Ubon Ratchathani - Pha Taem (Part 4)

Caveman Art

I visited Pha Taem before

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/03/ubon-ratchathani-pha-taem-part-1.html

Back then, I did not think much about that the pre-historic rock paintings were done by cavemen 3-4,000 years ago. However, during my second visit, it hit me that 3-4,000 years ago is not that pre-historic. Ancient Greece was in fact quite developed at that time (the first Olympic games were held 776 BC). Although the exact time when Neanderthals became extinct is disputed, it is around 30,000 years ago rather than 3,000 years ago. Seen in that light, the cavemen art at Pha Taem became somewhat of a puzzle to me.

The View is Still Great

This time, I also ventured to Chanai Dai cliff. As was the case during my first visit, the trip turned out to be an adventure.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/03/ubon-ratchathani-pha-taem-part-2.html

This time, the adventure was weather induced. Roughly half-way across the dozen or so kilometers one has to drive off-road to get to the cliff, the gates of heaven opened and torrents of rain poured down. The off-road (across rocky surface) turns into a narrow track leading through a forest the last couple of kilometers before the ranger station. The rain water took the path of least resistance, which was that track. Driving, there was no way of knowing how deep the water was or whether parts of the track had been washed away.

Game Over - time to make a U-turn

However, with due care and 4WD, I made it to the ranger station. But then, it was game over. It was clear that although the rain had slowed down, the water flowed at ever higher speed. I made a U-turn before reaching the cliff to get out of the forest quickly rather than risk being stuck.

Chonburi - Ban Bang Saray

I first visited the “English Club” in Ban Bang Saray in 1999. Back then, Bang Saray was a sleepy fishing village with a few good seafood restaurants. The “English Club”, actually named “The Bang Saray Club“, is a restaurant trying to maintain some of the atmosphere of a member’s only club for gentlemen, e.g., by maintaining a dress code. 
I forgot why the club back when was located where it is, but there is a distinct deficit of high-society types in Bang Saray, so the club is slightly derelict. Service is slow, prices are high, but the atmosphere is relaxing and views across the bay to Jomtien and Pattaya are interesting.

Ten years ago, I was briefly involved in my friend’s attempt to sell Bali-style houses to foreigners. The project did not get off the ground. Things have moved ahead fast in Bang Saray since then. In recent years, a lot of housing estates and guest houses have been built as Bang Saray has become a popular destination for European retirees.

The beaches around Bang Saray are not impressive, but the beaches north of the small harbor are popular destinations for picnic. The beaches to the south are slightly better, but are located inside a Thai naval base. However, the guards can easily be talked into letting you inside the base.

Chonburi - Sattahip

Samaesan is a small "typical" Thai fishing village just south of the port / base used by the Royal Thai Navy. The smell is the first thing you notice in Samaesan. The pungent smell comes from the cooking, drying and processing of small fish (whatever they are called). During a boat trip you will see thousands of "silver fish" making big jumps out of the water around the boat. Thai people like to eat this fish dried or fried in oil with sugar and salt.

http://samaesan.com/Location/shop-19.html

To escape the smell, visit the beautiful temple on the hill. From there, there is the view of islands just off the coast with their white beaches and crystal-clear water.

The waters around the islands have several coral reefs and the wreck of Hardeep, which was sunk in the Second World War. It is now at the bottom of the sea at 26 meter and is a popular destination for SCUBA divers. The wreck is home to moray eels, sea turtles, and a lot of other marine life.

Wreckdiving is exciting and challenging. But the sea around Samaesan has strong and treacherous currents, which can be dangerous - I ran out of air during one of my Hardeep dives - so one has to be extra careful.

http://www.thaiwreckdiver.com/hardeep_wreck.htm

Chonburi - Sanctuary of Truth

Located on Laem Rachvate in Na Kluea (just north of Pattaya) is a somewhat peculiar structure. While the webpage talks about ancient (Eastern) vision and wisdom as well as of ancient Thai ingenuity, the wooden building's style is an overly "busy" version of Khmer architecture.

While that in itself can be interesting -- and the official website (see link below) goes to a great length explaining the symbolic meaning of the many carvings -- I am not impressed by the entrance fees charges, by the tourists that arrive by the bus loads, and by the numerous side-activities going on to generate revenues.

http://www.sanctuaryoftruth.com/history.php

To me, money rather than spiritual enlightening and pursuit of "truth" has become the main objective. But, each to one's own.

Chantaburi - a multitude of options

Chantaburi has something for everyone. The province has great beaches, highlands with waterfalls and hot springs, remnants of gem mines as well several destinations for history buffs. In a temple in the city center, Buddha statues are kept in a building with a roof shaped like the helmet worn by the great Taksin who won Siam back from the Burmese.

Chantaburi was from where the general (later king) gathered his forces, built his fleet, and subsequently launched his attack on the Burmese. Later, Siam came under pressure from the expansionist French that didn't think French Indochina was quite large enough. French troops therefore marched up the coast from today's China and didn't stop until they reached Chantaburi. 

French-built "Chicken-shit Prison"

They occupied the territory until the king of Siam gave two of "his" Cambodian provinces to the French. The French combined incarceration of Thai prisoners with farming - there is a structure near Laem Singh, which used to have prisoners on the ground floor while the top floor was a chicken coop. Due to gravity, the prisoner were "showered" in chicken droppings, which they obviously saw as a great insult.

Beach destinations include Laem Singh and Hat Chao Lao (with Laem Sadet)

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2011/12/chantaburi-laem-singh.html


http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/02/chantanaburi-chao-lao.html

The road from Chantaburi city to Sa Kaeo city goes parallel to the Thai border with Cambodia and there are a couple of small "border markets" and lots of waterfalls along the way. The key destination in that area is Soi Dao.

Rolling hills near Soi Dao

Suphanburi - Buffalo Show

I passed through Supanburi and decided to drop by the Buffalo Village.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2010/04/suphanburi-buffalo-village.html

Unlike my first visit, this time there was no special (high) entrance fee to pay although the sign still says Caucasians have to pay five times the rate Asians pay. 

Isuzu of olden days

The show and the sights (feed a buffalo, ride on a buffalo etc) were the same. Well worth a Thai entrance fee, but not worth a farang entrance fee.

Brother, can you spare a dime for another slurpee?

Khon Kaen - More Dinosaurs

On my way to Loei. I saw a road sign and decided to take a detour to a dinosaur museum. It turned out to be located in the middle of nowhere in Khon Kaen - or rather on the road to Phu Wiang National Park. A geological formation – a crescent shaped ridge – leaves only one road in and out to the museum.

A Friendly Dinosaur

The outdoor area covers 160,000 square meters, but the museum itself was not as impressive as the one in Nong Bua Lamphu (http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2013/02/nong-bua-lamphu-dinosaurs.html) and did – as unfortunately is usual in Thailand – charge Caucasians more than Thais. 

A Less Friendly Dinosaur

Since there actually isn’t much to say about dinosaurs in Thailand, the museum also went at some length to explain the evolution of species and geological formations.