April 12

April 12th 2002

Our first stop this morning was to visit Sukhothai Traimit Golden Buddha, he resides in the Traimit Witthayaram Temple, just outside Chinatown. This is the largest Golden Buddha image in the world, measuring 15 feet 9" tall and 12 feet 5" in diameter. The Buddha was thought to have been plaster, when they moved him to this Temple in 1955 some of the plaster broke away revealing gold. When the rest was removed it was discovered that this statue is solid gold and weighs just over 5 tons. The map says he glows like molten liquid in the sun - we decided we had to go and see him - he does! We sat looking at him for a while, another lovely serene faced Buddha, we bought a glass one later, I've been looking for one in Jade but can only find the laughing ones that look like Bacchus, the God of Wine from Fantasia.

We walked down to Chinatown and River City a shopping mall, had lunch in the Atrium cafe. Followed the road signs and found the markets, they are mainly food stalls and bric a brac. Lots of mechanic workshops too. We got well and truly soaked, our first New Year's drowning, a young girl poured a large jug of iced water down our backs. We headed back to the hotel, the road was blocked. New Year Festival being set up, so the driver told us to walk. We did and got squirted by kids with water pistols several times on the way.

I decided to call in at Audy Beauty Salon attached to the hotel, I'd been thinking of having my eyelashes tinted, they could fit me in so I stayed. I was easily persuaded to have a Facial too and spent an extra hour being pampered, the best facial I have ever had. It cost around �3. We stayed in for dinner, purely as we didn't fancy getting soaked and sitting dripping as we ate. Food was ok, we have eaten much better since we were last here.