traditional Thai Massage, Foot Reflexology Massage, and Therapeutic Acupressure Massage.
There are now several new courses, such as Baby Massage and Aromatherapy. I loved the course, the teacher was great, and the envirnment was serious but pleasant. The official school page is here.
The Reclining Buddha, from far below.
The bustling streetlife around Wat Pho, and my favourite breakfast corner. Even monks need medicine.
A typical inside of a shop, and a slightly overloaded currier.
Food markets, with vegetables and fruits, dominated by chillies and dried shrimps.
A good place for lunch.
Tattooing is common among monks and others. It usually has a religios content, or for example an astrologic chart.
The river boat station. Early in the morning, people arrive through this gate on their way to work, and monks pass by collecting food in their bowls. The river transport is, along with the Sky Train, the only effective way to move around in Bangkok, as all the streets are continuously congested and any kind of car transport easily takes more than an hour. So, I took the boat, and loved it.
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Silvija Seres, January 2004