Phu Phrabat Historical Park - Nong Khai Thailand - Part 1

[Cent]

Phu Phrabat Historical Park - Nong Khai Thailand - Part 1 & 2

Phu Phrabat Historical Park - Nong Khai Thailand

In May of 2004 I was invited up to my brother and sister in-laws home in Pehn to stay for a few days and check out the northern border area by Laos. They are both school teachers up there and have a nice home. Pehn is near Nong Khai where the 'Friendship Bridge' crosses the Mekong river into Laos. Our brother-in-law was nice enough to bring us around to some interesting attractions they have up there, Phu Phrabat Historical Park being just one of many we visited. Phu Prabat is a place that is under the protection of one of the Thai princesses. She has dedicated the park and helps provide the monies needed for its upkeep and maintenance. She also provided the original monies to build the necessary infrastructure, shops, restaurants, bathrooms, etc. This was a great place to visit, and it is supposed to be one of the first places Buddhist monks came to stay in Thailand while spreading the philosophy of Buddha. It is very old.

​

Some sort of fungi growing off a tree. They were huge!​

This is one of the first things I noticed upon driving into the parking lot of the historical park. We were in the woods, or jungle as my wife calls it, and surrounded by lush plant-life and trees and flowers.​

​

Hand painted ancient buffalo. There were many of these prehistoric wall paintings.​

The early Buddhist monks were not the first to inhabit this area in the hills. There was a much older civilization living there long before the monks arrived.​

​

Ancient Buddha statues in a natural stone formation.​

There are many ancient Buddha statues around in this area. The place is dotted with many natural stone formations that were used by the earlier people who lived here as well as the later arriving Buddhist monks. The stone is sandstone mostly and looks to have been fairly easy to carve and work. Many of the ancient Buddhist statues are still being prayed to to this day. There were many school kids and Thais on holiday here when we were there this day.​

​

A very old Buddha statue in disrepair. Notice the light pink hue still adhering to the stone. The paints are very old but still discernible.​

​

The statue of the Buddha is now missing or destroyed. Many of the Buddhist statuary here was pillaged by thieves to be sold on the black market. You can see where the Buddha sat and the paint spray around it which shows the image. I was told that the monks chewed a dye that they then spat in a spray to paint the statues for some sort of religious ceremony.​

​

Another of the many natural rock formations used to protect a Buddha statue.​

​

This one rock formation truly awed me. At the top of the column under this humungous stone cap there is carved a room from the living rock where the abbot once lived. Whoever did this must have been a brave soul. That rock cap weighs many tons. You can see where there were carved stone bricks placed to help support the massive stone above. I don't think I could sleep in there!​

​

One of many stone carved slabs with a Buddha bas relief. They are standing upright in slots carved into the stone of the ground.​

​

A rain-water well or cistern. Don't drink this water!​

This hand-carved stone cistern was truly amazing to behold. It has been carved by hand out of the living stone of the area. I had a long pole with me for walking and it could not touch the bottom of this cistern. It is very deep. It is hard to imagine the work this took to complete and how long it must have taken to do.​

​

Another hidden ancient stone Buddha.​

​

As you can see from this picture the stone ground covers a large area and is dotted with statues and stone slabs and natural rock formations. This is just a small part of this area, all used at one point by the ancient people who lived here and later by the Buddhist monks.​

Continued in part 2.


Mike


Copyright 2005. All rights reserved by the author.

 

[Cent]

Phu Phrabat Historical Park - Nong Khai Thailand - Part 2

Phu Phrabat Historical Park - Nong Khai Thailand - Part 2

​

The family continuing the climb.​

At this point we thought we had seen it all and were getting ready to head back down to the trucks. Then, sill me, found a sign saying there were more wall paintings and stuff up this trail. I wanted to continue up to see this stuff. The ladies were not as enthused. I offerd to go it alone and meet them later, but they refused, knowing I can always get myselg into some sort of trouble or another if left to my own devices. So they persevered to keep me under their watchful protective Thai women eyes. It was a very hot day and the incline was hard on ones calves.​

​

Here my brother-in-law squats under the protection of a natural stone cave out of the sun and mist.​

​

A view from above.​

By the time we reached this viewpoint we had seen little in the way of rock paintings. It was a bit of a climb for the little we had seen. I was under the impression (and wishing it so) that we had reached the top. As I was celebrating and drinking some water, enthused that I had survived another climb in the tropical heat and taking in the views my daughter tapped me on the shoulder and showed me the sign in the picture below. We were only half way to the top. Yikes!​

​

More to go to the rest of the sights I guess.​

​

Here was the stairs to continue our trek. Nephew Wheat (yes, that's his name) was along with us. He has a physical deformity that makes it difficult to climb all these steps. And he was ahead of me the whole way. I'm getting old. Wheat's a great kid, very handsome, and an excellent student. He's in university now studying to be a teacher like his mother and father.​

​

Yikes, and again, more stairs! Who carved and lays these things?​

​

I'm coming! I'm coming! Hold your horses dammit.​

​

A poisonous millipede.​

As we neared the top of this climb the air became very misty. Moisture clung to you and everything around you. The trees dripped moisture and the stone stairs and rock walls became slick. As I was supporting myself against a rock I noticed by my hand something was moving. Damn. A bug! It was this millipede, about six inches long. It turns out they were EVERYWHERE! I must have spotted a thousand of them as we walked toward the crest of the hill through the jungle mist. They were on the rocks, on the stairs, on the trees, everywhere. This temperature and the constant moisture must be perfect breeding grounds for these bugs.​

​

Another millipede.​

​

This was a very pretty millipede. I saw many of colors I had never seen on these bugs before. The usual color I've seen is a dark brown.​

​

Finally, the descent.​

The climb back down wasn't so bad. All the Thais were complaining how cold they were though. (I thought it was pleasantly cool after the arduous climb up and made the mistake of stating so.) I came across a young Frenchman climbing up from the opposite side, said hello, and warned him of the many poisonous millipedes everywhere up there. He thanked me in accented English and continued up. I passed him my water bottle as well, as he had none with him and it was something he might need about halfway up. Thirsty going up there mate!​

I liked this place a lot. Very interesting, colorful, and pleasant for a day trip. Bring good sneakers, lots of water for everyone, an extra shirt for the cooler top for any Thai ladies accompanying you, and watch out for the millipedes and where you step or place your hands. These are extremely slow moving bugs, so don't worry. Just don't put your hand on one as you are climbing.​

I hope you've enjoyed this travel article. Next I'll be doing the Buddhist Hell park and temple area up near Nong Khai.​

Mike​

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved by the author.