More Thai adventures

WATERFALL ERAVAN


This is a site in the river in Thailand where many people swim.  There are slippery rocks and it’s dangerous to climb on them.  You could smash your head and die.  But we all did it anyway.  We got to the waterfall where people swim (there are lots of little falls all along the river) and had to take turns – the other person must guard our stuff against monkeys!  I went first.  The water was full of fish, fish that love to eat the dead skin off your toes.  Yes, they bite, but not with teeth.  It really tickles and feels weird.  I got in and they all started eating me, and it was so strange and tickly that, even though the water was cold, COLD, I soon jumped right in!  I love life!!
Then I swam out to the rocks under the falls (see facebook pics) and climbed up.  I had a real model photo session.  It was refreshing and just really fun.


Buddhist temple
Later on we went to a modern, active temple (as opposed to so many ancient ruins we had seen and would see).  There was a giant golden (thin) Buddha.  When I say giant, I mean it took up the whole temple, whose ceiling is as high as in a Catholic cathedral.  There we saw a man, woman and child doing some fortune telling.  It was really endearing.  The woman was clearly the mother, with her father interacting with the 2-year-old (max) girl as she filmed them.  The grandpa had a cup of sticks which he shook until one of them fell out.  I suppose there are different fortunes on each of them.  We got it on video.


HOT SPRINGS
That night at the hotel on the river, I mean so on the river that you have to be careful of not falling in, Pasha and I each bought a two-hour massage.  Yay!
Next stop: the Hindad Hot springs.  I am sensitive and can’t just get in a hot tub like some people can.  I have to start with my big toe and go slowly, slowly in from there.  There were two stone “tubs” alongside the river: very hot and even hotter.  The idea is you go from one of them to the river and back, and it’s like a Russian banya: hot cold hot cold, and the dramatic change in temperature is supposed to be good for your health.   Well, I was able to go in the hot one eventually, and then in the river, and I even got in the very hot one for a couple seconds.