Birthday Blessing

As for the last Four years, I have spent my birthday in another country, Spain, Turkey and Thailand last year. the difference this year I have someone to share it with. Nuch laid on a small surprise when I got up, she had wrote a message on the mirror and set up my presents in a display on the table, simple but very meaningful.
We went to a large Temple near the River called "Wat Soi Thong" Yes the same Thongs that the guys wear at AMS Hydraulics!
We were ushered to this Pavillion were a real old and respected Monk gave me a blessing, while he was doing this he was weaving a band for my wrist, this was to ward off evil spirits for the day. We then gave him a bucket full of Food and Provisions we had bought. The only down side to this is all the time you have to sit with your feet facing away from him. very disrespectful to show him your soles, I was cramping up big time, not used to sitting like this.
He then drew on my forehead a pattern using a flour mix, dowsed me with water and that was it. Blessed!!!!
The Wat (Temple) is a huge place, a community in itself. it as lodging for the Monks, Schools for Monks and Children and a bit of a Market. Part of the Market included buying live fish and eels, which you then took to the river and let go into the water, I think a symbol of giving life to something.
The whole experience is uplifting, the more I get to know the more I think I could get into it, I like the facy Buddha was not a God, just a normal bloke who after a period of wandering and reflection discovered enlightenment on his way to Nirvana.