After I visited Mount Phusi, I went for a run. It helped me find places I wanted to see next and get lost to finally figure out some of the roads. This town is actually very uncomplicated, about the size of my home town, and very walkable. It is a work heritage site. There are no busses or trucks allowed. I stopped and looked at a few things while running as I knew I might not be back to that place.
The town is really pretty. This is the site of a night Market but have not gone there yet as the street in front of my hotel also shuts down for the market.
There is a temple close to the monument but looks like a closed community.
After the run, I went to tour the bottom of Mount Phu si again as I was passing by. Roadside stands being set up at the bar of the mountain. This is also where the night Market is.
This is actually across the street and will explore more there tomorrow.
Wat Pa Huak or the “Monastery of the Thornless Bamboo Forest” was founded in 1861 by Phaya Si Mahanam during the reign of King Chantharath (1850-72). The bamboo forest used to be on this site.
The doors are amazing and it is falling into disrepair. They have items for sale to benefit restoration as well as leaving donations which I did both.
Inside
This wat has original 19th-century murals that depict historic scenes along the Mekong River. They chronicle visits by Chinese diplomats and warriors arriving by river or horse and are different than other temples as they show day to day living and not pictures of the story of the life of Buddha or other religious paintings.
See if you can pick out the horse that is relieving himself in this picture.
Behind the Wat is a stupa.
After getting ready to go back out, I found a place on the river to eat. The smell was amazing.
This is where they cook. Not too big a deal in this area of the world.
View of the river
The yellow curry I ordered.
From there I decided to go to the Nam Dhong Park which is great gardens. I hired a driver to take me and wait. Unfortunately I did not bring enough money to do the ziplining. It was the original reason to go but I found there was much to look at. The road there was terrible though and combined with heat and sun made for a very tired traveler at the end.
Views on the way.
At the park.
A bridge that goes between the trees in the jungle.
Some views from the walkway.
Wandering through the gardens.
And down to the waterfall where you can take off your shoes and go in the water.
The gardens up top are really beautiful and peaceful with flowing water.
At the swan pond is an opportunity to weave with bamboo. I was running out of time at that point.
After the long bumpy ride back I took a much needed nap and headed out to meet Yvette and Krista from the boat tour at a movie at L’Etranger.
The coconut pancakes are so good. You are served them in a banana leaf. They are the small pancakes next to those big donuts.
This caught my eye. So I went to look at this temple.
Prior to leaving I heard drum beats. Not sure if that was a call to prayer.
Where the Monks live around the temple area.
More images from around the temple grounds.
At L’Etranger, a book store owned by a French expat. You can bring old books to give for credit and every night they show a movie upstairs. Tonight is Green Book. It was very good. Tomorrow night is Bohemian Rhapsody.
At the end of the day I ended back where I started taking a picture from the base of Mount Phusi of the night Market.
