Main Heading

Monday, 13 October 2014

JAMES BOND. MONKEY WARRIORS, RECLINING BUDDHAS and all that

One of the most fascinating and exciting holidays to go on is to visit Thailand and Singapore.


The Warrior Monkeys are all characters from the story of Rama , the Thai version of the Indian Ramayana epic. Rama, Vishnu's reincarnation on earth is banished from heaven and spends fourteen years in exile on earth with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshman. With the assistance of a monkey army whose commander is Hanuman, the monkey god, they set out to destroy the forces of evil on earth. Since 1902 the Ramakien has become part of Thailand's school curriculum. This epic literature contains romance, adventure, heroism, magic, demons, and gods. 






Phang Nga is a province located north of Phuket, approximately 45-minute by car. Visit to Phang Nga Bay National park for scenic views of literally hundreds of limestone cliffs towering over the sea, tour the movie scene "James Bond Island," Khao Phingkan, experience the sea gypsies' way of life and perhaps enjoy lunch on Ko Pan. The Man with the Golden Gun was the ninth official Bond movie and the second to star Roger Moore. Take a closer look, explore sea caves and their interior lagoons by canoe and learn to love the beauty of nature.




Damnernsaduak is believed to be a well-known and an attractive travelling site. 
It is one of a provincial district of Rajburi Province. Most people live densely along both sides of the canal from one end of the canal to another.The majority of this people are agriculturists. They grow several different kinds of fruit and vegetable for examples oranges, grapes, papayas, cabbages, bean, onion and etc. The land in this area is naturally fertile. Damnoensaduak Canal also provides farmers with adequate water for agricultural purposes for the whole year around.
Day in and day out from about 8 a.m. to about 11 a.m. the Floating Market is routinely crowded with hundreds of vendors and purchasers floating in their small rowing boats selling and buying or exchanging their goods. The products they purchase are particularly food, fruit and vegetables which mostly brought from their own orchards. 

In your hired car from Travelstart, Damnoen Saduak in Ratchaburi is about 109 kilometres south of Bangkok or approximately 2 hours drive.




If there is one must-see sight that no visit to Bangkok would be complete without, it's the dazzling, spectacular Grand Palace, undoubtedly the city's most famous landmark. Built in 1782 - and for 150 years the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government - the Grand Palace of Bangkok is a majestic old dame indeed! It continues to have visitors in awe with its beautiful architecture and intricate detail, all of which is a proud salute to the creativity and craftsmanship of Thai people. Within its walls were the Thai war ministry, state departments, and even the mint. Today, the complex remains the spiritual heart of the Thai Kingdom.





Patong's 2 km strip of golden sand is one of the most popular beaches in Phuket, it is a place to watch the world go by.

By day, Patong Beach is a hive of activity with parasail and jet-ski operators, boat drivers, beach vendors and masseuses all vying for the attention of the many visitors relaxing on the beach chairs. During November to April (NE monsoon) the water is very flat and calm.


One of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok features the famous Reclining Buddha, which is the largest in Thailand measuring more than 150 feet in length. Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), is located behind the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and a must-do for any first-time visitor in Bangkok. It's one of the largest temple complexes in the city. It is famed for its giant reclining Buddha that measures 46 meters long  and is covered in gold leaf. It’s an easy ten minute walk between here and the Grand Palace, and we recommend coming to Wat Pho second, because even though the golden Buddha here is just as popular many people don’t take the time to wander around the rest of the complex, so the experience tends to be far more relaxing. This is also a great place to get a traditional Thai massage. Wat Pho is often considered the leading school of massage in Thailand, so you really are in good hands here. 



The Singapore River forms a central artery in the city's densely packed Central Business District. The north bank of the river is where Raffles originally landed and founded his colony, and to this day many central government buildings can be found in the area. The newer south bank, laden with skyscrapers, is where Singapore's bankers make (or break) their fortunes. Between the two are the bulk of Singapore's nightspots, found along the riverside streets of Boat QuayClarke Quay and Robertson Quay.

A brilliant piece of work by Chong Fah Cheong (born 1946), this sculpture depicts scenes of early days of Singapore. Singapore River was once the lifeline of the country in the past, when the first migrant communities settled. It was not an uncommon sight to see naked boys swinging from trees beside the river and jumping into the water with gutso.
These boys learned how to avoid the muddy depths and the dangers of bumboats crossing the river. They had no fear of the polluted waters that were sometimes filled with garbage. When the Clean Rivers project was launched in 1983, families, hawkers and bumboats were removed from this area, and the innocent laughter of the swimming boys was heard no more.

Merlion Park, a landmark of Singapore, is a major tourist attraction,  near its Central Business District (CBD). Two structures of the Merlion are located at the park. The original merlion structure  measures 8.6 meters tall, whilst a Merlion cub located near the original statue measures 2 meters tall.



Photos by Shantelle Parker and Wayne Erasmus.



No comments:

Post a Comment