Thursday, June 21, 2012

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!"