Lord Noel on Divine Inspiration

Whatto! Peeps....

.

Being someone who loves the idea of recycling (why else would I keep posting and reusing these same old jokes?) it was lovely to read of some Thai Buddhists who have been recycling in the name of the Divine Spirit.....

Its a Wat?.....Yes it is

As you first approach the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple, about 370 miles northeast of Bangkok, you could be forgiven for thinking it was yet another beautiful Buddhist Temple set amidst tranquil waters, but this one is better known as “Wat Lan Kuad” or “Temple of Million Bottles”

The beautiful view from Sevenup bridge

  
The Monks have taken lots of used, donated bottles and have recycled them into building material and decorative pieces throughout the temple complex.

A lovely shrine......thanks to booze

 
The temple first started in 1984 when discarded bottles were used to decorate the monks’ shelters, but they soon found they had enough bottles to actually build bigger things out of them.
The green bottles are Heineken while the brown ones are a Thai beer called Chang (which I am happy to report is really delicious and also quite strong).

This Buddhist Monk is calculating all the deposit money he could have got.....

The Monks encouraged the surrounding community to send them more bottles and now they have created a complex of around 20 buildings! Which include the main temple over a lake, a crematorium, some prayer rooms, a hall, a water tower, tourist bathrooms and several small bungalows raised off the ground which serve as the monks quarters.

Here we see the beginning of Top Avenue

Bottle tops are also used extensively in murals like mosaic tiles and also to decorate statues of Buddha.

Things go better with Chang!

 
The beer bottle temple is now on an approved list of eco-friendly sight-seeing tours in southeast Asia. 
Yet another reason to visit beautiful Thailand....
....I'll drink to that!

Tallyho!
Best Wishes - Lord Noel