This Trip is B-A-N-A-N-A-S

Last week, our friends asked us if we would like to go with a group of people to the Monkey Festival in Lop Buri. How can you say no to a question like that? Our only response other than, "of course" was "there is a festival for monkeys?".

Yes, there is a whole festival dedicated to monkeys here in Thailand. Some genius Thai businessman discovered that if you encourage monkeys to hang around your city, you will very quickly see an increase in foreign tourists who think monkeys are adorable and hilarious. Since this was such a sucess they have a festival every year to thank the monkeys for the prosperity that their town enjoys. They tell the story of Hanuman the monkey god and feed the monkeys a giant monkey buffet.

However, even when monkeys are offered a giant buffet of fruit, vegetables and other monkey delectables, there is one thing monkeys like even more. Vendors had set up tents at the edge of the ruins where the festival is held to sell drinks and such to the festival goers. Monkeys, as it turns out, prefer pepsi to dragon fruit. They monkeys were skulking around casting dangerous looks at anybody who decided to have a drink and if one was silly enough to doubt the monkeys' seriousness they would leap from the ground onto you. It was smarter just to put down the beverage. Shane was monkey mugged in this way carrying a nearly empty water bottle around, the monkey looked at him, looked at the water, and made a threatening step forward. Shane is no idiot so he dropped the water bottle and stepped back.
(Picture below is from a palace/temple ruins in Lop Buri)

 Another sweet Lop Buri surprise was the performance staged in another set of ruins the night before the monkey festival. We were walking around looking for a place to eat when we chanced upon the area and were drawn in by the music, lights and crowds. Inside a performance of what can only be described as people-puppetry was going on. This traditional form of Thai dance features one person as the "puppet" who is attached to strings or poles, marionette-style.  The dancers at this performance were incredible and we stayed to watch for quite a while. They also had some high-school aged children performing and playing who were quite good given their respective ages.

 Monkey drinking out of a small water feature... this picture was taken while we were having breakfast at a little cafe.

 The monkey food pyramid!!!

 Mommy & Me -monkey style.

 Monkey to the right enjoying a coke and the monkeys in the foreground are enjoying a delicious Thai iced tea (milky and sweet, really delicious!).

 Sunflower fields! You can see the mountain where the temple was located in the background.

Lop Buri is not only the home of the monkeys, it is also home to other attractions like the sunflower fields and various temples and such. On Saturday we explored some beautiful temple ruins (sooo peaceful in busy, noisy Thailand) and on Sunday we rented mopeds and hit the open road for a tour of the area, stopping to take in Sunflower fields, a temple on the mountain and a somewhat disappointing lake. The views were beautiful, the driving was fun (except in those crazy traffic circles! yikes!) and all in all an excellent adventure was had by all.
Monkey video -An overview of monkeys in Lop Buri!

Shane also got a chance this weekend to try out Sepak takraw. Youtube this for more information! It is basically a form of volleyball played with the feet and is really wild to watch. We stumbled upon a team practicing at night and after they took a break they allowed Shane and a friend to give it a go on the courts.