Up to Ban Muang

All was going well in Pattaya but late on the Friday night we had a call. We needed to come up quickly to Ban Muang on family business, so in a mad rush we packed the truck and made our way up. So laden were we that we had to drive slowly. We had not been planning on coming up for a week or two but it was very necessary.
Packed up the truck bring with us our aquaponics system (well bit by bit) along with other bits from Owens house will eventually be required to come up and give him some space. This included Buddha Head figurine about 1 meter tall. (We had bought him a few days ago and decided to place him in Wanna’s parents house in the prayer room. First he has to ‘have his eyes opened’ by the Monks at the Wat. That’s a job for Monday or Tuesday….Need first to attend to family matters. So up we came. Got stopped on the way by the police. Not for speeding!!!! No you were not going fast at all. But new rule. Your truck should be covered carrying so much loose stuff. Fine is Baht 400!!!! We discussed this. Fine was reduced based on our pleading our innocence and lack of understanding etc etc, It was reduced to Baht 200 and an official receipt. So all above board so to speak!!!! But what was really good about it. As we got back in our truck the policeman stopped me from departing, offered me a bottle of cold coffee and wished me a safe trip!!!
8 hours it took us door to door. On arrival we were greeted by Moi. She had been waiting and had saved us some dinner !!!!
Its been a couple of weeks since we were last up here. It has been raining hard for the whole period and so it was with some trepidation that I wanted to see just how well the garden had done. That will have to wait till tomorrow. Night!!!!

Crossed Legs....

Sunday saw us in Rayong attending a small ceremony to mark the opening of our Friend Phuk’s Internet café. Was a quick visit by us, due to no particular reason, but was quick because we arrived late!!

The ground floor was empty. Everyone already upstairs. We took our shoes off and rushed upstairs. The Monks were in full flow chanting etc. everyone was sitting on the floor crossed legged with their hands in the praying position. Plays havoc on my legs sitting cross legged even if only for a few minutes, let along through what seems hours of chanting. In reality about 5 minutes!!! I doubt I'll even get fully used to it. First I sit cross legged then move about then side almost sideways with my legs to the side to me. Best is if you can sit close to a wall and gently lean back. Takes the weigh off the ankles. Lovely....

Have been told it is rude to point your feet at the Monks. Easy for them to say... They were brought up sitting in all these different ways, whereas we tend always to be brought up to sit on chairs. All the chanting finally came to a close and I did manage to straighten my legs...There were a few 'creaking' sounds which could be heard coming from the direction of my knees!!!!

It was all followed by a super Thai lunch, excellent.

With all the prayers and Phuks commercial sense I'm sure it will be a good and successful business.

Bangkok Dangerous, did not turn out quite so bad....

Bangkok dangerous, did not turn out quite so bad, in fact a really great time. Relaxed but at the same time exhausted.
It had been along time since I had been able to have time with Sarah and Vivi so off we went Friday afternoon. Up to Bangkok.
We had a couple of nights there booking into a small old (read worn out) hotel on Soi 20. First evening was an Indian dinner followed by a walk round the small trade stalls lining Surkumvit Road and doing some shopping.
Saturday was all out… First the house of Jim Thompson. Jim Thompson was an American who came over to Thailand at the end of the second world. The hand weaving of silk, a long neglected cottage industry captured Jim Thompson’ attention. He devoted himself to reviving the craft. Highly gifted as a designer and textile colorist he contributed substantially to the industry’s growth and to the worldwide recognition accorded to Thai silk.
His house combines 6 teak buildings which represent the best in Thai architecture. On March 26th 1967 Jim Thompson disappeared while on a visit to Malaysia. No one knows how or why or indeed what happened to him. Disappeared without trace. Makes the visit to his house all the more interesting to have some intrigue added in.
Some beautiful; gardens and the houses are wonderful. Quite how one lives in a lot of up and down places I do not know but he certainly made the most of it all.
He had decorated it with old Thai statues of Lord Buddha etc. Some dating back to the 11th Century. My photos do not come anywhere near doing the place justice.
We enjoyed the guide tour and walking through the gardens. In a sense quite surreal as there is only a wall between this oasis of tropical gardens and the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. In fact it is only about 5 minutes walk from the National Stadium and the end of the overhead railway system. At which is a MBK mega store and I mean massive in being several kilometers along and packed with people buying phones. Cloths, gold you name it they’re buying it.. So quite a contrast!!
We went back there after the visit to do a little shopping. Bumped into a little old America woman looking for a book stall. So that became out first point of call in MBK. MBK is next to the national stadium. And outside was a small football pitch. Blue coloured grass?....
Quick lunch and off to the Grand Palace. Not the best timing, to go, on a Saturday afternoon when the roads are packed and the temperature is rising. Just very hot and no wind.
What a place. It really is a grand palace complete with walled gardens, a massive Wat and numerous building and statues etc. The Wat hosts a load of murals showing various scenes on the life of Lord Buddha etc. and I would suggest any visitor to Bangkok to find time to fit in a trip there. In fact essential to any list of ‘to dos’ in Thailand. I see little point in listing out all the details but the link below will provide you with all you need to know. http://thailandforvisitors.com/central/bangkok/ratanakosin/prakeo/ Really is worth a visit. One thing that did strick the 3 of us. The murals were being restored. The persons working on the restoratiosn were all young, so unlike parts of Europe the traditioinal trades appear here to be carried over from one generation to another. V Good. There were also several Thai students wandering around and stopping visitors and undertaking impromptu interviews. Sarah and Vive being amongst them. My photos are mostly of the Wat as by the time got the the Palace we were worn out!!!!
It was just hot and we expected rain at any moment as it was so humid and close. Well we made it back to the hotel still hot, no rain but the air felt really heavy. We showered and got ourselves ready for dinner. Just ready to go and down acme the rain, yes the tropical storm arrived and we were stuck in the hotel. And it poured just like standing under a bucked of water being thrown at you. Went on for hours, finally at about 9pm we made it out for a dinner, followed by a dance and live music. Soi 22 to be precise. No details available for the evening entertainment….No camera…..
This completed our Bangkok trip and Sunday saw us drive back to Pattaya. Stopped off at a friends for a quick pool practice and then an early night.

Tattoos And Things…

Seems to have passed in a flash. Our friends from Pakistan came down from Bangkok for the weekend and before I knew what had happened, they were returning as Sunday evening had already arrived.

We left the condo to meet up with them. However the place is undergoing a major repaint. In true Thai way they made quick work of it. Simple to paint the face of a 15 story Condo. Start at the top with a roller and a bucket of paint. Work your way down on a rope.
We took in a Tattoo Festival early Saturday morning. Not so much to see as it was just starting up. However did notice some head tattoos and a couple of Thai Rasta’s. So some interest there. Also discovers a place which does religion/Thai tat’s so will give that a visit some time soon.

Later we watched a street seller making some savory pancakes. I did a quick video and slowed it down on the replay. Quite amazing the speed at which she worked. So the slowing down to 25% speed makes you realize just how quick she was.

The Sunday afternoon was taken up with a trip to Silver Lake. A recently established Vineyard. Had a walk around there followed by a quick visit to the local Wat.


Again beautiful statues and as always, I never cease to be surprised at how calm everything seems after such a visit.

We then spent the rest of the afternoon lazing on the beach prior to yet more food and an early night. Now back to completing my Seychelles Blogs. It was such good fun as a break but having to write it all up seems like a long task...

Buddhist Lent

Buddhist Lent starts today. It is a solemn occasion with most Thai visiting their home Wat, (Temple) and making their vows to follow the precepts of Buddha. For our part, I was told by Wanna last night, that she is off to the Wat at 6.30am this morning to 'Make Merit". Me, I'm off to work as usual.
The Wats are all decked out for the occasion with bright coloured cloths and candles etc. And the shops geared up to sell the candles and various orange coloured plastic buckets full of offerings of assorted foods for the monks. So on the way to work I had expected to see more people around and maybe a lot more monks walking the roads. Not so. If anything it was quiet, quieter than usual, and the roads almost empty. The start of the Buddha Lent bonus for me was, I got to work early. Is this really a bonus?....
I had also remembered, (unlike last weekends trip to Viet Nam) to have my camera open in the car just in case something special passed me by. Nothing... I was so busy with the quick trip to work that I probably missed everything..
So I had a quick look on the Internet to see what was being said about the Lent, and found a useful link on the whole topic.

The Buddhist Lent, which starts on the first day of the waning moon of the eighth lunar month. The tradition of Buddhist Lent or the annual three-month Rains Retreat known in Thai as "Phansa" dates back to the time of ....... full text Buddhist Lent

Worth the read.
Photos source (huffingtonpost)