Once we got to the area we were going to stay we stopped at a house in the village located a few kilometers before we got to the beach resort. This house is were we would stop on a frequent basis as we traveled around the area and would visit the family that lived there. Each time we left the resort we would stop at the house, visit short while and then go on our way. The occupants of the house were the elder gentleman that was head of the village, so all the villages goings on are centered around this gentleman's house. He, his wife, older son and youngest daughter all live in the house. There might be others in the family that live there, I need to sit down and ask Joe more questions and write it down. The house is really two houses although if you look at my pictures it looks like one house. it is really two houses joined together by a covered walk way that is open to the outdoors. In the back of the house, the bigger lot behind, there is a factory were they produce coconut extract that they sale to China. I understand that China is the extract to make beds.
Friday we checked into the Beach resort after night fall. Joe and I set a tent up on the beach and camped closer to the gulf. The gulf was amazing looking to say the least. After being in the car for so many hours, being over whelmed by all the sites of traffic, little towns, motorbikes and just imagery that is so unfamiliar to me, when I stepped up to the beach it was like all my troubles fell away to the sand beneath my feet. So joe and I camped out and were merry the first night while Oil and the kids slept quietly in doors.
The next day we had breakfast at the resort which always consist of rice, broth and noodles with some kind of crazy spicey hot sauce that I stay away from. the last thing you want to do is eat something that will make your plumbing go wacko. We packed up in the car, stopped at the head of villages house, visted a short while and then drove 100 kilometers north to a army base that is located on the coast. You drive into the base through a gaurded check point, go a few kilometers and bam, you are on a perfect looking beach front that is littered with umbrellas and reclining seats on the gulf side. Then across the street from the beach there are rows of bath houses and food courts for eating. This is where we had lunch and then headed to the beach for a swim. So we packed it back into the car after a shower and a change of clothes and drove back towards the resort where we stopped back by the head of the villages house. So we would go back to the resort, collect ourselves shortly and then head right back to the head of the villages house. That night I got to witness a gathering of family that cooked out doors, laughed and ate food. yeah, I was in a awe from it all, this is a whole new experience for me and every little step is a real eye opener. We went back to the resort that night, slept inside this time since it was raining. I woke the next morning, had a breakfast buffet of rice, broth, noodles and instant coffee.
We took our time coming back, stopped at the head of village's house again, drove about 200 kilometers and took a sharp left toward the Myanmar boarder. "Where are we going I ask, there are immigration signs and I have no passport?" Joe's reply, "no worry, we go to Myanmar boarder were we sell you, no need for passport." My reply, "cool." So we looked at the boarder, ate some street food and headed back on the highway, tplachis time to the floating markets which was the opposite side of the highway from Myanmar. Actually first we stopped at this crazy sea food place were all the waitresses were really men dressed up in drag, they call them lady boys in thailand. yeah, kind of weird but the food was very good. Then we headed to the floating market which is somewhere close to Phetchaburi or something, om the coast again. Interesting place, basically a fancy street market all outdoors on this beautiful wooded structure that is on the water, look at pictures for a better articulation.
So I am back in bangkok, today, not sure, maybe Golf joe says, Maybe Thai massage?? Then it is the King's birthday today and the city is shut down to pay respects to this fact. As you drive around the city there are special decorations, special lighting and a slew of other decorative items that indicate the King's day. The Thai people are said to congregate at the temples were they open up certain parts of the temples only on special occasion as today. We will see what the day brings. later.
PICTURES
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