Phitsanulok

We arrived in Ph... yesterday after 6 hours on the road with only one night booked at our chosen hotel. We had expected we could book another night so skipped any touring for the day. This morning we discovered the hotel was fully booked so we trudged off with our packs and found another hotel for this evening. That meant we could go see the wats (temple complexes) along the banks of the Nan River 

These little buildings were on the far side of the river. No idea if they were of significance. 

This Buddha (considered to be the second most revered Buddha image in Thailand) is the reason people come to Phitsanulok.  It is housed in Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat. It was forged here in 1357 during the reign of King Li Thai. (Our hotel tonight is the Li Thai but I doubt the King would have chosen it.)

The temple complex is far from quiet.  There are loud, blaring, competing loudspeakers shouting exhortations and the temple is deluged with visitors, many of them bringing flowers or other objects that allow them to "make merit".

There are many other Buddha images in the temple and in other buildings in the complex. 

The walls of the main temple are decorated with very beautiful detailed paintings. 

Outside are areas where you can also make merit by bringing offerings or lighting incense. The first image here is somewhat macabre and there were many of them on display.  The second image may help erase the first from your mind if you meditate on it. 

There were peaceful areas in the temple complex though. 

He's green because he was under a sheltering canopy. 

These are chedis - towers which often house relics. 

These round balls are only two of a long line to which people were affixing thin gold leaf sheets.

We went to a second Wat next door to the large one. These people were sitting in meditation while several monks chanted. Each had a string tied to his/her head.

These decorations were purchased by rhe devout and then money was slotted into the stem attached and left for merit making. 

And more merit. These banners were purchased empty then filled with money. Sticks were provided to help hang them from the strings strung across the temple. The red bills are 100's, about $3.00. The green are 20's about 65 cents. The ceiling was festooned with them and there were lots of people adding more. 

This Buddha image is probably 700 years old and is housed in the second Wat we visited. 

This is one of the old wooden buildings in the second temple complex. 

And here's a fine specimen that Geordie had a chat with. 

And a final shot from our walk home.