The big buddha was built by buddhists (strangely enough). Right on the top of the hill at Phuket, looking over the town and to the sea. It was started ten years ago and has been built entirely from donations. He just had his eyes in this past December while a few hundred monks chanted.
It was built as a place where people could go to find joy and peace. It was also a gift to the King. They are very respectful towards their King. There are lost of billboards around with pictures onf the King pondering things on them. And in fact, we had a taxi driver who wasn't wearing his seatbelt but when we came to a T intersection and had to stop at lights, and there was a big picture of the King right in front of us, I noticed he put his seatbelt on, then once we were around the corner he took the seatbelt off again.
Big Buddha stands 45 metres tall and there is a museum type place inside. There are monks there who will bless you. They sit and make little cloth type wrist bands that they put on you when they bless you. Not women though, because women can't touch monks. So they will just put it in your hand and you put it on yourself.
You can also buy rememberance bells and put them on the tree there which is a nice idea.
I didn't go to Big Buddah for some reason. I think I needed a rest day. So these are others photos.
I'm pretty sure that workplace safety would have a fit if they ever went and inspected building sites in Thailand. There is a lot of building works going on and I didn't see a hard hat or a safety harness anywhere.
gripping on in the tuk tuk on the way
the road up
this is what it'll look like when finished
the view
Workers - and don't forget these guys are almost 45 metres in the air.
rememberance bells
and something to remember
till it feels like cheating.
Christina's Dirrty.
more snow? more fecking snow?
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I'm beginning to think dishwashers don't like me. I mean seriously, all the attention they get around here. I use mine at least one, sometimes twice a day.
This wonderful 8-minute film was written and directed by the inimitable Neil Gaiman.
Gigi and robin chick. A picture from my childhood:) This wee bird fell
from a nest or something, can't remember now... so we brought it in and
made a lined box and fed it with an eyedropper and then put it back
outside I think. Must ask my mum. Gigi did not know what to make of it!
We were always rescuing small birds and animals.
Our family had two Siamese cats, Gigi was neurotic and twitchy, Topaz
was round and cuddly. To this day I still miss them. They both had
separate litters of kittens in my bedroom cupboard! I remember how as
soon as they were able, they would laboriously pick up each kitten by
the scruff of the neck, trundle over to my bed, leap up with kitten
clamped between their teeth, deposit in the warm covers and go back for
another. I loved it!
...for one of the greatest film reviews of all time. Maybe you've already seen this, but it's my job to expose as many people to this video as possible. When I heard that someone created a YouTube video review of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace that clocked in at 70 minutes (broken into seven - ten-minute segments) I was not at all interested. I've already wasted enough of my time and energy on that horrible "film". Why on earth would I give up another 70 minutes to that movie? The answer to that is simple, because it's fucking hilarious. Seriously folks, no matter how you feel about The Phantom Menace, you need to see this video, it's life changing.
I won't post them all here, I don't want to clog up Vox, but here are links to all seven parts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
I know there are a lot of Star Wars and Star Trek fans who believe you can only be a fan of one franchise or the other. I do not subscribe to that notion in the least. In fact, one of the funniest bits in the Phantom Menace review pulls from an ongoing joke in his Trek reviews. He loves to say, Fuck you Rick Berman!! Berman produced most of the modern-day Star Trek stuff, most fans tend to think he took a big dump all over the Trek franchise and I'd agree. So anyway, in the Phantom Menace Review, he pulls up a shot of producer Rick McCallum* and shouts, Fuck you Rick Berman!! As a Star Wars/Trek nerd, I was tickled pink by this totally nerdy joke that is probably unfunny to every person reading this post. But I don't care that I'm too much of a geek for all of you popular kids, I like me just the way I am.
*I am not inclined to read McCallum's Wiki page, however, when went there to link his name I noticed his step-daddy is none other than Michael York. Trippy.
