The Bizarre Sculpture Park

A lot of people pass through Nong Khai like any insignificant border town, but I decided I'd give it a full day of exploration.  I rented a bike and began pedaling beside the Mekong River, stopping by a few temples along the way.

Friendship Bridge I, separating Thailand (left) and Laos (right)

Wat Lam Duan's Buddha (overlooking the river)

My primary destination, however, was the very strange sculpture park known as Sala Kaew Ku.  The sheer scale of it blew me away - some of the sculptures rise over seven stories high!  It's hard to appreciate their immense size in these photos, but trust me - they was very impressive.

There are over 100 sculptures in the park, but the most bizarre was the Wheel of Life.  This tunnel-like sculpture below represents the penis and vagina.  You, as the sperm, pass through and emerge into an enclosed area, where you witness the journey of life as depicted by stone, including birth, love, suffering, aging, death, and finally the walk up to Nirvana.

Tunnel to the ovaries

The Wheel of Life

So yes - it was very strange.  But the mixture of creativity, absurdity and artistry was so fascinating to witness.