{"id":2096,"date":"2012-03-07T16:21:20","date_gmt":"2012-03-07T09:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/?p=2096"},"modified":"2012-05-02T20:07:18","modified_gmt":"2012-05-02T13:07:18","slug":"down-the-buddha-hole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/2012\/03\/07\/down-the-buddha-hole\/","title":{"rendered":"Down The Buddha Hole"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sala Kaew Ku, AKA \u201cBuddha Park\u201d; is bizarre, insane, a little bit frightening, and just plain fucked-up awesome<\/em>. It\u2019s considered Nong Khai\u2019s primary tourist attraction; but what I wanna know is why it\u2019s not<\/em> considered one of the<\/em> must-see destinations in all of Southeast Asia? Why had I not heard about it until a few days ago, when I started reading about things to see and do here? And the admission fee is only 20 Baht!<\/p>\n

So what is it? It\u2019s a garden of dozens of gigantic statues inspired by Buddhist and Hindu iconography\u2026as well as, apparently, plenty of drugs.<\/p>\n

\"sala2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"sala4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The descriptions, unfortunately, are all in Thai. But maybe it’s better anyway to not know what was the thinking behind each piece…<\/p>\n

\"sala3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My favourite is possibly the seven-headed Naga\u2026<\/p>\n

\"sala5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2026modeled after Gene Simmons.<\/p>\n

\"sala1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

But more than any one or t\u2019other piece, the place is really (for my money) about experiencing as a whole \u2013 from any point\u00a0 on the grounds, facing in any direction, one is presented with a mind-shattering display of genius gone stark raving mad.<\/p>\n

\"sala8\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Who could possibly conceive of this? And having<\/em> conceived of it, who could possibly execute<\/em> such an undertaking. I mean, demented as it is, this is very impressive work.<\/p>\n

\"sala7\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wandering around, some of the juxtapositions make for insanely righteous photo opportunities.<\/p>\n

\"sala6\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A display building on the grounds offers three floors more of fun. The halls are filled up with statuary of smaller size, though every bit as wack; as well as some equally sick artwork lining the walls.<\/p>\n

\"sala9\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The shrines are much the same story.<\/p>\n

\"sala10\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The third floor\u2019s windows offer some great bird\u2019s-eye view sights of the garden.<\/p>\n

\"sala11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"sala14\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, back inside, the Third Floor is some kind of nutso ode to the artist himself; featuring scores of photos, many of them doctored up.<\/p>\n

\"sala12\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Also, in a locked room, a bubble-dome containing (I have learnt from the always helpful<\/a> Mut Mee website) his mummified remains. Hey, if I\u2019d<\/em> made a place like this, I\u2019d damn sure want my <\/em>mummified remains to be kept onsite as well.<\/p>\n

\"sala13\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The building is equipped with a handful of gongs on each floor. The public is not only invited to sound the gongs\u2026<\/p>\n

\"gong\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2026but doing so wins one a blessing from The Heaven Aboved.<\/p>\n

\"radiant\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here I am, winning mine. Gotta keep that mind radiant, boy!<\/p>\n

\n

\t\t\t\t