Phraya Nakhon Cave

Several weeks ago, we took a train ride a few hours south to a National Park called Khao Sam Roi Yot. It translates to "Mountains With 300 Peaks". 

These characters were our train mates

The countryside two hours SW of Bangkok

Sweet Thai treats sold on the train to the hungry (us)

Hua Hin is not only a major beach resort, it is also our stop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hiked up and around a rather big limestone hill that towered over the beach along Thailand's gulf coast and approached the entrance to the Phraya Nakhon Cave:

Most potential swimmers were discouraged by the coming rains

We could have gotten halfway to the cave by boat

But we just hiked and took a few breaks

Somehow we don't look like folks who can actually read the sign

You can camp overnight in the pines here

Or the coconut palms, but maybe not right under the tree

I like #13

The cave was laden with numerous dripstone formations. A few areas had very high ceilings with holes large enough for the sunlight to cast an impressive narrow beam toward us down below. Some of the stone was greenish and smelled a bit like mildew:

 

Notice the people below

 

The air was not always the freshest, but what a gorgeous place

 

This area was apparently visited and autographed by three sitting Thai kings

 

The Kuha Karuhas Pavilion, a Buddhist shrine in the cave

  

On the right is Thailand's current monarch, King Rama IX

Several smaller shrines like this are peppered throughout the caves

It was strange to feel partly inside and partly outside

Maybe it's a royal signature, or maybe it just says "For a good time, call the Burmese"...?

All kidding aside, this was truly a stunning place to see and be in.

There are *many* stone stacks around here

All I could come up with was that Thai Buddhist custom and Dali's metaphors evolved side-by-side

 

In Thailand, the simplest of natural objects are often lovingly adorned by and for the devout

 

"I don't know it yet, but the trek back down the hill will be held entirely during a torrential rainstorm, where I will be forced to clutch a rickety handrail while struggling not to slip on the slick and muddy ground. But no worries - mai-bpen-rai!"