Starting from Wat Yuan (วัดญวน/วัดอุภัยราชบำรุง), I wasn't sure where it was located and was thinking that it must be the temple I walked past hundreds of times when I was young.
That was our first stop for me and the group, comprising mainly Vietnamese students from the south of VN, led by the Thai Consulate in cooperation with the Office of Higher Education Commission.
It was amazing to learn the long history of the temple dated back to the reign of King Taksin when a number of Vietnamese fled the civil war in Vietnam to settle in Thailand on both sides along the Chaopraya River. The Chinese style of architecture has told us how VN had been influenced by the Chinese rule while the existence shows how we have been more diverse than we realized.
Then, with the explanation of พี่แอ้ด, our honorary guide, we walked into the Talad Noi area to see the lives there. It could seem quite familiar to me since I was born and grown up not far from there but I couldn't help feeling amazed again by the sights I saw. There're still many shops selling old spare parts being the place commonly known as เซียงกง. We then stopped at a pastry shop where two seniors baked traditional Chinese pastries and cookies. I felt so nostalgic talking in my little Chinese language with the 'grandma' and bought some kanoms just to enjoy having them with my family later! The price of kanoms was what I don't think we could find if they became commercialized like other in the capitalist world. More importantly, I couldn't help feeling sad that after this senior generation, we won't have the original tastes of pastries anymore.
We walked to several shrines, listening to the stories about lives and people, some doing the same things, others moving out . We saw old houses that would be turned into a museum or serve as a tourist stop to learn how people there have lived for long decades. It was the first time I visited the first branch of the สยามกัมมาจล (Siam Commercial Bank), went to a co-ed school-- กุหลาบวิทยา and its church.
It was a long walk but the amazement drove me to be focused to absorb the stories I heard, to remember the sights I saw, and to recall the past as far as I could.
I was embarrassed not to know much about it but now I'm proud I've learned much more and hope to be back with a longer time to walk and chat with people in Talad Noi. I also feel very grateful to those who have been working with the community to preserve the traditions in every possible way.
Things change, life goes on, and I'm so glad I can see Talad Noi before it changes much further ka.
Enjoy your weekend na ka.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น