There's Some Strange Stuff Out There! This Week's Fast Five!

 

 And here we go. 

1.    The Tar Nim Magic Garden or Hidden Buddha Garden, Koh Samui, Thailand.  This is just one of those spots.  An old man in his seventies started to build this garden in 1976.  It's way high in the hills of Koh Samui, and it would probably be wise to schedule with a tour for this.  

There are many many statues to see as you wander the gardens and there's a stream running through it and even waterfalls.  It sits on top of Tar Nim Waterfall Peak and has amazing views of the lands below.  for 80 Baht or about $2.50, you can spend an afternoon wandering and learning about all the statues at this garden.  Every statue has a story so take your time.

As per usual, this isn't a destination.  This is something truly interesting you can see and do while visiting Koh Samui.  

https://kosamui.space/buddhism/secret-buddha-garden-or-magic-garden.html

https://www.viator.com/Koh-Samui-attractions/Secret-Buddha-Garden-Magic-Garden/d347-a15011

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/secret-buddha-garden-pom-mountain

https://kohplanner.com/places-to-visit/surat-thani/koh-samui/attractions/secret-buddha-garden/

https://www.tourismthailand.org/Destinations/Provinces/Ko-Samui/360

2.    Koh Madsum, or Pig Island, Koh Samui, Thailand.  I love this area of Thailand, because if you want to see something different; this is your area to explore in Thailand.  Pig Island is about 20 minutes by boat off shore of Koh Samui.  Once again, take a tour; there are lots of them.

Legend has it that these pigs who inhabit the tiny island swam there from another island and have been living there ever since.  Makes sense to me.  This kind of strikes me along the same lines as a cat café.  You can go to the island and do some snorkeling and hang out on the beach, because the beaches are gorgeous and the waters are clear and full of fascinating marine life.

The pigs on the other hand, are unique.  People come there all the time.  It is a popular tourist attraction.  Therefore, the pigs aren't frightened of people at all.  You can interact with them, and sometimes even get to swim with them.  It's a really offbeat attraction, but it is something that most of your friends won't be able to say they did, and is there such a thing as a bad attraction in Thailand?  At any rate, tours start in the $40 to $50 dollar range and go up from there.  Many tours for this activity are available. 

https://kohtour.com/pig-island-koh-mudsum/?srsltid=AfmBOopm_gmngb6MQO4HVVKfk6vY_bDKIcCksMEvQCVV3RiDapOEkO3D

https://paradiseislandestate.com/pig-island-koh-samui-the-complete-guide/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXD5BCSVpYk

https://pigislandtour.com/

https://www.getyourguide.com/s?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=14411535009&cq_con=&cq_term=&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&campaign_id=14411535009&adgroup_id=&target_id=&loc_physical_ms=9003419&match_type=&ad_id=&keyword=&ad_position=&feed_item_id=&placement=&device=c&partner_id=CD951&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlsy5BhDeARIsABRc6ZsEFajxSDZdCEx3VZuMqM15stSQcCfUCs7FZGXYabO3t1ImNALIFjwaApHUEALw_wcB&q=Ko+Taen&et=297705

3.    Pammukkale, or the Cotton Castle, Denizli Province, Turkey.  This place is known for its thermal springs.  In much the same way you would visit various areas of Yellowstone National Park and Huanglong National Park in China; the thermal springs are the main attraction.  This area does have caves to tour and well preserved Roman ruins as well.

Pammukkale joined the ranks of UNESCO with its terraced calcite pools and streams which make a natural spa that has been appreciated by civilizations going back to the Romans and beyond.  There is a modern spa you can visit, created out of the deposits and its a great place to spend a day.  

If you choose to spend some spa time at Pammukkale, there are resorts with pertinent services, and lots of restaurants that have built up around this tremendous natural feature.  As with the traditions at Cappadocia in another part of the country; you can take a hot air balloon ride and get a bird's eye view of this fascinating place.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/485/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297992-d306348-Reviews-Pamukkale_Thermal_Pools-Pamukkale.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaAY9NuctMY

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/aegean-coast/pamukkale

https://turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Aegean/Pamukkale/index.html

4.    Mahanakhon Tower Skywalk, Bangkok, Thailand.   Located at the King Power Mahanakhon Tower, this is simply one of the best ways to get a 360 view of Bangkok.  It's 314 meters high, it has a glass bottom viewing platform, and it has a cube of restaurants and bars for your entertainment.  There is a seating area that reminds me of the street viewing platform on the High Line in NYC.

It does have opening hours, which are daily 10-7 and you have to buy a ticket, favorably in advance that costs anywhere from $38 up.  They do offer a virtual reality ride at the top in addition to the food and drink.  You can reach the tower easily on the BTS Skytrain.

If you happen to be in Bangkok and see an extremely tall building that reminds you of a game of Tetris; this could be for you.

https://kingpowermahanakhon.co.th/skywalk/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293916-d16744951-Reviews-Mahanakorn_Skywalk-Bangkok.html

https://www.mahanakhon-skywalk.com/

https://www.pullmanbangkokkingpower.com/bangkok-attractions/bangkok-destination/mahanakhon-skywalk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czcirrUBl00

5.    The Goats of Riverside Park, New York City, New York.    You may wonder why on Earth I'm talking about goats.  I wonder sometimes, myself.  But now that we're done talking about strange things in the east, let's discuss some ground breaking ecological adventures in New York.

Riverside Park runs along the East River in Manhattan.  It's a popular spot to hang out, run, bike, walk, whatever.  The Riverside Park Conservancy is in charge of maintaining the park.  Simple as that.  In the age of gasoline engines being the devil and electricity still coming from undesirable methods in many places, five years ago the conservancy decided to try something new.  Goats.

Instead of mowing and trimming; the goats do the landscaping.  It works pretty well.  There's a special festival/event where they launch the goats for landscaping with tons of volunteers.  It's become quite popular, so check your calendars come July and come out and join in the goat herding fun.

https://riversideparknyc.org/riverside-parks-beloved-weed-eating-goats-will-return-on-july-12-to-a-new-location-in-west-harlem/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRQZYjG6HHA

https://www.westsiderag.com/2024/07/01/riverside-park-goats-make-an-uptown-move

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/new-york-park-goats

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/riverside-park/

There you have it, some odd animal related activities, along with some beautiful spots in the east.  Check in next time to see what unusual and unique things I've found for you to seek out while on vacation.  Keep investigating this wonderful world and enjoy!