Finding peace through prayer, then enjoying a slow life at a cafe in Khon Kaen.

This follows a trip to Chaiyaphum, which can be read about in this link.

(Review "Admire the flowers of the ginger lily, travel to Chaiyaphum during the rainy season" https://th.readme.me/p/19282 )

With two days of vacation remaining, we decided to drive to Khon Kaen to make merit during the Buddhist Lent period.

I intend to offer oil lamps to the Phra That Kham Kaen temple.

A two-hour drive from Chaiyaphum city center brings you to the Phra That Kham Kaen temple. If you are coming from Khon Kaen city, it takes about half an hour.

The Phra That Kham Kaen is located in Wat Chetiyaphum. It is considered to be the most important and oldest pagoda in the history of Khon Kaen. The people of Khon Kaen have great faith in it and believe that those who come to pay respects and make wishes at the Phra That Kham Kaen will have their wishes granted.

We first paid our respects to the Phra That, lighting incense and candles before circumambulating it three times as a sign of reverence for the Triple Gem.

After offering the oil lamp,

We took a shortcut through the Phuttha Uthayan Phumisak Kaen Kham (adjacent to the temple entrance). The park is lush with large trees and houses Buddha statues for us to pay respects to.

After the spiritual nourishment of making merit, let's nourish our stomachs.

Entered the city center behind Khon Kaen University to eat "Laew Lae Kra Pao Tae".

The show has been featured on television and has caused a stir on social media for some time now. The show features food served in unusual containers, such as teapots, mortars, scales, and many more. Let's see what kind of container we will get.

A bowl of dog food with minced chicken and scrambled eggs, please.

Customers can request a regular plate if they prefer. This dish is stir-fried minced pork with a fried egg. The stir-fried dish here is delicious in our opinion. It contains only meat and holy basil leaves, with no other vegetables added.

The restaurant, "Kaprao Tae," is open in two shifts: 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM. On Saturdays and Sundays, they offer an additional beef stir-fry menu.

Before checking in, we stopped by "ธรรมดา เเสนพิเศษ" for a relaxing time. Just the name alone made me want to come here.

The shop is located behind Khon Kaen University, on the Kangsadan side. There is parking available in front of the shop.

A striking red door catches your eye. Next to it, a window displays the opening hours (10:00 AM - 11:00 PM). The shop is open every day.

The restaurant has a decent amount of seating.

I like this angle. The drawing on the paper is cute.

The beverage menu offers a wide variety. I ordered an iced latte, which had a mild coffee flavor and a well-balanced taste.

We enjoy drinking coffee, but we are not coffee connoisseurs. Is that confusing?

I am not very familiar with coffee beans or brewing methods, including roasting. I prefer coffee that is not too strong and with little sweetness.

Blended banana and chocolate with a rich, aromatic banana flavor.

For dessert, we opted for a pancake topped with ice cream, accompanied by bananas, grapes, whipped cream, and chocolate wafer sticks. The combination of flavors and textures was delightful.

We spent a considerable amount of time relaxing at this cafe. We enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere, comfortable seating, and the feeling of time slowing down as we lingered there.

Glancing at the clock, it's already 3 pm. Time to check in at "The Terminal" hotel, located near Bueng Kaen Nakhon and Ton Tan Market. We're about to embark on a unique experience, living as if we're on a train.

The interior design of this place is like a train station and carriage, making you feel like you are on a train.

The reception area gives the impression of being in a train station.

Upon stepping through the door, the sight of the railway tracks provided a clear understanding of the design inspiration. The establishment's proximity to the tracks likely influenced the aesthetic choices.

Upon entering, I noticed the staircase leading to the second floor and decided to take a look.

The second floor consists of guest rooms, similar to the first floor. However, I believe the types of rooms may differ.

There is a seating area.

The room is neither too small nor too large.

The interior features seats similar to those found on a train.

The bedside table perfectly complements the chair. The bed is comfortable and clean.

The bathroom is of a reasonable size.

The breakfast coupon is like a real train ticket. The hotel also offers a discount on food at Terminal Cafe. There are two discount tickets per room. I'm not sure if they always give them out.

Due to the unavailability of discounts and the impending rain, we decided to have dinner at Terminal Cafe. The cafe is conveniently located just a few steps away from the hotel.

The restaurant is designed in a train style, similar to the hotel.

There are also seats at the counter.

The upper floor is bright and airy, in contrast to the lower floor.

Looking out the window, I see a (simulated) view.

Longing to breathe fresh air, admiring the train tracks, with an outside balcony to sit on.

Terminal Cafe offers a diverse menu featuring both Thai and Western cuisine. The selection of Thai appetizers is extensive, including popular dishes like shrimp in a blanket, crispy fish cakes, and golden bags. The cafe also boasts a variety of enticing main courses and a selection of coffee beverages.

We ordered four dishes in total. The food here is delicious. My favorite dish is the stir-fried three smelly, which is a combination of stink beans, garlic, and acacia pennata. The most fun dish is the ginger chili rice with pork crackling and salted fish. You will see that there are empty cups provided. We need to put the rice in the cup and mix it with the chili paste, pork crackling, and long beans.

If you're not staying here, you can still visit Terminal Cafe. It's open from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

After finishing our meal, we took a stroll through the Talat Ton Tan market and returned home to rest. We were all asleep before 9 pm.

Before checking out, enjoy breakfast at Terminal Cafe (included in your room rate).

Orange juice, chrysanthemum tea, salad, cereal with milk, coffee, and toast.

In addition, each person could choose one dish from the à la carte menu. I don't remember all the options available, but there were many. We chose stir-fried rice with seafood and pork congee.

With full bellies, we're ready to embark on our journey. This morning, we'll be heading to the temple for some merit-making. It's just a short drive, no more than 10 minutes away.

To Wat Nong Waeng

We will pay homage to the sacred relics of the Buddha (chest bone) enshrined in the Great Reliquary of the City.

The Phra Maha That Kaen Nakhon is a nine-story stupa that houses museums on each level. These museums contain historical artifacts, Buddhist scriptures, and most importantly, relics of the Buddha.

After paying respects to the relics, we returned without going up to the higher levels. The temple was not yet open for access, possibly because of our early arrival. It is unclear whether the temple typically opens early in the morning.

The next stop is Class Cafe, located in front of the VOA SPACE project on Maliwan Road. This cafe has several branches in Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Buriram, and Korat. The cafe's design is in an industrial loft style.

Coffee beans are available in both regular and imported varieties, with the type changing weekly.

We ordered a latte, not the signature drink of the establishment, but our favorite. At that time, the shop had a promotion for free iced tea, so we got to enjoy a complimentary iced tea. It was delicious.

Please note that Class Cafe is open daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

As we sipped our coffee, we felt a sudden urge to call the Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum. We had a hunch that today...

The museum was closed on Monday, despite the national holiday. This highlights the importance of checking opening hours in advance to avoid disappointment.

Since the dinosaur program was canceled, we decided to drive back to Bangkok. The journey ahead was long, but before leaving Khon Kaen, we stopped by the city pillar shrine, located near CentralPlaza shopping mall.

Parking is available at the City Pillar Shrine.

The Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine is a unique landmark that blends Thai and Chinese cultural elements. It features a sky pillar, a Chinese-style paper-burning stove, and a shared space for ancestral tablets of both Thai and Chinese deities. The shrine was built through a collaborative effort between the Chinese and Thai communities, and it is known as the "Gong Shrine" among the Chinese population.

The city pillar is located inside the building.

After paying respects at the City Pillar Shrine, we immediately headed back to Bangkok, filled with the joy of making merit and worshipping sacred objects. Unfortunately, we only had one day and half a day to explore Khon Kaen. There were many other places we wanted to visit. We will definitely return to Khon Kaen again when we have the opportunity.

Thank you for reading this far. :)

Note: Google Maps was used for navigation throughout the trip.