Linkenel in Bangkok, Thailand was kind enough to share with me this image of a reclining Buddha, which is in stark contrast to the standard image of a fat, jovial Buddha usually seen in American culture. According to the card, the existing temple was built on the site of an older monastery.

Like Buddha, it looks as though the postman has been lying down on the job, too; the card isn’t postmarked, but she dated it 24 September 2009, and it arrived on 12 February 2010. She sent this card about 20 days after I last sent a card to her – which she had already received by the time she sent this, as she references my card in her message.

“The most well-known wat (that is, temple — Ed.) in Chiang Mai, built in the 14th Century A.D. on the Suthep Mountain. The relic of the Buddha was placed inside the original pagoda when it was built.”  That relic is said to be the shoulder blade of the Buddha himself, found by a monk called Sumanathera after being told in a dream to search for it.  Michael Holland tells us more at Thailand for Visitors:

“According to this legend, a Buddha relic, which some say glowed, magically replicated just before it was about to be enshrined in the big chedi at Wat Suan Dok. The ‘cloned’ relic was placed on the back of a sacred white elephant, which was allowed to roam wherever it wanted.

“The elephant eventually climbed to the top of Suthep Mountain, trumpeted three times, turned around three times, knelt down and died. This was taken as a sign that this was the spot where the relic wanted to be, so King Ku Na built the original of the chedi on Doi Suthep.”

If you’re so inclined, feel free to take the tour:

This is my first postcard from Cambodia, courtesy of Zarah at Postcards Crossing.  There’s no need for me to say anything about this card; Zarah tells us all we need to know:

“These are… carvings of Apsaras and they are Khmer angels. They possess great beauty and are often portrayed as voluptuous beings.  Buddhists believe that Apsaras descend on Earth to replace the old ones already here guarding the Earth, once every Khmer New Year. This year the (Khmer New Year) was celebrated last April 14-16 and Cambodians welcome the new batch of Apsaras by offering food and lighting candles. A lot of Apsaras are carved in the walls and galleries of ancient Khmer temples such as Angkor Wat, and they are still in perfect detail and condition, as if (they) were carved only recently…. Hope you like it.”  I do, and henceforth you shall be known as ap-Zarah.