Friday, September 2, 2011

Of mannequins and monks




Sometimes you come across a waterfall with a difference. Huai Yang waterfall has something different. Namesake for the surrounding National Park (meaning the requirement for a 100 THB entry fee ...), it's obvious it sees huge numbers of visitors, based on the well paved car park. 

Despite this being a weekday, a few cars are pulled in and on the opposite side of the creek is a huge huddle of white clad students acting as if they are listening solemnly to some speech or another.

Unfortunately, just when we hit the track so does the group and swamped by white shirts (which political direction do they support?) we climb up the track. It's a nice climb, once in front of the group.


Keeping ahead and looking behind: level 3.

Up on the ridge one gets to a small shrine. Beyond is a big pond at the foot of a slender fall, the third level of five. Possibly already wearied down tourists are hanging around. But there are more levels to explore. One can jump over rocks to the other side, followed by a scramble over bare rocks. The stream equally forces it's way down over mostly short scrambles. We reach the next level, a delicious pool with a great 15 m fall on the opposite end.

Oddly enough a monk is here, feeding the fish (see lead photo, above), mostly catfish and carpers, largely ornamental varieties. It's a disturbing trend in the maintenance of what are essentially national parks, rearing fish, so as enhance something or another. The more frequented waterfalls of Thailand (read Erawan, Pa La U) seem to be teeming with fish and considering the regular feed supply, it's no wonder.

My son vehemently opposes any swimming with any fish, while my wife decides that it's not her day. I wait for the monk to totter off, undress (that's me) and enjoy another spectacular part of Thailand's nature. Meanwhile  praying the fish won't nibble my special parts ...

Alex has a number of photo's, but other than that there is not much than the obvious reference on how to get here: located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, the waterfall is conveniently accessible from the major highway south (km 350), only a 7 km ride to the foot of the mountains.  

There's panaramio.  

And travelfish.

Ursula's weekly wanderings has an interesting entry on the spirits of Prachuap Khiri Khan including some photo's which really are weird kind of spirits (mannequins?) which are to be found near the shrine at the first level.
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