worldaltem: Friday, March 23, 2018 Koh Samui, Thailand 8:30 AM

**********************************************************************************************************************************************
I saw the large statue of Kuan Yin. The Goddess of Mercy, housed outside the shrine within the temple compound. Kuan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy and Compassion who has 18 arms. Guanyin is revered in much of East Asia, in Thailand she is also known as Phra Mae Kuan Im. Protector of women and children, sick and poor. See her in the picture below.

Koh Samui is a paradise of long sand beaches, spectacular coral reefs and coconut trees. Samui means “safe haven”. It is Thailand’s second largest island after Phuket. This “safe haven” attracts beachcombers from Thailand and beyond. Koh Samui retains the slower pace of simpler times. Tiny fishing boats bob in the water and retain the traditons of old Siamese fishing villages. Except that our Viking Sun ship parked on the nets of one group of fishermen.

Introduction of Koh Samui 9:30- 1:00 3.5 hrs. Visited this island’s revered temples. As we drove inland, we passed tropical vegetation, unspoiled villages, and white beaches. Visited Wat Phra Yai, the Big Buddha Temple, to see a 39 foot-foot golden painted statue of Buddha sitting atop a wide staircase decorated with sculpted dragons and carved naga, deities in the forms of snakes. The Buddha statue depicts Buddha in a state of calm and purity and resolve, having overcome temptation and fear sent to him by Mara, Lord of Illusion. Known as the Mara posture, the left hand rests palm open and up in the statue's lap, the right hand facing down over the right knee, almost to the ground. Wat Phra Yai is located on Ko Phan, a small island offshore and connected to the mainland by a short causeway. Since being built in 1972, it has become one of Koh Samui's main tourist attractions and a major landmark.

Beautiful views from there.

Then a ten minute drive to Wat Plai Laem, where styles of temple art date back centuries. The ubosot building is set in the center of a man made lake. The ubosot is the main prayer room and is also the place where ordinations take place. In the ubosot was a seated Buddha image and beautiful mural paintings telling scenes from the life on the Buddha.

Next I saw the large statue of Kuan Yin. The Goddess of Mercy, housed outside the shrine within the temple compound. The first is the huge image of Kuan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy and Compassion who has 18 arms. Guanyin is revered in much of East Asia, in Thailand she is also known as Phra Mae Kuan Im. Protector of women and children, sick and poor.

Saw a well-trained monkey in the trees collecting coconuts.

Laughing Buddha at Wat Plai Laem.

Carved panel at Wat Plai Laem.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Wat Plai Laem

Beautiful panels in the ubosot or the main prayer room

This monkey is climbing the tree as he is trained to pick coconuts.

Wat Phra Yai

If you carefully at this picture, you can see a monkey picking a coconut. Sorry, you need to look for his butt. He twists the coconut until it falls.

Apparently, the Viking Sun parked on the net of these fisherman. They had two larger boats ready to pick up their catch, but there was no catch. This picture shows them hauling the net up from under our ship. The man in the red shirt and the man in the black shirt pulled net for a long time.