A visit to Wat Sam Kong

For followers of my foursquare activities the fact that I visited was Wat Sam Kong on Friday morning would not be new BUT what I did not share until now was my experience.

It was peaceful - extremely beautiful - almost tranquil...
Until the bell was rang...

The door was open and I was welcomed in - I understood what he meant but not what the words he was using. I entered and found myself to be one of only two people sitting on the floor - the monk was on the top - serene!

Thank you for the welcoming me in.

 

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5th Annual Baba Wedding Festival

I arrived early (well I thought) at Hongsyok House and I nipped into Tiny Coffee for a quick iced coffee – using the App I got 10% off and I wandered into the beautiful setting over the road.

Hongsyok House is a Private House but for this day the public are allowed to enter. I felt like a journo with my coffee but then remembered that the camera was in the shop and I was armed only with the iPhone – never mind, amongst all the real Journo’s I was a blogger!

I have visited previously - 2012, 2011 and 2010 but I wandered in the beautiful gardens snapping shots – and the atmosphere was wonderful. I decided not to go into the house because there was so much outside - here's some previous shots.

Then the organising began – this was ahead of time!

The ‘noted’ people lined up at the front and the Wedding Couples with their introductee’s (is that the right word?). Then the band started and we began.

I ran ahead to take photographs and there was a Chinese Dragon at the crossroads of a normally busy road performing for us!

As we turned onto Thalang Road the local people and the girls dressed in their costumes waited with their baskets full of flower petals. As the lucky couples walked past the petals were thrown – Fabulous.

We walked to Phuket Thai Hua Museum where staged photographs were taken. I left this because there was so much noise from the parade moving past!

Well this was fabulous – there were a number of girls in the local costumes standing on ‘wheeled platforms’ that were pushed by boys dressed in local costumes.

Then there was a parade of Muslims girls in their costume – where was all this from? – wonderful.

As the parade came to a close I met Jamie and we retired to Route 68 (a popular place for him) for some cooling beers…

Then it was the Rider Café for an investigation of the Burgers (but that’s another blog) and our families joined us J

Thank you to the Thai Peranakan Association for organising this special event.

 - Hongsyok House

Geocaching at Cape Panwa

We have been having a lot of fun recently with Geocaching - thank you to Helen for helping us.

We created a Geocache called 'Narak' and placed it a the front of Russell's Sunset Bar.

AND it has been found on average once a week - how about you trying to place one in Phuket OR bring a Geocache to Phuket and I will help you to place it?

Caffeine and Cybercrime - should I be worried?

Okay I spend too much time in coffee shops - should I worry?

I don't have a credit card.
I have never found a USB Card in a shop 
My network has a code.

We do worry a lot - it all makes sense.

An appropriate title please - comments please

A friend of mine - who shall remain nameless indicated that since he had not been in Phuket for two or three years he had seen an inordinate rise in the number of smart phones.

He even commented that the girls in Patong were gathered together (or alone) with 'toys' in their hands - so what title do we give this?

1) Long time no tex me 

2) I not hit you hammer

3) Am dinner rich restaurant

4) The penetration of Social Media in Patong (sic)

A splash of colour and more!

The drumming that welcomed me as I approached this normally quiet Klong Mu Dong was what surprised me.

As I got closer I was suddenly confused - there was a buzz on this dull Sunday morning. There were children dressed in every manner of coloured clothing and every type of flower in the girl's hair.

I was not in Brazil....

The local village were hosting a canoe race and this was the second day!

Did I understand anything? - no not really,  but this is what Thailand is all about - smiles, sharing, community and families. 

Answers to everything (as we search for in the West) are not always necessary.

Sharing the happiness is 

- welcome to Thailand 

 :)

Playing hookey?

Something that I take great pleasure in is wandering aimlessly around Phuket Old Town and you will always find something interesting.

Today I wandered down an alleyway in Phuket Old Town - an alleyway that I could not find again but I think that it was between Circle Coffee Shop and Krieng Tin.

As I wandered along the the road I found myself arriving at a multi-cloured children's adventure playgound. The playground  was in front of a brightly coloured green house - hey I thought - this might make a nice photographs...

As I approached it I realised that there were some children dressed in their Girl Guides Uniforms inside - they were playing music from their telephone and painting their nails - reminded me of Western Children BUT I was so happy that they weren't smoking a cigarette - lovely.

Then I looked inside the bright green house and saw that there was a well looked after Chinese Shrine and that there was a figure of the Hindu god Ganesha - well at least I think that it is - Phuket: a wonderful place where different cultures and different  religions can live together.

Phuket Happenings - May 2013

May included a Walk Rally of Phuket Town, a visit to Chiang Rai, a rabbit hutch being built, go geocaching and numerous other things...

Anyway elsewhere in Phuket this month - 

BLACKOUT 

That was a serious power cut - how much of Thailand?

Russian pole dancers arrested in Patong because of visa and public indecency

again?

Russian workers arrested at Phuket Wake Park
but one proved legal
and the others?

Seawalking is back!!!!!
- but officials arrive too late?
and the Seawalking company deny destroying coral 
- and...
Corals will take 5 years to grow back - officials say
fingers crossed
and a local man charged with selling coral ornaments on bracelets at Sapan Hin 
and who is fined?

Fish prices increase as the Low Season starts?  
- the Monsoon season - now I understand

Using facebook to 'tag' illegal foreigners
- not sure about this one...
some tourists got caught using facebook

Dead Dugong washed up  
Would like to see a Dugong and a Pink Dolphin

Illegal taxis gain an airport reprieve 
because?
are they therefore legal?

Chinese guides used for Chinese Tourists
illegal...
then an organised demonstration by the Thai Guides
sounds like the Russians last month - who's next?
Chinese Ambassador gets promise of more Chinese Translators 
- a promise?


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Chinese Men arrested for selling souvenirs at Wat Kathu 
- is there a link?

Whoops missed the Phuket Health Festival...

GT200 fraud exposed - British Court convicts businessman
- who purchased them in Thailand?

In June there will be no lifeguards - contract finishes May 27

A boxing grudge match
Thai Wife vs. Thai Mistress
Wife wins Husband and 40,000 Baht

Phuket plants mangrove seedlings to honour HM Queen Sirikit.
Happy Birthday - a good idea

The Bang Yai Canal in Phuket Town stinks of raw garbage
Yes it does - which are the restaurants close to this?
The Phuket Governor vows to stem this 
unfortunate choice or words - who will be near to the plug?
The effluent comes out at Bang Tao beach 
- that's a long way
People are sick because of the effluent 
- not good PR for Phuket...
- maybe Chatuchak will come here!?

Tourist Buddy is the new App for the visiting Tourist
- hope it works 
- do they give you a smart phone if you arrive in the country without one?
not reviewed App yet but will here


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Another death with a motorbike - Patong early morning and wet

please take care...

Stairway to Heaven (live) - Heart

Sorry nothing to do with Phuket BUT it's raining...

Amazing and Beautiful - not a Led Zeppelin Fan I was shocked with this.

 Thank you.

We are proud of being from Phuket

Going to a coffee shop and suddenly met with smiling people who waved at us, smiled that they were "Proud of being from Phuket".

A bunch of happy people.

but i was told it was a political rally?

Making a Cheesecake in Phuket

Okay so this has nothing to do with Phuket but is for friends of Chuen's....

Get the ingredients - I use McVitie's - the best and I did use a Philadelphia App for the recipes but you don't need to use this soft cheese.

Follow the guide / APP  BUT I made the base fatter.

Let the butter melt out of the fridge - easy here

Crush the biscuits (above is just the start)

Mix the biscuits and the melted butter - place in a cake tin with moving sides - put in the fridge.

Meanwhile mix the cheese with the condensed milk (very sweet here in Phuket).

Squeeze in lime / lemon juice to taste...

Put on the base from the fridge - cool.

Sprinkle chocolate dust on top - EAT!

Tripadvisor and how much they know

Well as a blogger with too many blogs (which I monitor whether they are read) should not have been surprised when I got an email for Tripadvisor regarding the readership of the persons who chose to read my blogs.

But I was....

The meanings of the postures of the Buddha - Sunday

Wat Phra Tong

In every temple there a number of different Buddhist states and each one has a different meaning - this does not remain consistent when I read all the documentation BUT I have chosen this one from Willy.

The Sunday Buddha image is standing with arms crossed in front of the waist with the right hand covering the left hand.

Buddha obtained enlightenment while sitting under a Bodhi tree (a large and very old Sacred Fig tree located in Bodh Gaya, about 100 km from Patna in the Indian state of Bihar).

The image represents a time just after Buddha obtained enlightenment when, for gratitude, he stood and admired a Bodhi tree for one week without blinking an eye.

If you were born this day:

You are respectable, wise, loved by friends and family, likely to be in a professional occupation.

Lucky day is Wednesday and lucky colour is green

Unlucky day is Friday and unlucky colour is blue.

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