Frank's Arty Religiony Statue Emporiums (TM)
Sunday, 30 January 2005
Right then people, are you sitting comfortably because I'm going to tell you about some history/art/religion type shit which we have come across in a very deep and authoritive manner. Im sure this text will be studied in universities and colleges around the world. It's about a man called, erm, well, I've forgotten his name because it's all weird and foreign sounding so....let's call him Frank...
Frank was just a normal dude who was wondering around in Laos one day back in the olden days when he fell down a hole and landed on a hermits lap. The hermit told him about buddha and gods and religion stuff for several years and after a while Frank became to dig it (in a 60s way, rather than with a shovel).
After this he decided that he should go back to the real world and recruit loads of like minded people to help him build a park full of crazy statues near Vientiane. He did this and we visited it when we were there. It's really interesting and surreal. You can see the pics in the photo section. The statues are supposed to have been made by him and his croonies who supposedly had no artistic training at all out of concrete but they are all very impressive pieces of work. Us foreigners call it Buddha Park.
During this time he built up a huge following of Thai and Laotian people who all thought he was a holy person but all of a sudden them cheeky commies took over Laos (with the aid of the NVA) and anyone who didn't like the idea of living in a smelly shed got the hell out of there and went to Thailand. Our man Frank the statue gardener and his trusty followers were some of these people. So, they all legged it across the Mekong and set up camp in Nong Khai with many other of the refugees and decided to make a whole new load of statues in a whole new garden which has another crazy foreign name so we will call this Buddha Park 2.
Today, as we are in Nong Khai, we had a visitation having heard about this second park when we were in Buddha Park 1. As everybody said, it was indeed more impressive and is still worked on and attended to by the hundreds of followers that Frank originally persuaded to build it for no pay. I believe many of them still live in the park and continue to keep it all pristine looking (for Thailand anyway). We took alot more pictures that you can view in the photo section. This does have alot of the same themes as the previous one and features The Wheel Of Life, a huge set of statues that depicts all aspects of life from birth, to adolences, marriage, adultery (didn't realise this was compulsary) then death. Here you can see me, as the sperm going through the penis into the vagina. Hmm...you might even be able to see the feotus in the background. Oh yes, it is weird.
After walking around this we wandered into the large building where an old man showed us around various statues and random relics and stuff until we came to the top floor. Here, Frank's actual dead body laid mummified in a colourful glass dome with fairly lights wrapped around it. This was a very weird conclusion to a bit of a two part quest of ours so I thought I should tell you all about it. After this we read an interview with him before his death. He was quite a loony man. When asked why he never became a monk a follower answered "He cannot because he is half man and half animal". When asked if the hermit was still alive Frank replied "He is still alive in a physical sense but men cannot percieve him without much meditation". So there you go. Frank made some wicked gardens, if you have the chance I recommend a visit. Maybe then you can learn Fran's real name.
Incidentally, one of the statues bears an uncanny resemblence to Mr Daz "Baby Hugh Heffner" Lee. It's a special look he only get's too after he's very drunk. Check the picture...am I not wrong?
Also, the other day we had a mission success of sorts in Udon Thani. We saw the plant dance! It was slow and arhytmic - like a hippy. Apparently it was too hot in the afternoon for it to have the effort to fully rock out but it gave us a slight shuffle when Catherine sung "Blame It On The Boogie" in a very high voice. The video shall be forthcoming. Watch out!
Ah, the pointlessness that we get up to while killing time waiting for friends...In other news, I had a KFC in Tesco's today. It ruled.
On January 30, 2005, Tom said:
Man, that's one scary photo:
http://www.bowelwatch.co.uk/photos/nethailand/IMG_1146.jpg
What on earth had you been drinking?
On January 30, 2005, Dad said:
Hi Dan
Great looking fly-swots.... could do with some of them here.... the sandflies are causing havoc...... they're everywhere you go..... they're HUGE..... and they've got a hell of a bite.... we're taking action today..... BUSHMAN REPEL....... supposed to do the trick.....
Went on a helicopter trip over the Fox Glacier and Mount Cook the other day - sat right up front with the pilot..... only I spent the whole flight looking through the lens of the camera!!!! In a word EXCELLENT! and no sandflies up there....
On January 31, 2005, Dan said:
Tom - it's these months of being in mosquito infested countries - its driven me a bit psychotic. Plus that bat is a very good way of dispatching them. It makes them explode. The booze of course was dirty thai beer.
Dad- Wow, another epic sounding mission - does that cost lots of money? All this stuff youve been doing is tempting us to re-rearrange our plans so we go to new zealand. Although, I still will find the record stores of San Fransisco more exciting....
On January 31, 2005, Catherine said:
Hi Tom,
Yeah I married a red neck. He just sits on the porch all day with beer and the mighty smiter and kills mossies for me, god luv 'im
On January 31, 2005, Dad & Barb said:
Hi Dan and Catherine
If you're serious about coming to NZ it is fantastic!!!!!! some of the things we've done have been a little expensive but if you're backpacking and saving money on accommodation there's loads to do...... it's all geared up for backpackers, there are buses to take you everywhere and they will organise accommodation and trips for you...... we'll send you a personal e-mail too......
On February 01, 2005, Helen and Jez said:
Hey guys,
Let us know what your plans are - we will be in back in Bangkok about the 13th Feb before heading south..
Love your stalkers
On February 01, 2005, Daz said:
that really is a frightening resemblence. Well done for discovering my true identity as a buddhist deity.
On February 01, 2005, Kev-La said:
I always secretly suspected Daz to be some ancient prophet. Now the truth comes to light!
On February 01, 2005, mum said:
The statue park looks like the sort of place i would like as does everywhere else you have been you lucky buggers. Still cant figure out my trousers i keep trying how hard can it be.
Driving lessons continue and much argueing goes on as joe knows everything and i know nothing. I knew it would happen i am being sent on a idiot computer course at work modern technology had to catch up with me eventually.mum xxx
On February 01, 2005, Lyn said:
Just found emails and read putting on trouser intructions.
Many thanks Catherine Im off to give it a go. Lyn.
On February 02, 2005, Dan said:
Ello Mum, if those instructions dont make sense then Ill film catherine doing it and put it on the site for you to view. That should do it....GOOD LUCK!! By the way, hope you like the colour. ..
It's freaky isnt it, the daz statue...I saw it the moment it got in to the park. In real life its quite stikingly like you. Really odd.
On February 02, 2005, Dan said:
Nose is too big though....