A reviving day for restoring health and harmony. Despite the roosters alarm call at dawn, at around 6 am here, I managed to sleep another hour before arriving on the rooftop terrace for my sticky rice breakfast
The kind staff here eventually gave in and called me a motorbike taxi- they are very concerned about my well being and would prefer to place me in a car, but at 10 times the cost I’m more concerned about my wallet-and off I set for the Jade Emperor Pagoda.
This absolutely gorgeous temple honours the king of all heavens, the Jade Emperor, and very open and welcoming to tourists. The tortoise sanctuary in the entrance garden draws children to spot the turtles, symbols of good luck and fortune here. Inside is a fog of incense from worshipper’s prayer sticks but the gold immense sculpture of the Emperor shines through
The women’s room is particularly moving. Rows of female figurines, each one depicting a lunar year, watched over by the Goddess of Mothers.
Back for my first massage of this trip! A full body Vietnamese style-like Balinese rather than Thai, i.e. hard but not a pull and stretch version, which can be a mitt painful!- and at £3.50 a worthwhile investment.
Body and soul suitably restored, I wandered down through the local markets and cafes to take a riverside cruise to see the city at night. Unlike the massive cruise and dinner ships which ply for the tourist trade, this little local ferry boat was a true delight, puttering along under bridges past night markets, the lit up skyscrapers of the city centre contrasting starkly with the dimly lit stilt structures lining the banks further upriver.
The kind staff here eventually gave in and called me a motorbike taxi- they are very concerned about my well being and would prefer to place me in a car, but at 10 times the cost I’m more concerned about my wallet-and off I set for the Jade Emperor Pagoda.
This absolutely gorgeous temple honours the king of all heavens, the Jade Emperor, and very open and welcoming to tourists. The tortoise sanctuary in the entrance garden draws children to spot the turtles, symbols of good luck and fortune here. Inside is a fog of incense from worshipper’s prayer sticks but the gold immense sculpture of the Emperor shines through
The women’s room is particularly moving. Rows of female figurines, each one depicting a lunar year, watched over by the Goddess of Mothers.
Back for my first massage of this trip! A full body Vietnamese style-like Balinese rather than Thai, i.e. hard but not a pull and stretch version, which can be a mitt painful!- and at £3.50 a worthwhile investment.
Body and soul suitably restored, I wandered down through the local markets and cafes to take a riverside cruise to see the city at night. Unlike the massive cruise and dinner ships which ply for the tourist trade, this little local ferry boat was a true delight, puttering along under bridges past night markets, the lit up skyscrapers of the city centre contrasting starkly with the dimly lit stilt structures lining the banks further upriver.
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