Interview with Whitsetts, Travel, Temple, and Screams!

Monday February 13

Jon took us to one of his favorite restaurants, known to us as "The Veg Restaurant." It is somewhat like a cafeteria, with 5 choices and rice. You don't know what it will taste like, or how spicy it will be, until you have chosen it. It's not very expensive either.

After breakfast, we went to the TAM (Thailand Adventist Mission Headquarters) to meet Greg and Amy Whitsett for an interview. They are the leaders of the Center for East Asian Religions, an Adventist Mission study center.

They show us some pictures of a Thai artist Buddhist style interpretation of the second coming, heaven, the millennium and the new earth. There is a beautifully printed set of four cards with these paintings on them. They have the original paintings in their office, but they are very large and have no place to put them up at this time.

We found out it was a Buddhist holiday during which they have a light display in some temples. We decided to try to find a temple that is doing this display. They were going to see what they could find out and meet us there in the early evening.

We left, taking the little songtaeow down Sukhumvit 71 to the BTS station, then the BTS, to MBK Center. We had lunch, during which Jon showed up with a rose shaped strawberry sorbet cone for Natalie for Valentine's day. After this, we did some various shopping, then headed out to meet the Whitsetts.

On our way, we took the river taxi, then had to walk a long distance, during which tuk tuk drivers kept telling us the temple was closed already. We finally got to Wat Pho, which is the famous temple with the reclining Buddha. We met the Whitsetts there, and they told us the celebration was the previous evening, so we had missed it. After we looked around, we filmed another interview there and learned more about the Buddhist religion.

After we finished at the temple, 11 of us got into their 8 passenger car/van and drove to a mediterranean restaurant for supper. We enjoyed falafels and various other dishes as well as chatting more with the Whitsett family.

As we left the restaurant, a man tried to sell the girls scorpions on a stick. They were saying, "no" and began walking away, when suddenly he ate one! Lots of screaming followed!!! It is too bad they were ahead of the cameramen and the cameras weren't out! We are all disappointed that it wasn't on video.

The Whitsetts gave us a ride back to our hotel on the other side of town, since it wasn't too far from their house.