1/17–Pattaya–Buddha Image and lunch at Nong Nooch Gardens

The Khao Chi Chan mountain is only a few minutes from the vineyard, we actually passed it on our way there.  It is a limestone mountain that was cut away and used for construction materials.  Rama 9 felt it was a waste to have the beautiful mountains destroyed, so he stopped the strip-mining, and ordered the creation of the Giant Buddha image on the side of the half cut mountain.  The Buddha image itself was created completely by laser, then filled with 1/2 inch of gold.  Cha tells us the current king, Rama 10, cut the Buddha out with the laser himself. Sounds amazing, but later internet research tells us that it was done through a computer design and no mention of Rama 10, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t involved.  And really, who cares? It’s an awesome monument regardless!

We had a good long view of the decimated mountain from the vineyard, and now get a glimpse of the mountain from the van as we approach…

..and then we are inside the complex, with the stunning view of the Buddha on the mountain.  It’s really fabulous – huge and amazing in its detail and complexity. 

We walk around the complex, viewing the Buddha pagoda with pictures of Rama 9 when he was a studying to be a monk…

…then walked out onto the open promenade to get a better view of the Buddha.  It’s just fantastic, the depiction, the landscaping, the enormity of it all.  Really an incredible sight and worth the drive out here.

I would love to spend longer here, and be able to walk out closer to the mountain, but we have time constraints, so we trundle back into the van and head to the Nong Nooch gardens, of which I know nothing about!

Turns out these are privately owned gardens, developed by a Thai businessman, Mr.Pisit, and his wife, Mrs. Nongnooch Tanascha, to originally become a fruit orchard. But after Mrs Tanascha traveled the world, she was inspired by the beautiful gardens she visited and decided to plant flower and shrub gardens instead.  What started in 1954 as a private project eventually  morphed into almost 700 acres of incredible gardens representing plants from around the world.  Opened to the public in 1980, it is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand (at least according to their literature!).  We arrive and get a quick little drive through tour of incredibly lush foliage along with great statues of different animals in their “habitats,” before alighting at the open air buffet restaurant where we will eat.  Cha has arranged for us to be there early, and she has delivered – we are the very first guests at an incredibly sumptuous buffet.

I mean, seriously, there is everything you would ever want to eat here.  Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Western – you name it.  Station after station of awesome food.  I start out with the Chinese fried buns, some sort of pork and stir fried veggies, then move on to the papaya salad which is excellent.  Ed fills his plate with soup and more incredible food.  As we eat, the place starts filling up – good job Cha! – getting us there first.

 

Now onto the gardens.