July 5th, 2013
Thursday–Ko Samui
Some days just need to be quieter than others! Today was one of those days!!
Took a quick picture of the breakfast at the Beach House Samui where we are staying….it never ceases to amaze me how they can dress up a hot dog here!
After a breakfast visit, we got ourselves together and went for a walk, for a couple reasons. We needed to gather data about how to make our trip to Ang Thong Marine Park work, and also get info on how to take ferry to Koh Tao (our next stop). Check, check.
On our list of things to see and do was a walk down to the Big Bhudda temple.
We were here with the kids in 2009 and we had blessings from the monk here and were given the most colourful and durable of bracelets! It is the only original bracelet we still have from that trip, in fact, I have never taken mine off, it is just made differently than any other we have been given. So we were hopeful we could have another one. At first we didn’t see the monk, but after wondering around bit and taking some gorgeous scenic photos, we came back around and he was right there. So we were blessed again!
Not hard to see this year’s additions.
We also found another monk who was selling charms based on what day of the week you were born. So all these trips here and I have never heard of this. But it keeps coming up on this trip….the guide who was with us when we went to Ayuttaya mentioned it several times, and from this I now know why all the yellow and blue flags (in addition to the Thai flag) fly everywhere, on houses and businesses and boats. Queen Sirikit was born on a Friday (blue) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born on a Monday (yellow). When we were in Ayuttaya, there we places where you could put coins in bowls based on your birthday, or under the buddha that represents your day of birth to ask for blessing. But there was always a bowl or a spot for “those who don’t know”. So that is where I put it. But now, I am at this temple and I want a charm for my day. So I say to Troy “we have to go back to hotel, get on the internet, and look up what day of the week April 24th was back in 1970, then we will have to walk back down here and get the charm.” Now this is why I love my husband….well one of the reasons….he is so smart!! He says to me “Grattai, why don’t you ask him if he has a book where he can look it up”! Why of course this is brilliant, the man will sell many many more charms if he has a resource handy to tell people what day they were born on! Well, wouldn’t you know it, but he had the book sitting RIGHT ON THE COUNTER! My lucky day!!! Although the side journey would have got me more walking….
Indian food for supper (for Erica)….and we were safely home and tucked in by 9:45pm
July 16th, 2013
Brooklyn Says :
Wow mom! I want to see the charm! And yay dad! You guys are cute