I went to have a look at some of the Wats (temples) around the place and in a way was spoilt for choice as there are more than 65 temples in the city. I decided that I did not want to see many as it would get too confusing. No specific temples were chosen, I just walked out of the guest house at 0700 hours with with no end goal in mind.
The first temple was Wat Visounrarath, built between 1512 and 1515, mainly of wood. The quantity of wood was the reason for it’s demise in 1898 when it was burnt down by Chinese tribesmen. When it was rebuilt later the present building was made of masonry and wood. A Buddha statue from the 16 century is the centre piece of the carvings in the temple, the temple being more of a museum now.
Photographs of The Makmo Stupa (The Melon Stupa)
I went towards the river and noticed a flight of steps going up what appeared to be a small hill. After climbing either 602 or 827 steps, I did not count them and after being out of breath at the top had no further inclination to even count them on the way down, I was at the summit of Mount Phousi (Wat Chim Si). Although it is called Mount Phousi the area is actually two temples with a high school for novice monks on the premises. As I was sitting down getting my breath a novice monk with an Laos/English dictionary in his hand spoke to me and we talked for quite a while. He was about seventeen years of age and his English was very good, explaining that the novice monks were taught English by a volunteer Australian lady who had been there for five years. He talked about his day which started at 0400 hours with prayers in the temple then another half an hour meditation before all the monks descended into the town with their bowls asking the local people for food for the day. The monks then all returned to the monastery to have a meal and then there was school for the novice monks. Apart from the learning and praying they were allowed to play (table tennis seemed to be popular) but at certain times this was restricted but I do not know the reason why. Novice monks could enter the monastery at the age of ten years if their family desired. I do not know at what age the one I spoke to entered the monastery but he did say that it was something he always wanted to do but that as soon as he had finished high school, in about six months, he had to leave to support his family. He said that his parents were getting older and he only had a younger sister so that there was no-one else to support them. He would leave to find a job, not that he wanted to but that he felt responsible for his parents and sister, and perhaps later on he could return to being a monk.
There were various statues of Buddha between the lower and upper parts of the Mount with the ones on the upper part being larger and more extensive.
A monk collecting alms in the morning
From the top of the Mount there were very good views of the surrounding area.
Wandering round after leaving Mount Phousi I noticed a bar with a sign outside advertising an ethnic fashion show that evening. With nothing to lose as entry was free, I bought a 7UP and enjoyed the show. There were twelve girls and one man displaying seventy-five different local costumes many of which I thought did not have much colour in them but generally looked quite elegant. After the fashion show seven men gave a display of break dancing. I have never seen a live display before so it was more than interesting, especially the different styles of ‘dancing’.
The walk around the streets had me returning to the guest house fourteen hours after I left. Tired but happy after having a good time out and about. Sometimes the best days are like that, nothing organised, just see what happens.
The first temple was Wat Visounrarath, built between 1512 and 1515, mainly of wood. The quantity of wood was the reason for it’s demise in 1898 when it was burnt down by Chinese tribesmen. When it was rebuilt later the present building was made of masonry and wood. A Buddha statue from the 16 century is the centre piece of the carvings in the temple, the temple being more of a museum now.
Photographs of The Makmo Stupa (The Melon Stupa)
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| A canoe under repair in the Wat grounds |
I went towards the river and noticed a flight of steps going up what appeared to be a small hill. After climbing either 602 or 827 steps, I did not count them and after being out of breath at the top had no further inclination to even count them on the way down, I was at the summit of Mount Phousi (Wat Chim Si). Although it is called Mount Phousi the area is actually two temples with a high school for novice monks on the premises. As I was sitting down getting my breath a novice monk with an Laos/English dictionary in his hand spoke to me and we talked for quite a while. He was about seventeen years of age and his English was very good, explaining that the novice monks were taught English by a volunteer Australian lady who had been there for five years. He talked about his day which started at 0400 hours with prayers in the temple then another half an hour meditation before all the monks descended into the town with their bowls asking the local people for food for the day. The monks then all returned to the monastery to have a meal and then there was school for the novice monks. Apart from the learning and praying they were allowed to play (table tennis seemed to be popular) but at certain times this was restricted but I do not know the reason why. Novice monks could enter the monastery at the age of ten years if their family desired. I do not know at what age the one I spoke to entered the monastery but he did say that it was something he always wanted to do but that as soon as he had finished high school, in about six months, he had to leave to support his family. He said that his parents were getting older and he only had a younger sister so that there was no-one else to support them. He would leave to find a job, not that he wanted to but that he felt responsible for his parents and sister, and perhaps later on he could return to being a monk.
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 The buddhas of the upper part of the Mount shown below |
There were various statues of Buddha between the lower and upper parts of the Mount with the ones on the upper part being larger and more extensive.
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| Incongruous! A novice monk and a gun. |
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| The temple at the top of the Mount
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A monk collecting alms in the morning
From the top of the Mount there were very good views of the surrounding area.
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| A temple in the rain forest |
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The walk around the streets had me returning to the guest house fourteen hours after I left. Tired but happy after having a good time out and about. Sometimes the best days are like that, nothing organised, just see what happens.
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