Travelog for: Glory

My host has some business to be taken care of in Bangkok, so she bring me with her. And today she's free so we're going to Pattaya.


*This map is from http://www.kombatgroup.com/*

Pattaya, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, is one of the most well-known city for tourists from all over the world with the beautiful beaches and island, lots of exciting activities and attraction sites. We have only one day here...let's see where I have been today


*It's rainning along the way. But when we're there, the sun is shining*

The first place we visit is the construction site of an elaborate private wooden temple known as Sanctuary of Truth The building was constructed according to ancient Thai ingenuity and every square inch of the building is covered with wooden carve sculpture. The purposes are to use art and culture as the reflection of Ancient Vision of Earth, Ancient Knowledge, and Eastern Philosophy. It has been built for over ten years now and not finished yet due to the huge scale and the hard work on these elaborate sculptures.








*Wowww See how huge it is!!*

Once we're inside...I'm so stunnig with these magnificent wood sculptures. It's amazing what a man can do!










*The information sign in Thai*

The next place we visit is called Mini Siam This place contains miniature replicas of many sacred places and important historical sites around Thailand.


*Beautiful statue and me at the front gate*

The weather is very, very hot!
But it can't stop me from enjoying these cute little buildings.


WAT PHRA KAEO or Temple of the Emerald Buddha. She told me that this is the most famous landmark in Bangkok.



This is WAT ARUN or The Temple of Dawn, also in Bangkok. 



PHANOM RUNG HISTORICAL PARK in Burirum province.



WAT SRAKET or Golden Mount Temple in Bangkok.



WOWWW only half a day and I feel like I've been traveling all around Thailand.
There are still more of these little buildings
but I'd better left it for other fellow voyagers to find out 



There's a huge elephant statue outside the park
and I ask her to help me up.
I always wanted to ride on an elephant.
Eventhough it's not real, still it feels great

After visitting Mini Siam... it's very late in the afternoon. We take a walk along the Pattaya beach and wait for the sunset.


*I really want to ride on this, but my host told me it's too dangerous for a little girl like me so I just take a photo *





*Just sitting and enjoying the view*





*The moment we're waiting for...I watch the sunset with my host... it's so beautiful and worth waiting.*

Eventually this perfect day is over, kinda pity... but it's such an amazing experience for me and I'll never forget this day

Today my host take me to downtown and show me around Surin city. The first place is where most of Surin people come to pay respect occationally, The Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang (Pum) Monument. It is dedicated to the first lord of the city. It was built in 1968 and located at the southern entrance to the city in the area where the city's inner wall once stood.



Phra Surin (from whom the town got its name) is a member of the Suay tribe. He became leader in 1760 when he was instrumental in recapturing an escaped royal white elephant, as legend goes.





Most surin people come here to pay respect to him from time to time with flowers, fruits or small elephant statues and make a wish for a good fortune in their lives. My host said that her family usually come here on new year's day.

Near the Phraya Surin monument is a big park, she take me for a walk there and show me these hugh elephant statues. There are lots of elephants here and it is what Surin is famous for. Every year in November, The Elephant Round-up is held in the city where over two hundreds elephants from the villages outside gather and perform the show that attracts thousand of tourists from all over the world.







The Elephant Show or the Elephant Round Up at the Si Narong provincial stadium presents the bond between man and elephant in the culture and tradition of the native people of Surin, called “Guai”, they are skillful in catching wild elephants as well as training them. The Surin province also presents its “Elephant Fair” for ten days and nights. Fair activities include performances, exhibitions from the governmental and private sectors, student’s art and handicraft shows and local handicraft shows.



In the openning day, there is the World's biggest banquet for elephants along the main road in the heart of the city. There are high piles of flowers, bananas, sugar cane and other elephant favourites. My host said that it is quite amazing to see hundreds of elephants enjoy their big meal...what a pity that I don't have a chance to see that

Today my host cook me one of the most well-known Thai food, "Som Tam" or Papaya Salad which originated from Laos and the northeastern Thailand, she said that everyone who visit Thailand must try it

There are two main styles of Somtam. One is Somtam Thai which the ingredients are shredded Thai green papaya, roasted peanuts, dried shrimp, fresh chili, garlic, yardlong beans, tomatoes, lime, fish sauce and sugar. It should have a balanced flavor of sweetness from sugar, sourness from limejuice and saltiness from fish sauce and ground dry shrimp.



Another style of Somtam and it is what she make today is Somtam Lao. The main ingredients are the same but usually excluding dried shrimp and add more Pla rah which is fermented salted fish and sometimes add brined paddy crabs.
The predominant taste is saltiness which is from Pla rah and fish sauce. It also has a little sourness to it but Somtam Lao should always be very hot and spicy.


*It tastes great but very, very hot!!!  *

Usually we have Somtam with sticky rice and grilled chicken or Pad Thai which is Thai style fried noodle. But today instead of Pad Thai, we have it with Chinese style fried noodle. Very delicious



For the dessert, we have fresh mangoes which come from the backyard of my host's house...there are many mango trees there. We have it with "Nam Pla wan" or Sweet Fish Sauce that made from fish sauce, palm sugar, dried chilli, dried shrimp and shallots.


*I really enjoy this meal *

Today we're visitting Surin's principal temple called Wat Buraparam. My host wanted to pay homage to the sacred Luang Phor Phra Chi which is an ancient Buddha image highly revered by the townspeople and considered the most holiest item of Surin.


*In front of the temple hall where Luang Phor Phra Chi is enshrined*


*Before we get in, she buy some water lily, candle as the
offerings to the Buddha*


*Luang Phor Phra Chi *

After doing merits, she introduce me to the "Seam Si" , a fortune teller in a Chinese style which is common in most temples in Thailand. What we do is that we make a wish and then shake this bamboo tube where there are number labeled sticks from 1 up to about 20 in it until only one of them fall down. We look at the number on that stick and get the prediction which usually is written in poem.


*Seam Si*


*Shake shake shake...till it drops, oooh...she got number 15!*


*Here it is...the prediction! *


*Let's have a look...*

Number 15 simply tells that who got this number...

The wishes will soon be fulfilled.
Business will be success.
If pregnant, will have a son.
Discovering mate which become a good match.
Good lucks gradually approaching.
Patient recovering.
All that lost will be found.

Wowww what a great prediction she got!!

She told me that..  if the prediction turns out great, we usually take this paper home with us...but if it is bad, then we just leave it here.

We visit another hall where it's used for organizing the buddhist ceremony. Inside there are stunning paintings all over the wall. The paintings illustrates the life of the Buddha since he was born, enter the monkhood,
become enlightened, teaching Dhamma and finally release himself from the round of rebirth or nirvana.




*These paintings are wonderful! *

The last hall we visit is the hall that was built as a dedication to the most honourable monk in Surin, Luang Pu Dune Atulo, he passed away since 1983, the year my host was born. 




*The model of Luang Pu and his bones for people to pay respect*

Sorry for not updating for quite a while...we've just got back from a big trip!! I'll tell you more about it later 

On April 27th, My host and her family went to make merits at Phanom Sawai temple in Phanom Sawai Nation Forrest. They offered food to the monks and then went to pay homage to the Buddha image up on the high hill.



Along the way up, there are 1,080 bells on both sides of the stairs. Ringing the temple bells is another way to show respect to the Buddha. The sound of these bells is very beautiful and my host's family seems to be enjoy ringing these bells a lot





On the top of the hill enshrining Phra Buddha Surinthara Mongkhon, the huge brick and concrete Buddha statue in the  posture of giving blessing which can be seen from far away. It's so white and beautiful


 

I have such a lucky chance to go on another big trip. This time is New Zealand!! Who could have imagined

I go with my friends' host to the South Island of New Zealand. It's autumn there and the whether is quite cold. The leaves are changing color and falling. It's such a wonderful time to travel, the views are so stunning!!

I also meet new friends Let's have a look!


At Lake Pukaki

Wow...just like a mirror!


With my new friend at Queenstown.



Such a beautiful town...Arrowtown.


Kawarau Bridge: World's First Bungy...how exciting!!




At the wonderful Lake Tekapo


New Zealand Sheep!


This is such a wonderful experience for me, wish I have more time to explore more of this lovely country

Hello everyone 

I'm a newbie here and Glory is the first toyvoyager I'm hosting. It's been a very fun experience having her with me and it gave me a chance to travel which is my favorite activity. Glory's been great, I'm so happy hosting her and I'm sure she had a wonderful time in Thailand.

Now it's time to let Glory continue her journey. Her next destination is Switzerland!! 

Bye Bye Glory...Good luck on your journey and hope to see you again

So here I am in Switzerland! Photos to follow.

So here I am on the balcony admiring the view and getting used to my new surroundings. It´s nearly time for the first game of Euro 2008. Switzerland are playing - I hope they win!!

Sadly the weather here is really not very good. Rain, rain, rain and Switzerland lost ....very unluckily 

Annbear was invited round to Buochs to have lunch with her friend Maria so I went too! This is the view from Maria´s apartment. Very nice and at least it isn´t raining!!Switzerland play again tonight so we are all very excited and hoping this time they will win. Hopp Schweiz!!

So finally the weather is better and the sun is out! . A new TV is here - Stuart the Lion and we decided to have a ride on a cow. It was good fun