Random Pre-Holiday Photos (Forgive me for Kicking Chronology to the Curb)

A few weekends ago we went to this Buddhist theme park without the rides.  Amazingly bizarre styled structures that make for some great and weird pictures!

Every time I see these giant statues of monks (and these here could rival most "giant Buddhas") I think about the article I once read about monks (in Nepal?  India?  Not Thailand I know that much) who had a competition to see who was the most humble.  The first test must have been, "Will you enter this competition?" and those who said, "Oh heck yeah!" were immediately eliminated!  Anyway, I feel like you're not supposed to make giant, golden statues of people who live their entire existence avoiding the spotlight and attention... but what do I know?

This temple is absolutely one of the most stunning pieces of art that I have ever seen in my life.  I was left breathless just walking though it.  It's called the White Temple and if ever there was a Thailand "must see" it's this one!

What makes this temple so fabulous is that it's 'not exquisite and humbly meditative.  It's freaking scary.  These are the dead souls trying to claw their way up and out of their purgatorial existence.  You have to walk over them to get into the temple, no big deal.

From this distance, I just suspected intricate and elaborate carvings of shapes and maybe some Buddhas or your average humanoid monkey.  I had no idea I was entering hell itself.  Who knew the underworld was so white and clean?

Singha Park

I almost irrationally stole this dog.  He has a mangled foot and I named him "Trex" (one word).  However, his soft, well groomed fur and fat little tummy led me to believe that although he maybe he did spend a good bit of time on the streets during the day, he was actually probably loved.

This photo is actually quite interesting and much cooler than it looks.  This is me at the apex of 3 countries at once.  I've never been straddling as many as three whole nations before!  Behind me is Laos and Myanmar, while I'm technically in Thailand! Too cool.