This post is dated October 7, 2014. I just realized I never posted it and it was only saved as a draft. To keep the chronological story pieced together I decided to post it anyway. Plus, these pictures are too amazing to miss out on! Enjoy & look for a lot of retroactive posts to come in the next week!

This is my last full week living and working in Thailand. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by. This week we have to work Monday- Sunday judging our students final projects and helping them practice for their presentations for the competition this weekend. We also have to pack ALL of our lives in two suitcases and a backpack BUT the week culminates with a month long trip to Bali, Australia and Ko Phi Phi so it is hard to complain.
Our last weekend living in Thailand was one of the best yet. We were invited by our coworkers and Thai friends to go on a trip to the Central/Northern province of Petchabun. We stayed at our coworkers family resort nestled in the picturesque mountains. We had an amazing weekend full of TONS of Thai food, incredible views, lots of laughs and tons of photos. On Sunday we visited arguably the most beautiful place I have ever seen…anywhere. A massive temple called Wat Pha Sorn Kaew nestled in the mountains. We hired a van for the weekend and he took us up and down winding roads for about an hour.
When we finally reached the destination Jackie & I had to put on canvas wraps because our shorts/dresses were too short. Once we reached the steps of the temple, our jaws were dropped for the remainder of the visit. Every square inch of the steps, walls and temple was covered in gorgeous mosaic glass that was so vibrant and colorful. Every nook and cranny was covered and so intricate. We climbed each stair case snapping photos and “ohing and ahing”. Not only was the temple magnificent but the views were even more stunning. The mountains looked as if they lasted forever. The temple was built 10 years ago but it is very much a part of the “Unseen Thailand” category because it’s not often visited by foreign tourists or travelers. The architecture and design of the temple was very Gaudy-esque and definitely not the traditional Thai style.

After wandering the grounds and gardens for a few hours we had to leave that magical place and head home. The memory of its grandiose and eccentric style will live on forever in my memory. We couldn’t go home without one more Thai feast and man, was it a good one. We stopped at a local famous restaurant and ate a noodle and curry dish that this area was famous for. We were all stuffed before we even arrived at lunch but the food was too good to turn down. I am so grateful for our Thai friends because without them a weekend like that would have never been possible. It just reminded me how truly amazing this country is. I have traveled so much of it but the hidden gems and unseen treasures are infinite. I can’t wait to come back in the future and explore my second home. There is always a surprise waiting around the corner and you most definitely will never be hungry. Now, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.