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Inside the viharn near the Phra That, the **"Luang Pho Phra Ong Saen"** is enshrined. This revered Buddha image is considered the guardian spirit of Sakon Nakhon. It is believed to bestow blessings of fortune and wealth, enabling devotees to receive tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of baht.

Near the temple, we will see the "sacred well", a well that exists alongside the stupa. It is believed to be a passageway connecting the human world with the naga city submerged beneath Nong Harn Lake.

6:00 PM. After praying, let's go shopping, everyone! ^V^

On Saturdays and Sundays, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, there will be a "Indigo Walking Street" on the lane in front of the temple. Let's go and see it.

Local residents will bring their own products to sell, mostly indigo-dyed products, which are famous here.

Contrary to the common perception that Thai fabrics are exclusively for adults, this establishment offers a diverse range of designs, primarily in the **minimalist style**, characterized by its simplicity and elegance.

Choose, try, bargain, the seller is very kind.

After a tiring day of shopping, our stomachs began to rumble. For dinner, we decided to head to "Huen Putai Kata" in Ban Non Hom.

This is a homestay of the Phu Thai people (some pronounce it as "Phu Tai" or "Pu Tai"). It is another place that should not be missed.

Beautiful young women from the Phu Thai tribe welcomed us with warm herbal drinks, offering a refreshing and comforting start to our visit.

Upon entering the homestay, shed the urbanite's heart and embrace the transformation into a Phu Thai youth.

According to the customs of the Phu Thai people, when guests visit, the host will perform a "บายศรีสู่ขวัญ" ceremony.

Notice that in your hand you will have one "boiled egg". My grandfather said it's a good luck charm, you have to take it home and eat it all.

How many eggs have you eaten today? (Count them carefully ^V^)

The host then invites the guests to enjoy "pa laeng," a dinner similar to the northern Thai "khantoke."

While enjoying the meal, guests can also watch a traditional dance performance by the Phu Thai women.

**An ancient boxing dance performance** by young men

...We like this one...never seen it before ^V^

After a delicious meal, let's step out and showcase our graceful "seung" dance moves with the beautiful Phu Thai women. If you're a fan of step dancing, feel free to show off your skills!

The rhythm is exciting. It's a lot of fun.

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Nearly 8 pm, the temperature is 26 degrees...Oh my god!

I swear this is "summer" ^V^

8:00 PM. After a long day of sightseeing, it's time to check into our accommodation. Tonight, we'll be staying at @Sakon Hotel.

This is a modern-style hotel located in the city center. It is only 3 stories high, so there is no elevator.

We have arrived at our room, 304. Let's take a look inside.

The room offers a choice of single or double beds, and is spacious.

No worries if you're coming alone tonight, little bear will keep you company. ^V^

The room is equipped with a wardrobe, refrigerator, TV, dressing table, and most importantly, a hairdryer for the ladies.

The bathroom is equipped with a bidet and a water heater. Let's hurry up and take a shower and go to bed. ^V^

**Day 2: (April 2, 2017)**

7:00 AM: As we checked in late last night, we haven't had a chance to explore the hotel yet. If anyone is up early, let's go for a walk together! ^V^

The hotel's interior features white walls, high ceilings, and a glass-walled corridor, creating an airy and spacious atmosphere.

The mezzanine is adorned with artistic photographs on the walls, decorated with lamps, making it beautiful and chic. I love it! I can't stop taking pictures.

The signature of this place is the "little bear", which can be seen from the entrance to the bed.

Locally-made fabric products are also available for purchase at the front counter.

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This morning, we had breakfast at @Café Food & Coffee, a restaurant located near the hotel.

Ready to eat! ^V^

10:00 AM In addition to the group of mothers who are dedicated to preserving Thai fabrics, another admirable aspect of Sakon Nakhon is the "16 Young Generation Group" who are passionate about craftwork, or what they call "handmade work."

A group of artists known as "Sakon Haed" utilizes local materials to create unique and distinctive works of art and products. If you attended the "Amazing Thailand Tourism Festival 2017" earlier this year, you may recognize them from the "DIY Isan Zap Nua" zone.

What are their achievements? Let's take a look!

Can you believe that all of this was made from leftover scraps of fabric?

The design is unique, featuring a wide variety of fish.

This is a fish. It's cute.

The mere sight of the artwork brings joy, truly living up to its name, "Sukchom" (meaning "joyful appreciation").

"Hoop Taem," a handmade notebook crafted from banana tree bark, left us in awe upon first glance.

I didn't think banana trees could be used in this way. More importantly, the design is beautiful and stylish.

"Don Mu Din" ceramics: Each piece with a story to tell.

Wouldn't it be better if we knew what inspired the work we are using?

Extremely cool.

"Mann Craft"

A unique creation by a young designer with a passion for fabric and paper.

His distinctive work has already been awarded the GI certification.

He also invented DIY indigo water. For those who have learned how to dye but don't want to go through the many complicated steps, ready-made indigo water is also available. ^V^

(GI = Geographical Indication is an indication of the origin of goods with specific quality and characteristics due to their geographical origin.)

**"Ular Farm"** is the largest organic vegetable, orchid, and indigo farm in Sakon Nakhon. If you are interested in growing indigo, this farm also sells indigo seeds.

"Gypsy Drip Coffee" is an organic coffee from Phu Phan, roasted using a unique method to create a strong, low-acidity coffee. A must-try for all coffee lovers.

Each menu item boasts a unique and intriguing name, such as "Forbidden Coffee," "Innocence Unveiled," and "Love for One, Regret for the Other." These names pique curiosity and invite customers to explore the flavors for themselves.

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This is just a small selection of our products to whet your appetite. We also offer a wide range of other beautifully designed woven fabrics, printed fabrics, and products made from locally sourced materials.

Don't miss the "Sakon Made Festival 2560" this year-end. The event will showcase Sakon Nakhon's best products. Save your money and get ready to shop! For more information on the date, venue, and other details, please follow the "Humans of Sakon Nakhon" Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HumansofSakonNakhon/).

Translation:

This is another group of young people who have come together to create this page to help promote the "Isan charm" of Sakon Nakhon to the outside world. With #Verysakon, anyone who wants to get to know "the essence of Sakon…Sakon" can try following the stories through the perspectives of these young people. Seeing the admins of this page, I have to say that the young men and women of Sakon are truly "Isan charming".

11:00 AM: "Kram Sakon Shop", a souvenir shop featuring indigo-dyed fabric products, housed in a traditional house surrounded by a garden. The upper floor serves as a homestay, while the ground floor operates as a retail space.

The unique aspect of this store is that, in addition to the products displayed inside the house, some are also placed at various points in the garden.

Sipping cool mulberry juice while strolling through the garden, browsing through the products... that's the life! ^V^

Feel free to pick up any items you like and bring them to the counter for payment.

For those who want to make their own indigo shirts, the shop also has a workshop where you can try it yourself.

12:30 PM. Those who are "in love" must come to "Fham Hak", but where should those of us who are "hungry" go?

Come this way... "Khun Thong Fattened Cow" is a restaurant located in Farm Hug. If you want to try the famous fattened cow from Pone Yang Kham and the black pork from Phu Phan, this is the place to be.

Translation:

Appetizers have arrived! Som Tum 4 Sahabat (I took the liberty of naming it myself ^V^). Choose your favorite!

Spicy and flavorful dipping sauce, infused with the aromatic flavors of tom yum and fragrant herbs. A healthy and delicious option.

The dishes kept coming in a steady stream, and we continued to eat them with gusto.

Barbecue lovers, this way please! ^V^

Customers who dine at the restaurant can visit the sheep farm for free to take photos. There are many cute photo spots available.

**3:00 PM.** Many people may not know that **"Tha Rae Village"** is the largest Catholic community in Thailand. The original Tha Rae Christians migrated from Vietnam by boat around 1884, led by a French priest named Xavier Gego.

"The Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel, a large church shaped like a ship, was built to commemorate the migration of the first generation of Christians."

The interior of the church is magnificent.

Adjacent to the church is a historic community that has preserved some "ancient houses" for future generations to study. Walk through the church to the back and turn right, and you will find the first ancient house. This one is of French architecture.

The condition is still very good even though it has been more than 100 years.

Beneath the antique lies hidden chic...keep snapping those photos.

After walking approximately 50 meters, you will encounter the "Udomdechwattana Mansion," a French-Vietnamese architectural marvel. This historic residence, constructed in 1933, belonged to Ong De, also known as Mr. Kham Sing Udomdech. It initially served as a sundry shop, with the ground floor dedicated to retail and the upper floor reserved for living quarters.

Nearby is

The "Ong Luen or Treuang Sorin" mansion, built in 1932, is another example of French-Vietnamese architecture. This building was constructed without the use of cement. Instead, Vietnamese artisans employed a mixture of lime, sand, rubber, and sugarcane juice as a binding agent for the bricks and plaster. The upper structure, designed to secure the walls, incorporated components imported from France. These components were shipped by boat to Bangkok, transported by train to Korat, and finally carried by cart to Tha Rae.

Translation:

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The final house, located approximately 300 meters away, is a historic residence of Mr. Nu Sriwarakul (Hia Rian Duang Duang) and Mrs. Nuna Upapong, the children of Phraya Prajant Pradesathanee, the then governor of Sakon Nakhon. This house was once used for religious ceremonies. During World War II, a fire broke out, and the owners abandoned it. As a result, it fell into disrepair and is now covered by a banyan tree, as seen today. (Source: Honeymoonseat - Pantip)

4:30 PM.

After taking photos of the old antique house, our next destination was the "Nong Han Lotus Park", located near the Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus. This park was established in 2010 to collect various species of lotus flowers for farmers and interested individuals to visit and serve as a tourist attraction.

A wooden bridge allows visitors to walk and observe the area closely.

Sweet and beautiful.

However, there is a slight envy here. ^V^

The lotus flowers will bloom across the pond in the late morning. It is recommended to visit after 10:00 AM.

Translation:

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5:00 PM. Our final destination for this trip is "Tham Pha Daen Temple", the divine rock of the Northeast. It is a must-visit location if you are in Sakon Nakhon. The temple's main feature is its location on a high mountain. The road up the mountain is quite steep, and parking within the temple is limited. If you arrive during the day, the temple will ask you to park your car in the lower parking lot and provide a shuttle service.

This is the "Sala Ya Jai Khon Boon", which is constructed from rare, centuries-old trees. Inside the pavilion, there are stone Buddha statues carved in various postures representing different days of the week.

The temple grounds are adorned with large sandstone sculptures depicting various narratives.

For example, a sandstone carving of a reclining Buddha, 8 meters wide and 19 meters long.

A large stone carving of Luang Pu Thuat depicts the revered monk flanked by a kneeling elephant and a protective serpent.

This side features the Garuda statue. On the right-hand side, there is a large stone platform with stairs leading up to it.

A replica of the Buddha's footprint is located at the top for visitors to pay homage, while the actual footprint requires an additional hike up the mountain.

This temple was once a place where Luang Pu Mun Bhuridatta and other forest meditation masters came to practice asceticism. In front of the cliff where the stupa is located, there are carvings of many of these masters.

The most striking feature of this temple is the **"Golden Pagoda"**, which sits atop a large boulder, offering a majestic view from any angle.

......I wish time would slow down, I don't want to leave yet.....Sakon Nakhon^V^

Do not believe everything you have read so far.

It would all be just a story if you didn't come and see it with your own eyes. ^V^

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Check out the "Traveling in the Footsteps of Fabrics" package for women traveling in Thailand in Sakon Nakhon province at www.traveligo.com.

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