NOTES
FROM
THEFIELD
PhotojournalistLesterV.Ledesma looksback
at someofhismemorableadventureswitha few
standoutentries fromhis travel journal
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AMAZINGRAPBUA
H
eldnear theendof
theBuddhistrain
retreatseason, the
RapBuawasa taste
ofgoodoldThai
Buddhist tradition
mixedwithDisney-stylepompand
pageantry—aspectacleIdiscovered
whenIsetout torecord this little-
knownreligiousevent.Arriving
inBangkok justas the festivalgot
underway, Ihailedacabandsped
off, luggageandall, to thedistrictof
BangPhli. Igot thereright in time
for thefluvialparade,butby then the
riversidewascloggedwithpeople
waiting tosee themainevent.
HerewaswhereAmazingThailand
justified itsnickname.Uponseeing
this foreignerwithabigcamera
andabulgingbackpack, the locals
graciouslymadeway.Achairwas
given tome tostandon, andbefore
Iknew itIwaspositionedrightat the
water’sedge, standingaheadabove
thecrowd.
And itgotevenbetter.The
excitementwaspalpablewhen the
floatsappeared, andeveryonebowed
inunisonat thesightof theirobject
ofdevotion: theLuangPhoTho, a
centuries-oldstatueof theBuddha.
Lotusbudswere thrown in theairas
thesacred imagefloatedby, and there
Iwas, clickingawaywithacamera in
onehand, andabunchofround,pink
buds in theother.The localspressed
them intomyhandwhileIwasbusy
shooting!
Todocumentanevent like thiswas
excitingenough,but toparticipate in
it— thanks to thegraciousnessof the
Thais—wassuchamemorable treat.
Mycoverageendednotwithaclick,
butwitha tossofflowersanda fervent
prayer.
