We had barely settled into our new place when we prepared for our first visitor - Ted! He arrived around 2 or 3 in the morning. We had a substitute driver, since Mick was on vacation, and the poor guy had to do airport duty in the middle of the night. Tim and I rode along, and happily collected our middle son (luk-chai-kohn-klahng). We hit the sack for a few hours when we got back, but Ted was wide awake and rarin' to go.
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| Tribute for the king's birthday at the airport |
We enjoyed some homemade french toast for breakfast, and spent the afternoon lounging at the pool. We gave the driver the rest of the day off, so the three of us walked next door for an early dinner. The Sheraton has two nice restaurants, Elements and Infiniti. Infiniti sits right on the gulf, and we enjoyed a golf cart ride to the entrance. The setting is beautiful, with the waves gently serenading the diners. After some tasty appetizers, We enjoyed some delicious tuna burgers, with perfectly-grilled tuna steaks. We lingered over our meal and drinks, then made the short walk back to the condo. Chinese checkers wrapped up our first day together.
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| The view from Infiniti |
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| Takeout, Thai-style |
Tim had to work, so Ted and I waited for the driver to return from Ford, then headed back to our old neighborhood, Naklua, to visit the Sanctuary of Truth. It was another steamy, hot day, which we would have for most of Ted's visit. You just get used to the constant trickle of sweat, and take lots of showers!
We purchased our tickets online to save a bit of money, then picked up our stickers to wear on our shirts at the main gate. It was nice to return - it had been just over a year since Tim and I visited. We wandered past the horses and twisted vines, down the long wooden stairs and picked up our hard hats. Everyone is required to wear them, as they are constantly working and repairing the wood of the edifice. The elephants fanned themselves with palm leaves as we passed.
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| a tree decorated in gold - for the king's birthday? |
The Thai cultural show was due to begin about thirty minutes after we arrived, so we did a quick first walk-through, then walked back to the dining area. This was new - the last time we came, the show was in a separate performing area. In the dining area, you are invited to purchase food and drinks while viewing the show. We politely declined, and sat away from the tables. The show began with three Thai women performing a traditional Thai dance in traditional Thai garb. The frozen smiles on their faces reminded us that they must have done this a thousand times already, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Next came a reenactment of traditional Thai fighting with sticks and swords. The men were entertaining and involved some of the audience in a bit of "danger." Then the ladies returned for another dance - all in all, about twenty minutes.
I read online that free tours were available in the Sanctuary, so we inquired, and were instructed to wait outside the restaurant area. An energetic young lady asked us where we were from, and when we said "America," she said, "Okay, you come with me." She was apparently the English-speaking guide available. Two young women from the Philippines joined our group, and we discovered that our guide was actually Filipino, too. Her name was Bubbles(!), and she was excited to have the rare Filipino tourists to speak with in her native language.
Bubbles led us first to the workshop, where they have a huge model of the Sanctuary, along with a display of the various joints that hold the wood together. To the right of the model was the actual workshop of the carvers. They were on lunch break when we arrived, but we could see the carvings they were working on. Our tour guide said all the wood was mahogany. She also said that, because Thailand doesn't have native trees that grow thick trunks, they have to import most of the wood from other countries. Seems like a very costly operation, yet it is all privately funded by a wealthy Thai businessman, Lek Viriyaphant, and his family.
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| An artist works from a 2-D image to create the 3-D sculpture |
After touring the workshop, Bubbles led us around the back of the compound and up the back entrance, pointing out good photo ops along the way. We were guided through the four wings of the structure, each dedicated to a certain aspect of spiritual philosophy. One wing, for example, was dedicated to the four basic elements: earth, water, wind and fire. In the planets wing, we posed for pictures with the human representation of our particular planet, according to the day of the week we were born. I was born on a Thursday, thus associated with Jupiter; Ted's planet was the sun, being born on a Sunday.
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| The four elements |
The sanctuary is such a feast for the eyes - beautiful details in every nook and cranny. The center is an area for Buddhists to worship, and holds relics from Buddha. A large tribute to the king is at the large area just before the exit, and at the exit is a dedication to family. Bubbles said this represented how our parents love us and give us everything we need, and we need to honor them. A few young women (Aussie or British?) had joined our group by then, and one of them adamantly protested this philosophy - sad.
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| The shrine to Buddha in the center - an image of one of the Popes with the king on the right |
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| Bubbles explaining the five-headed naga |
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| The owner and his wife |
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| our "crew" |
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| dedication to family |
Turning in our hard hats, we trekked back up the rustic wooden staircase and found our driver. We stopped for lunch at Baba Eating House near our old place. Baba has nice, fresh food and a lovely staff to go with it. The owner/cook trained in Australia for four years, and really does a nice job. I especially enjoyed the ginger beer, made with club soda and fresh ginger - so refreshing on a hot day!
Stopped at Tesco-Lotus for some necessities, and Ted picked up a nice dress shirt. We went for a nice, relaxing swim when we got back.
Dec. 15th -
Tim had to go into work again. Mick was back at the wheel, and it was another hot day, so we had him drop us at Central. We headed up to the 7th floor of the Hilton, to the lovely Drift lounge. The entire hotel has a kind of "pod" theme, with bean-shaped seating and decor, even the bathrooms!.
I enjoyed the Christmas "trees" in the shape of dresses - clever idea. The lounge was as relaxing and pleasant as always, although the view was a bit limited because of the hazy, humid weather. We ordered some fruity drinks, and what we thought would be a snack plate of fresh fruits. It was enough fruit for four or five people, and we made a dent, but left quite a bit behind.
Ted and Mick headed to the airport to pick up Ted's friend that night, who would be joining us for a few days.
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