The On On Hotel - reinvented (2015)

THE MEMORY AT ONON HOTEL [Official] from D-IMAGEPLUS : E-MOTIONS on Vimeo.

The On On Hotel has been re-invented - well I visited last time in 2012...

Jamie stayed in 1999.

Have you visited of stayed more recently?

Click here for the Interactive Map

A Bag Spa and Cafe (closed)

I was hunting for a coffee shop in Phuket Town whilst my wife was having her hair done and came across a Bag Spa - now I did not know that these were actually what the title was - a Spa for your Bag.


http://bagspa.com/bagspa/
http://www.bagandspa.com/ 
http://mybagspathai.com/ 

No I cannot believe it! So guess the reaction in an English Lesson at work when I was told how wrong I was!!!

Then told that how good they were...
You do not wait from them to do it - no 'while you wait' you will have to book it!

Have you tried one?

Click here for the Google Map

Grafitti in a deserted home and Alex Face

Well this is certainly not for everyone!

I was upset to see a Maroon graffiti on the wall but then even more so when I realised that it was stuck on!

photo courtesy of amy b / @phuketstagram

There is one piece of graffiti at the opening of Soi Rommani in Phuket Old Town.

So imagine my surprise when I saw all this!

This was in some buildings which were destroyed by the Tsunami - now vacant.

They are also next to the man with the baby otters and a python.

But these were not by Alex Face? - pretty cool though

Wat Chai Watthanaram (Ayutthaya)

"Wat Chaiwatthanaram is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand, on the 

west bank of the Chao Phraya River, outside Ayutthaya island. It is one of Ayutthaya's best known 

temples and a major tourist attraction." - Wikipedia 

This temple was built in 1630 by King Prasat Thong commemorate his mother’s hometown and to celebrate his own coronation. The Wat was built with a Khmer architectural influence so as to commemorate the Thai victory over the Khmer.

Important edifices are the main Prang (พระปรางด์ประธาน).

The main Prang is surrounded by another eight smaller Prangs (เมรุทิศ เมรุราย - Meru Thit Meru Rai).

It is believed that the main Prang contains relics of the Lord Buddha and other idols - at the North and South end from the Ubusot there are two Chedis with 12 intended corners (เจดีย์อมุมสิบสอง) in which the ashes of the King's mother were laid.

For this I would believe that it would be fabulous with some overhead shots with a drone - Richard?  

It is believed that there were 120 sitting Buddha statues around the outside - it is clear that there were a number but...

However the Burmese totally destroyed the Wat in 1767 - and this is totally clear on visiting - the beheading of the statues was common.

Only in 1987 did the Thai Department of Fine Art begin to restore the site - in 1992 it was  opened in 1992 to the General Public. Here is a site devoted to information about the ruins of Ayutthaya.

The cost of entrance is 50 Baht for a tourist and is free for the Thai people.

It is open at 8:00 and closes at 17:30.

 

Fried Banana

Deep fried banana is a must that you must eat when you visit Thailand. Okay it might not not be the healthiest dish but it does taste great! There has been little variation in the times that I have had it - although it does taste good with ice-cream or a heavy serving of creamed sugar.

All of the times that I have seen it made the slices of banana are first dipped into a batter, sometimes containing desiccated coconut.

Then the bananas are put into a bowl of bubbling oils.

The cooking bananas are continually turned and moved about - to ensure they do not stick. Sometimes the cooking bananas are then removed and then sesame seeds are scattered over them, dipped back in the oil and then set aside. So where to get them in Phuket? The best places are the Traditional Market areas...

ศาลเจากวนอ บานนาบอน - Kuan U Chinese Shrine and Historical Site

ศาลเจากวนอ บานนาบอน shrine was somewhere which I visited only because we were going somewhere else.  It can only be have been completed in the last three years but I am not sure.

My first thoughts are WOW!

It is clear that it is relatively new and the colours certainly do show this!

This is either the original foundations in the current place or they are original but moved from the original place. The name of this shrine is Sang Tham Chinese Shrine - it has some of the original tiling in a glass display case and this shrine is in the heart of Phuket Old Town.

I entered into the Shrine and one of the most beautiful things is that it is clear (especially when looking at the other ones that this is relatively new). (The most different thing that I can see from my first visit was that if you enter into the Shrine - remembering to take of your shoes - you will see something different at the back!)

Outside of the Shrine has the normal pieces of architecture.

The place where the 'Lantern is raised' at the beginning of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival - the link is for Bang Neow Chinese Shrine.

Then where offerings are burnt and I have never spent so much time looking at them (maybe it was because it was new).

A metal container to collect all the burnt crackers...

After managing my initial excitement of never being in such a new Chinese Shrine I began to click my telephone everywhere! It was only when I got home that I realised I had taken so many - so there will be a Part 2 and 3.

Click here for a more detailed map and location