Golden Mount Visit

This trip was awhile ago..well actually, it was the Golden Mount fair in November. I've never been to this temple, Wat Saket, before..so it's quite an interesting trip :)

Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan (Thai: วัดสระเกศราชวรมหาวิหาร, usually short Wat Saket) is a Buddhist temple (Wat) in Bangkok, Thailand.
The temple dates back to Ayutthaya era when it was called Wat Sakae. King Rama I renovated the temple and renamed it to Wat Saket. During the reign of King Rama III the Chedi Phu Khao Thong (Golden mountain, ภูเขาทอง) was added to the temple. It was finished under King Rama V and then named Suwannabanphot. This building has become one of most popular the touristical places in Bangkok, however the other buildings of the temple are much less visited. (Thanks wikipedia for the info)

So around the beginning of November before Loy KraTong festival each year, there's a fair at this temple, The Golden Mount Fair. It's actually not different from other temple fairs, only that you will get the old school feeling because this fair has been going on for a long time, you know, like..ferris wheel, merry-go-round for lil children, many food stalls, old-school-fake freak shows, and ladies in the water game! (sound weird, eh? I just dont know what's it called exactly..so I made that name up myself, hehe)

A small little ghetto ferris wheel:)

Ladies in the water game :)

This "Ladies in the water" game thing that I named it myself, you just basically try to throw the balls at the target. If it hits the target, the girl will fall into the water barrel and gets wet. This is very old school, you don't get to see it as much nowadays. Yes, it's quite a sexist, perverted game. I guess it used to be some sort of treat for guys back in the old days to satisfy their little sexual need...(Don't get me wrong, I'm not a feminist.)

A creepy merry-go-round, looks like a scene from a ghost movie!

Mermaid Show

I was lucky that the day I went was the last day of the fair, so they had a ceremony right at the top of the Golden Mount. I'm not sure yet about the purpose of the ceremony itself and the history of it. But it seems to me like during the Buddhist Lent period until the last day of the Fair, they covered the Golden Mount with a red curtain and would remove it on the last day of the Fair. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

Me and my big ass on the way to the top

The red curtain covering the Golden Mount

Some crew went up and removed the curtain

See how high the Golden Mount is??!

View from the top of the Golden Mount
People make donation to the temple by putting money around it
This is part of the ceremony, the monks would pray and walk around the Golden Mount clockwise 3 times with people following them.

The Candles Display :)