Recycled

The length of our days is seventy years-- or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
Psalm 90:10 (NIV) 

This past week marked a significant event in my life, I celebrated my 5th cycle birthday.

In Thailand, there is a recognition of the Chinese zodiac, though the zodiac year begins on Sonkran (April 13) and not according to the lunar calendar as they do in China.  Because of this, cycles of 12 are more significant than the cycles of ten (decade) that we follow in the west.

I was born in the Year of the Rooster and this year is the Year of the Rooster (until April 12).  Maybe this explains why I naturally get up so early in the morning.

This year was even more special because 5 cycles coincides with 6 decades (5x12)=(6x10).

To celebrate this occasion we went to Phu Phrabat Historical Park, located in Udon Thani province, about a 2 hour drive from our home.  When you're walking around some features that were made by humans 2000 to 3000 years ago, you don't feel so old.  In this case, humans made modifications to some unusual geological features that were there already.

Tower of Nang Usa, one of many ancient features in Phu Phrabat Hirtorical Park

Section of trail in Phu Phrabat Park

Following our morning at this park, we drove north about an hour to Nayung-Namsom National Park.  We had hoped to check out the waterfalls there, but they had already succumbed to dry season and they were now just cliffs in a canyon.  Still, the 2.5 km trail to the falls looped around to Pha Daeng Viewpoint.  We climbed a lot of stairs!

And because there was no water, the park was only kinda open, so we did not have to pay an entrance fee.  The parking area was at the Park Headquarters and one of the staff was very helpful in explaining things.

Pha Daeng (Red Cliffs) Viewpoint in Nayung Namsom National Park

After climbing a while, we got to the steep part.

After the stair climbing, it was time to celebrate in style-stopping at Swensen's in Nong Khai on the way home.  Swensen's may no longer be a thing in North America, but there are quite a few here in Thailand.

I ordered their chocolate lover's sundae with the malted milk balls, because they didn't have what I really wanted.

What I really wanted was a chocolate and coffee lovers' sundae, which would be a modification of this, from top to bottom:

chocolate wafer and cherry

chocolate chips

whipped cream

chocolate covered coffee beans

kahlua

chocolate ice cream

whipped cream

malted milk balls

chocolate syrup

coffee ice cream

hot fudge

Now that's what I want for my birthday!
Are you listening Swensen's?