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Wat Tham Ta Pan Hell Garden-Phang Nga

A collection of images from my visit to this strange and surreal Wat, very similar to the one in Korat I visited, Wat Pa Lak Roi, which was my first introduction to Buddhist Hell Gardens.
The images leave nothing to the imagination.

Wat Tham Ta Pan in Phang Nga Town is one of the weirdest original temples in southern Thailand. Located around 100 km northeast of Phuket, the site offers a journey through Buddhist Heaven and Hell.

At first sight, the temple looks a bit abandoned and decrepit, which simply adds to the eeriness of the place. You’ll see a fountain at the entrance, where there are 5 sculptures of monks. Each holds a bowl that represents wealth, beauty, happiness, cleverness, and health. Try throwing a coin in the bowl of your choice. If you succeed in landing one in, your wish will come true.

Heaven Cave
Right next to a small shop, there's a huge Chinese dragon with a wide-open mouth waiting for you to enter. This is the beginning of your ‘journey’ through representations of Buddhist Heaven and Hell. The inside of the dragon has a long and dark tunnel, with just a few tiny windows lighting your path.

At the end of the tunnel, you'll find the entrance to a deep cave. Pray at the small shrine on your left before heading towards the Nirvana section, right at the end of the cave. It takes about a 10-minute walk along a dark track with bridges crossing a river to reach the end, which has 2 Buddha statues symbolising Heaven.

Buddhist Hell ('Naraka' in Sanskrit and 'Na Rok' in Thai) awaits you if you do not follow the 5 precepts of Buddhism during your life:

Abstain from taking life (thou shall not kill).
Abstain from taking what is not given (thou shall not steal).
Abstain from sexual misconduct (thou shall not commit adultery).
Abstain from false speech (thou shall not lie).
Abstain from fermented drink that causes heedlessness (eschew drunkenness).
A visit to Wat Tham Ta Pan can be a really scary experience, so it isn't recommended for young children. Scenes showing torture applied to sinners are vivid and straightforward, leaving no space to the imagination.
An area behind these buildings offers a walk up a cliff through a garden dotted with statues of animals. The cliff displays sculptures and representations of Indian deities, such as Ganesh and Akhilandeshvari.

Wat Tham Ta Pan is a one-of-a-kind temple that's well worth a visit, simply due to its weird originality.

Music free under creative commons licence from YouTube Music Library
Title: Mist- by Odonis Odonis

Posted by TheJohnsons 06:31 Archived in Thailand Tagged nature temple religion statue skeleton tree meditation no sculpture light buddha forest practice meal quite sitting prayer health eat hungry phang nga fasting baptism casting thin Comments (0)

Nong Yai Wooden Bridge at the Nong Yai Park Chumpon.

Nong Yai Wooden Bridge at the Nong Yai Park Chumpon.
The park came about following the devastation caused by Typhoon Gay back in November 1989. 529 people were killed, 160,000 became homeless, with 7,130 km2 of farm land destroyed. Under Royal Initiative a system of flood control measures were implemented.

The main flood management system is a diversion canal running from the Tha Taphap river in the west of the park to the Phanang Tak river in the east, which is near the sea. In times of heavy rain, water can be diverted through the canal preventing/reducing any flooding in the area around Chumphon town.

It is a fantastic Park and a great place to go and walk and you can also see Javan rusa deer
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Posted by TheJohnsons 06:13 Archived in Thailand Tagged sky water sunset view wildlife nature park landscape travel thailand zoo lake green grass jungle bridge ecology young south beautiful countryside wild safari national animal field tropical forest natural tourism deer outdoor alone khao resting meadow eat hunting wooden horn background brown otter antlers mammal behavior chordata Comments (0)

Blue Elephant Phuket

Blue Elephant Phuket is not a casual Thai restaurant, but contrary to what most people think, it is not outrageously expensive (We didn’t say cheap though). Blue Elephant Phuket is perfect for a special occasion, a dining experience to share and remember. We wrote about this fantastic old mansion that used to be a governor’s house, abandoned for a long time in Phuket Town.

Seen from the street, it always had the majesty of a place with a long and mysterious history. They returned the mansion to its original grandeur, and you can now drive up the immense garden alley, leave your car under the trees and proudly climb the stairs like a celebrity to enter the famous Blue Elephant.

Dining in a hundred years old governor’s house adds a new dimension to the experience. The Blue Elephant is a long-established cooking school from Bangkok and a great place to invite your guests or for a romantic occasion. Take the time to walk around the park with your glass in hand and appreciate the majesty of the Sino-Portuguese architecture, shaded by immense trees that witnessed moments of Phuket fascinating history.
As you explore, it becomes easy to imagine how the held parties and ceremonies within these walls. Then climb the stairs to the second floor and walk through the several large rooms with their dark wooden floors and the many windows so typical of this era. Then, it’s dinner time, and you will walk through the ‘Blue Elephant Gallery’ to the air-conditioned indoor or outdoor dining area. Service is as impeccable as you expect it to be, the restaurant and tables setting are beautiful.

Posted by TheJohnsons 07:22 Archived in Thailand Tagged art food restaurant wildlife nature traditional elephant sign blue white cute happy holiday collection wild party funny animal bar luxury set asian logo style cafe chef bear design decoration pattern table dessert retro eat abstract symbol cartoon graphic decor celebration icon character background trunk isolated template drawing vector illustration mammal Comments (0)

Fruits De Mer- In Chalong- Phuket

On of the things about living on an Island is that your diet options expand to fresh fish!

I finally got to visiting one of my local food/morning markets and what a treat, not only the usual fruit/veg/meat but a fabulous array of shellfish and fish. Fresh from the mornings fisherman.

There are a few of these in Phuket, this is not a tourist market but a real working market for local people in Chalong.

A great place to see what there is .....and great some photography in too!

Posted by TheJohnsons 20:09 Archived in Thailand Tagged sea food fish salmon restaurant nature plate market green ice white dining cuisine red dinner lobster black luxury cooking mix seafood shell meal cold table crab clam eat lemon shrimp vegetable delicious salad octopus healthy gourmet menu fresh raw recipe platter background shellfish tasty oyster prawn dish crustacean parsley mussel Comments (0)

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