Huay Tung Tao Lake, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Huay Tung Tao - courtesy of Google images

Had one of those 'awed by Nature' moments...

The scene: sitting barefoot on the platform of a pavilion, overhanging a lake, at dusk.  Wooded mountain slopes behind us began to rustle in the warm evening breeze and cicadas vibrated loudly in nearby grasses. Shadows darkened the edges of the water. It was a peaceful bit of relaxation.

In the otherwise stillness of the surface, we noticed a broad stick floating towards us, tilted at an angle. As it drew closer, the rippling body propelling the 'stick' could just be discerned in the gathering gloom.  At the precise moment that we realised it was a water snake, the creature halted, dipped its head for a few seconds before re-emerging and continuing in our direction.  Anyone who knows me well, will be aware of my absolute terror of snakes and will need little imagination to gauge my reaction at this point! Yet, the snake's undulating motion was mesmerising; the pale squiggles of its body appeared both powerful and somehow gentle as the surface of the water was only barely disturbed.

A few seconds later however, the reptile encountered some submerged obstruction which, thankfully, caused it to alter course.  Oh the relief!!!!  Until that point, in my fanciful head, I had been sure that the snake could sense my fear and was headed straight for me.  Yes, I know. It's NOT all about me and the snake probably couldn't have cared less about this particular mortal as it went about its evening business.  In the calm of hindsight (and a subsequent Google search), I discovered that the majority of water snakes in Thailand are not dangerous to humans. Phew!!  Still, the experience made for another unforgettable evening :-) although there's no photo souvenir of my own for this one :-(

Yoghurt Eating Conundrum

Who would have thought that eating yoghurt could prove such a challenge?  I don't mean that one can't buy yoghurt in Thailand, merely that the means of eating it presented a conundrum.

Like many, I live in an apartment that is somewhat like a hotel suite of two rooms plus a bathroom; my kitchen facilities consist of a massive fridge, a microwave and a kettle. The basic utensils are in tune with Asian dining culture and consist of: chopsticks, forks, dessert spoons and deeply angled all purpose/soup spoons.  There are neither knives nor, crucially, teaspoons.  Hmmm. No wonder I've not bought any pots of yoghurt until now.  It's just not a delicate eating experience when one has to use a large spoon!!

With a nostalgia, which I would not previously have considered likely, I threw caution to the winds and purchased a pack of strawberry yoghurts.  I decided to suffer the oversized spoon in order to assuage the desire of my tastebuds.

Imagine my delight when I discovered a clever marketing solution: included in the pack was a packet  of plastic 'teaspoons'! Hurrah! Even I can't believe my excited reaction.  Perhaps there is some Freudian explanation... or perhaps it's just that I enjoy life's simple pleasures.

Ladies' Parking

How reassuring it must be for the lady drivers of Chiang Mai to know that there are extra wide parking spaces available for them, on the 2nd level, should they not feel skilled enough to park elsewhere at the shopping mall!

Rooftop Bars in a Warm Climate

There's nothing else to compare with an evening of tasty cocktails and amusing banter with friends... Except when the location is a rooftop bar on a warm night (on this occasion overlooking night-time Chiang Mai).  

There are several bars to choose from, but we chose the Myst Bar as we fancied some of the cocktails on the menu.  We finally settled on Vampire Kiss which includes vodka, strawberries and liquid nitrogen apparently!! Yummy!!

Vietnamese BBQ

The culture here is that the majority of people don't cook at home, but go out for their meals.  It's still strange for me to accept that going to a restaurant is a necessity rather than a social event (as it would have been back in the UK).  My other ex-pat friends feel the same but, when we get together, we generally consider it a social occasion even if we end up just sharing the meal then going our separate ways!

Sometimes the best times are had when impromptu 'plans' are made.  Hence, a great little gathering of  us (farang and Thai friends) enjoyed a mouthwatering meal at the Vietnamese Barbecue tonight.  It is a highly popular venue, on the west side of the city, and is very reasonably priced so we were forced to wait for our table at the next door bar, Mixology.  Fortunately, it was 3 for 2 Happy Hour there and it has a very interesting drinks menu!!

I can only imagine that Paul's stomach has an indestructible lining as he downed the Iron Chef: a whiskey-based cocktail consisting of several liqueurs which are poured into a pan, set alight and then added to a tumbler of ice!  Personally, I settled for 'Lost in the Garden' which has a mixture of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry with lemonade and vodka.

After the aperitifs, we selected our meat and vegetables to cook on the barbecue which was a cross between a steam boat and a grill plate.  Verdict: great company, great conversation, great food and great value.

Tian Tan Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Despite a somewhat hazy day, I decided to visit Ngong Ping village, Po Lin Monastery and the Tian Tan Buddha statue on Lantau Island.  I took the MTR, for ease and speed, to Tung Chung station then walked across a modern, cobbled square to the cable car station only to be faced by a massive queue snaking around the overpass.  "Why oh why didn't I think of checking whether I could book tickets online?" I kicked myself mentally as I watched a group pass smugly along the express line to collect theirs. Luckily, I had a book on Kindle which I was more than happy to read.

With boredom alleviated, I soon found myself ushered into a large cable car for the stately trip up and across the island.  I chose a Standard Cabin (at HK$150). Since the prospective 25 minute ride across sea and rugged, mountainous terrain already left me faint hearted, the Crystal Cabin with its see-through floor probably would have resulted in actual heart failure for me!  My fellow passengers were excitedly taking selfies and snapping endless shots of the vistas.  

 

For the first few minutes we had bird's eye views of the busy airport - in itself an amazing development, created by levelling two small islands and reclaiming over 9 square kilometres of seabed!

Arriving at Ngong Ping village one cannot help but be drawn towards the imposing 34m bronze Buddha statue on its lotus throne, which itself sits atop a three tiered altar at the peak of Mount Muk Yue.  

The Tian Tan Buddha is reached up a flight of some 268 steps (although I lost count somewhere around 240).  Unusually for a Buddha statue it faces north - in this situation bestowing blessings upon China.  

Ascending the steps, and seeing the sun forming a halo around Budhha's head, is a breathtaking experience in many ways.  Looking up into the serene expression brought a real sense of peacefulness to me and I marvelled at the detailed craftsmanship which manages to convey beauty, solemnity, calmness, compassion and benevolence. 

For a modest fee of HK$30, which also includes a 4 item snack at the monastery's Vegetarian Cafe, you can enter the 3 storey exhibition hall inside the pedestal.  On display are a number of interesting Buddhist art and relics including: a Buddha bone relic, gifted to the monastery in 1992; a wood-carved statue of Ksitigarbha (the Earth-Store Bodhisattva); the Bell of the Flaming Mouth, engraved with images of Buddha and scriptures - this bell is designed to chime 108 times a day to symbolise clearance of 108 worries; 4 paintings, depicting important events in the life of Buddha; a massive wood engraving showing "Hua Yan Dharma Preaching", brightly painted using mineral pigments; and a collection of precious scrolls with Buddhist scriptures.  Helpfully, there are a few English translations with the exhibits.  No photography is allowed inside the halls.

On the lower tier, six bronze Devas kneel in graceful dance postures offering tributes to Buddha.

The Zodiac Way has statues flanking the pathway, along with signs warning about keeping away from the feral cattle that wander the area. There were some girls having a photo taken standing near one bullock and begging their mother to buy them one for Christmas!

For tourists, there is a choice of food from either the vegetarian restaurant or café at the monastery. Although the photo doesn't do it justice, the food was really tasty and filling.

As for the monks, well they line up with their food bowls and enter the dining hall to eat in silence.  Later, there is a peaceful, melodic chanting drifting through the air from the unseen monks gathered in the Main Hall.

Worshippers light incense sticks and causing strong scents and smoke to waft on the breeze.

A gardener takes a break.  I love the distinctive hat but always feel surprised by the layers of clothing the locals wear in spite of the heat.

The Bodhi Wishing Tree.