water and light

celebrated during the full moon, this year to be held Nov 5 & 6

also known as the Festival of Lights or Floating Lantern Festival

krathong = basket or vessel and loy = to float 

By releasing your krathong onto the water you are letting go of anger and bad luck you've been holding onto during the past year.  It is also a way of paying respect to the water goddess andfor the water itself while asking forgiveness for polluting it.  Though, in reality, the lighting of these individual lanterns creates its own pollution with tonnes of rubbish needing to be collected out of the rivers the day after.  It is now recommended that eco friendly krathongs be used (example: banana leaves or coconut shells) 

If, like me, you are not able to be there in person, you can read about what you're missing here

Participating in NaBloPoMo (where I seem to have problems commenting on some blogs - specifically any on Wordpress)

beaches

there are so many beaches, you would be spoilt for choice

the western side of the island is known to have the best beaches

travel on three wheels

A tuk tuk is a three wheeled bicycle with a seat in either the front or back for passengers, and an awning or umbrella for cover.

 

at some point, motorized tuk tuks arrived, making the trip much easier on the driver.

I've now exhausted my tuk tuk cards, so you all will be relieved to know this is a one off theme!

built to last

from Slovakia, St Elizabeth Cathedral, the largest church in Slovakia.  Originally built in the 11th C, it was consecrated to St Elizabeth of Hungary around 1240.  As might be expected for a building so old, and so important, it has undergone numerous reconstruction phases which wikipedia outlines here

from Thailand, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, the Temple of Long Reign and Glorious Era,  It was constructed in 1630 by the king Prasat Thong.  The central 35 metre prang (spire) symbolizes the mountain Meru believed to be the core of the universe.

from Norway, an old wooden church known as a stave church.  Fewer than 30 of these medieval churches survive, and all are in Norway.

no more room at the market

 traffic jam at the floating market

no idea how you manage to see what you want to buy, or how it gets to you, but I assume these sellers know what they are doing

floating market

This floating market may be now considered a tourist trap, but is surely a trap one must not miss seeing