I managed to squeeze all of my belonging back into my back pack (and yes, for those of you following the story of the stoned elephant sarong – it made the trip…for now) and I took a bus to Pattaya – a beach town a few hours from Bangkok. Known for its Red Light District – there is an edgier vibe to this city. With only 2 full days in Pattaya, I departed from my slow and leisurely approach in Bangkok and embarked on an 8 hour whirlwind tour of all of the sights in the area – it was a bit much. But rest assured – I saw everything…
The Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)
Standing 18m tall this Buddha image (the feature image) is situated on top of hill, with sweeping views of the Gulf of Thailand. The Thai people are very superstitious and at this temple there were many ways to leave your donation in exchange for good luck.
If you aren’t able to toss your coin into the Happy Buddha’s belly on the first attempt – don’t worry – you still have a second chance at luck 😀 Simply place your coin into his belly and rub his tummy – as demonstrated in the video below, by the woman from Taiwan on my tour.
The Sanctuary of Truth
This museum is stunningly beautiful and hand-carved completely out of wood and uses no nails. Construction began in 1981 and is still ongoing. The purpose of the museum is to have us contemplate the truths of life (you know…all of that good stuff that one should be contemplating on a year long sabbatical 😀).
Other Highlights
Did your luck change?
My luck has been great – just looking to reinforce the current state 😀
It might be edgy but the photos are amazing. Did you feel safe while there?
I felt totally safe – have felt nothing but safe in Thailand. Even when I was in Bangkok, people would leave their purses unattended (to hold their tables) at the mall food court as they tracked down their meal.
Pattaya looks amazing!!!
Checking on you!! Of course glad to see you got some Island time!! Keep living the life.
Katie