Viharna Sien Temple

About 15 KM outside Pattaya there is a Buddhist Museum (Viharna Sien Temple) which has accumulated a huge collection of artifacts. This place is set in about 10 acres of parkland and is (despite what it seems) a great day out!



Donations to this collection include a large amount of chinese artworks which are tastefully displayed in the park area!



There is no discrimination against fat jolly bastards either!



Security around the place is provided by the Thai Military due to the fact that some of the pieces are solid gold, like this one! (It is fucking awesome!)



The Thai Royal Family have a small house nearby!



In honour off the King, a local businessman built an image of Buddha in Gold onto an nearby hill. Funnily enough, this has never been defaced or messed with in any way and still looks towards the Temple. (Sorry, the picture does not do the image credit)



The temple also houses an army of Bronze Warriors, reminiscent of the Chinese Terracota Army...



But for me, it was the architecture, Chinese Style but uniquely Thai...



Especially the roofs....with extra Dragons!



My favourite.....

Markets

Unlike the majority of westerners, Thai's rarely make a weekly shopping trip, preferring instead to go to the market on a daily basis.

The markets tend to have all the foodstuff one could require, perhaps less elegant than the local Tesco but certainly more colourful.

You Name it, we got it!



Turtles or Eels?



I had to get the last piece of Chicken as I did not fancy the fish!



Ready to Go Curry?



The Ubiquitous Fish...



It doesn't get much fresher than this...



Straight off the boat and onto the slab!



The fruit and veg are nearby..



In fact there are mountains of the shit....



Perhaps a little Grilled Chicken?



Or a ready fried option!

Out and About (Odd's and Sod's)

Hollywood arrived in Pattaya to remake "Wild Hogs' with more accurate casting.



Remind me to keep off the roads with these girls around!



While MuayThai Boxing is considered a national sport, every young hopeful tries out in the numerous rings around the country....



Looking for the big break to make sure they dont end up like this fellow who was touting for cash, 10 Baht for a photograph (Apparently he was quite famous)



Hungry, have a Sate, Chicken, Beef, Pork or Squid...Spicy or Normal, 5 Baht each



Alternatively you have the Bugs.....



But once you have finished your meal, please pay attention to the "Do Not Litter" Signs

Critters

I found these bastards at the back of the house



I did not feel guilty about sweeping them into a dust pan and dropping them into the nearby undergrowth

Sex Sells

A bar has opened up in Pattaya offering a "differing" kind of service....

Can you guess?



And this one.....



Or perhaps this one....

If it swims, floats or wriggles - Dry it!

Many basic ingredients used in Thai food are dried, mostly vegetables, herbs and seafood. The dried seafood works well, allowing the use of ingredients that would otherwise quickly become inedible.



Went to the store a few days ago to get a selection of Shrimps, Prawns and Seaweeds.



Shrimps and Prawns are graded by both quality and size, and there's plenty off choice!



The only problem is, whenever you go anywhere near the fish markets there is an instant need to buy other things.... in this case crabs!



Which were very quickly dressed and prepared by this very nice lady!

On the subject of Thai Massage

While a Thai massage seems to be highly recommended by travel guides, there are other massages available, the most commonly known in Pattya is the "Soapy"

Soapy massage is not like most other massage, but this is a special service. This soapy massage often takes more than an hour and men are more likely than women to book this type of massage.

Usually the client is a man, and the person providing this unusual massage is a naked woman. There are many different types of regular massage, but a soapy massage does not really fall into any of these categories. This type of massage is in a category all alone.

Using the word soapy massage is very misleading about what kind of service this provides.The naked women who perform this type of massage do not have to be trained to perform a soapy massage. The people who do traditional massage usually have specialized training above the postsecondary level. Some of these people have specialized training in a particular type of massage including sports massage and medical massage.

The traditional massage is intended solely for a pleasurable feeling or relaxation. There are many massage therapists at luxury spas and resorts that provide soothing, relaxing massage. The traditional massage also provides alternative medicinal therapy.



The soapy massage is never used by physicians for any type of alternative medicine. The traditional massage is often used for sports stars and professional dancers to keep their bodies in perfect condition.

Soapy massage would rarely be used by medical professionals for alternative medical treatment.

Please note: A traditional massage hurts like hell, while (as I am reliably informed) a soapy does not!

Protecting your property - Thai Style

There is a fair amount of crime in Thailand and most people use multiple padlocks and gates to protect their property.

This "club" on Walking Street Pattaya use a guard dog, I also presume they have a lot of trouble from Arabs



Unfortunately, the reality of the fierce dog left something to be desired...

Fashion and Pattaya

I get the feeling that as soon as people hit Pattaya their fashion sense fades into some distant memory.....



Another dashing gentleman, obviously proud of his chosen attire...



While this guy has just proven he's a complete fuckwit!



Closely followed by......



But the winner is.....



Thank fuck for the Denims and Polo Shirts that are my chosen dress code!

Safety at Work

I thought I was back in Jakarta when I saw this Fuckwit repairing an Airconditioner

Spirit Houses and Buddha's Bones

Spirit Houses can be found in nearly every home, school and business premises in Thailand. They look like minature temples or elegant birdhouses as some people have described them.



They come in different shapes and sizes though all of them are on a raised platform. The spirit house is for the chao tee or guardian spirit of the land. Thai people believe that by keeping the chao tee happy with a comfortable home and daily offerings of food and drink that their lives will be more safe and successful.



As the Thai's pass a Spirit House you will see many of them raising their hands in a wai as a form of respect to the chao tee. Some of them might offer food or a flower garland if they are looking for luck to pass an exam or win an important football match. They usually promise a special gift if their wish is granted.



It is not uncommon for the Bar Girls to pray for "Chok Dee" (Good Luck) before heading inside the Go-Go and stripping naked for another nights work...



While inside the Go Go's, each bar has it's own shrine. (This one has a little truck on it, why? I have no idea!)



While outside there are many public ones....



This reverence is common and during the months off December and January, a Thai Chicken farmer (a very rich one I may add) bought the use of a Museum in Pattaya for a month and arranged for Buddha's Penis (or some other remain)be made available for the public to visit and worship free of charge.The place was a bit OTT, but there were some nice statues and stuff!



There are better places to visit, but as it was only 5 minutes away I did not moan too much.



The majority of the gounds were a bit "gauche" for me, but the Thai exhibits were pretty good.



After wandering around while members of the entourage were “wai-ing” over the bones I started to get pretty hot, gave up and headed for the beer tent! The path to the tent was fraught with danger...



Presumably the Thai Version off Cinderella's carriage .



More Dragons....



Dragons with Flags....



And Dragons with added Elephants.....



Beer Tent was a rather "modest" affair...



Which was only reachable after killing a few more Dragons..



And negotiating your way past Cinderella's steeds!



Life is not all sleaze in the Land of Smiles!