Big Buddha, Beach Training, and Bangla Road

The last two days have been a healthy mix of naughtiness and reverence.  Here are some photos of beach training on Nai Harn Beach.  If you've ever played basketball and are familiar with suicides, add a couple of 12oz boxing gloves and throw 10 punches in-between each segment, all while running in the sand barefoot.  Do this for over an hour.  That was the beach training session!  Definitely the most intense day of training so far.  I actually pulled a muscle in my  back from running on that unstable surface (sand).  I still know it's there, but I'm feeling much better now.

Cookie and I have met two new girls at the camp, a Canadian girl named Aven and another American named Amanda.  Amanda is from LA and comes to Phoenix often, what a small world.  Let me rephrase, she used to- she has been in Kenya for the past two years in the peace corp.  It's interesting to watch her reintegrate into a different culture and to hear the stories of the things she saw in Kenya.  It's nice to see the light and sparkle in her eyes increase with each passing day.


The girls and I decided to make use of our beloved Sunday (the only day off from training), and headed to see Big Buddha and to explore Patong Beach.  Upon arrival to Big Buddha, we were greeted by a Thai Girl who handed us Sarongs to wrap around our exposed shoulders and legs.  I read about not having your legs and shoulders exposed when visiting Temples, but I had no idea there were Monk's at Big Buddha.  I thought it was just a huge statue.  Wrong!  

The video...The tradition is to kneel in front of the monk as he ties the thread around your wrist.  There are different colors, he gave me a single while bracelet representing innocence, friendship, and kindness.  Check out this video, while one monk is tying the bracelet around my arm, the other monk is laughing splashing water on my face saying, this for good luck!  8-)

The Big Buddha is truly a BIG Buddha, it's 45 meters high.  The construction is still taking place.  Tourists have the opportunity to take part in the building process by donating stones for the construction, and writing a special message or statement on the back.  Some people write prayers, others write intentions.  It's kind of neat to know that Big Buddha will be around for a VERY long time and I am leaving a small part of myself with him, and history.  This is what I wrote on my stone.

After Big Buddha we all ventured to Patong Beach, which is the most popular tourist beach in Phuket.  The first thing we did was try these fish spas you see everywhere.  Basically these little 'sucker fish' are supposed to clean the dead skin off of your feet.  It was one of the most awkward sensations I've ever felt in my life!  Close to a hundred little fish sucking on your toes!!

We chilled in the ocean, did some shopping, had massages, and then finally we did what Cookie has been waiting to do since she arrived. We visited Bangla Road, which is well know for it's naughtiness.  Here are some photos of us with and the lady boys.  

And this photo we took directly after exiting the Gogo bar.  I cannot blog about the things that I saw there- it was absolutely insane.  They even pulled Cookie up on stage which she loved, we were all rooting her on from the sidelines.  This photo and the look on my face says it all. DEFINITELY one of those things I need to experience only once in my lifetime.

Tomorrow is my last day of training at Rawai and I'll be checking into Tiger Muay Thai.  I will miss my little Cookie and my new friend Amanda, but I am excited about moving on to new travels and exploring more of the earth.  I believe I have learned the bliss of being alone 8-)