A visit to Wat Mongkolratanaram has been on my list since I first learned of it a couple years ago. While Buddhist monks live on the property year-round, the grounds and viharn (assembly hall) welcome visitors on Sundays.

My friend Antonia met me there this past Sunday. After parking under the shade of massive live oaks, the first thing that caught our attention was the richly decorated viharn. This current structure was sponsored by the King of Thailand in 2007.

After removing our shoes, we quietly entered their sacred space. Not being intimate with their customs, I found the broadcast of a monk describing Buddhist principles to be quite informative (even if it disrupted the quiet of the sanctuary).

This Tampa Thai temple was founded in 1981 with a mission to spread the power of positivity and reflection throughout the Bay area. It didn’t have much of a physical home until 1983 when the organization purchased land along the Palm River.

They did an amazing job selecting the location, even though Tampa’s hard-working, industrial harbor looms large to the east, the temple’s broad, waterfront view is remarkably unspoiled.

By the time we finished wandering the grounds, we were ready for some refreshments. A craving probably enhanced by the wonderful smells emanating from the open air food market. There were so many Thai options to choose from that we decided to grab a smattering and share. All our choices were delicious but the mango sticky rice drizzled with coconut milk was by far my favorite.

The best part was knowing that all our “purchases” were donations to support the sharing of Buddha’s teachings; not to do any evil, to cultivate good, and to purify one’s heart. Goodness knows, the world can use more of those first two!