All Our Bags Are Packed!

 Blog # 16 - Thailand

      Dutch architectural influences in some of the coastal ports

                            Buddhist temple complex

Lighting candles at temples and churches is a universal activity

    Young people praying is more common in Asian than in the West

                                        Interesting ornate art

Lighting incense during praying requires three incense sticks: One for "Above," one for "Below" and the other for the person praying

Three monks happen to stand in front of a temple drawing a crowd

100 firecrackers at a time are lit (inside this structure) to scare away the evil spirts and for good luck...and it's very loud!

                Another beautiful temple in the Buddhist complex

      Jerry walking in stocking feet from one temple to another. 

  It was fun sitting in a park area and watching locals and visitors

There were just as many tourists visiting the temples as there were locals coming to pray

                Many pretty flowers in the temple gardens

Time to visit another cashew factory. An artificial example was set up in tree since this is not the season for picking. The "Yellow" part is called an "Apple" while the small, protruding part is called a "Nut."

                     Taking the outer sheath off the cashew

    We visited a jewelry store that had a significant art collection...it was just too hot and humid to think about buying anything.

                                                Puppet

               This is used to create a "Shadow" puppet show

                  Typical of most religions -- lots of gold pieces

                                     Beach "street food"

Upscale "street food"

                                Cheap massage on the beach

It's time to bury the telephone wires

Asian restaurant after a busy day of touring.  This is our favorite on this ship.

          Fancy chopsticks offered with a variety of ornate designs

                         More examples of art on the ship