Thailand: Nong Khai - Sala Kaew Ku Sculpture Park

I have been told that any visit to Nong Khai has to include a look around a sculpture park. I was a little skeptic, I must say, but it turns out that this is, indeed, a sculpture park like no other and I spent a good couple of hours taking in all the sights........

Also known as the "garden of the concrete gods", Sala Kaew is both intriguing and mysterious. The small park is packed with enough arcane imagery to baffle the best theologians and weird enough to entertain both a seasoned traveller & bus loads of local school children.....

The park's origins may be traced to the 1970's and a Lao mystic named Luang Pa Bunleua Sulilat. The story goes, that as a child, Sulilat fell into a hole while wandering around a mountain range in Laos. At the other end of which he met a hermit called Kaewkoo, who taught him about Buddhism, the underworld and other mystic goings-on... He must have been a bright child, for returning home, he began to build a concrete sculpture park to give physical form to his vision.!
In 1978 Sulilat fled Laos and settled in Thailand, as he feared his teachings would no longer be tolerated by the Laos ruling Communist Party.

The many hundreds of sculptures represented in the park include those of Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesh and other Hindu dieties, as well as Buddha images and a 'wonderful' collection of anthropomorphic dogs........

Here are a few examples:

At 30 metres high, this statue has an awning of fiercely open-mouthed Naga serpents shading a meditating Buddha.....

This one with all the dogs is a particular favourite.......!!

Thailand: Nong Khai - Wat Noen Phra Nao

Situated south of the main town of Nong Khai is a lovely forest wat.
Wat Noen Phra Nao surrounded by cool shaded trees is a centre
of Vipassana meditation, one of India's most ancient techniques,
being established more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for all ills.....

The forest wat is home to a number of Buddhist statues and figurines,
many explaining the teachings of The Buddha.....

This set is of The Buddha teaching to the five Asthetics

The Bell Tower is very fine

...and the Ubosot, Ordination Hall, has a certain
"gothic " feel about it.....

amplified by the 8 sema or boundary stones....

The Temple cloister in the Inner Courtyard that houses the Ubosot
only covers two sides....

The wat is surrounded by a Chinese Cemetery, in the
midst of which is this new stupa....

The temple has a most peaceful air about it...
on the three occasions I visited, though, neither
the Ubosot or Viharn were open..... which is a pity
as I would love to have seen inside....

Thailand: Nong Khai - Gateway to Laos

I have recently spent eight days in Nong Khai, a pleasant "backwater" in the North-Eastern part of Thailand. Lying on the Mekong River, the town is the gateway to Laos.

The Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.
This two lane road bridge with single track railway in the centre
straddles the River Mekong and was opened in April 1994.
The correct name for the bridge is really "The First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge",
as a second, more recent bridge, has been built further down stream.
The cost was about US$30 million and was funded by the Australian government
as a development aid for Laos

There is more to Nong Khai, though, than just a bridge linking two countries.....
The town, though small, is very attractive with many Buddhist Temples, a lively covered street market, a riverside promenade with sweeping views of the river and restaurants with terraces facing the broadwalk.

Part of the riverside promenade

At the far end of the promenade is the river boat station and ferry stop for goods destined for Laos, that are not transported by road. From early morning to late afternoon, the jetty is a thriving place with a great array of goods, ranging from rugs, pottery and cookware to washing machines, tv's and furniture.....

On the opposite bank to the river station is the Laos equivalent,
although never seemingly as hectic.......

Further along is this fish-farm

Set all along the promenade are these attractive billboards displaying tourist maps of the town and surrounding area. Very French........!!

In the middle of the River Mekong is this ruined chedi, "Phra That Klang Nam", and is visible only during the dry season when the river waters lower by some 13m.... The chedi, dating back to between the 15th and 17th centuries, slipped down the embankment in 1847 and continues to slide; being near the middle of the river, now.
Once the top of the chedi is visible in the dry season, coloured flags are fastened to the top.....

Phra That Nong Khai appears above the river waters

On the original site of the chedi stands a replica, known as "Phra That La Nong"

The attractive Provincial Offices

Close-by is the former Provincial Governor's mansion, now a museum

On the main road out of town is the City pillar

Set behind the riverside promenade and encompassing a couple of streets is the interesting covered market of Sadet

Thailand: Bangkok - A Sunday stroll through Thonburi

There is nothing better on a fine sunny morning, than get up and go for a leisurely walk.....
and yesterday was no exception. Armed with comfortable shoes, my camera and a water bottle, I made my way downtown to the Chao Phraya River and boarded the courtesy boat to the Millennium Hilton..
the start of my walk.

En route we pass the 5-star Bangkok Peninsular Hotel

Close by is the Millennium Hilton, a stunning building.....

The boat takes me directly to the hotel's own pier, from whence I head,

bold as brass, through the riverside restaurant, up the steps, past the

conciege checking room numbers and out through the lounge to the main door.....

I think, if I had a mind for it, I could have partaken with breakfast without

being charged.........

Thonburi, although part of Bangkok, has a distinctly different air about it....

Here there are few "tourist sites" so I always feel much on my own.

Apart from the river frontage, with its gleaming towers blocks, little has

changed with the streets beyond.. winding, somewhat confused and in

places I forget I am in a great metropolis.....

Within this 'backwater' there are a number of interesting places

Behind this shrine to the Buddha is an old fort -

Pong Patchamit Fort built in 1852 during the reign of King Rama IV

as a defence against attack from the river side.

Today the fort was closed, although the exterior walls are about

all that is left of interest......

This mighty cock has mad its home amongst the battlements.....

Riverside entrance to the Chee Chin Kho,

A Sino-Thai Buddhist temple.....

I really like the outer courtyard here as there are a number of unusual sights!!

Decorated  Banyan tree with carved face in bough.....

 

There area number of temples around here, like so much of

Bangkok. This "boat" caught my eye, outside Wat Thong Thammachat -

a Sino-Thai memorial house in the shape of a boat.....

 

and many canals, too. Although, like this one above,

little more than an rubbish dump........

 

This "Fat Buddha" image is in a side courtyard of a temple

This Sino - Thai Spirit House is like a number in the area.

This one is situated on a small bridge over a canal.....

A little further along, my path takes me besides the waters of the Chao Phraya River

and I see a glimpse of this post modern apartment ....

However, on reflection, I still prefer the old wooden neighbourhood houses.....

and their traditional ways...here red chillies are drying in the heat of the sun...

Around the corner is "The Princess Mother Memorial Park"

all peace and quiet .....wonderful..

and I end my walk, once again, at the Memorial Bridge....