We had our first golfing experience in Chiang Mai today and it was a real hoot! Wait until you hear. Until then, however our last photos of the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.
These are Mother of Pearl “boulders” which are panels on the soles of the Reclining Buddha’s feet. Each of these panels were about 6′” x 8″. There were well over 100 on each foot.
A Mother of Pearl “elephant” sole panel.
One of the many, many intimidating guards who look after the reclining Buddha. Very cool guys.
A kindly older gentleman wearing a top hat. Just why there are a series of these guys around a Buddhist temple is a little confusing.
This is one in a series of little animal guys scattered around the temple grounds. Sure looks like Donkey to me!
“Please feed me…”
and I think this looks like a puppy wanting to please.
A mysterious cat…
Okay, so I am watching these two young couples take many, many pictures of this thing, all of them touching it in one way or the other. I finally say to one, who turns out to be Russian, “What is this all about?” She says “It is a phallus” I say “Yes it is” and she says “No, it is The Lucky Phallus, very old. The young one is over there.” I look and it is an awful lot smaller than the old one (see inset for actual size comparison). I think the Bhuddists either have something the rest of us old guys don’t have, or they live in a different space-time continuum warp if it gets bigger the older it gets.