This part of Thailand took a substantial hit during the tsunami in 2004. You would never know it from looking at it except Jim's masseuse lost everything and is still struggling to make ends meet. I cannot imagine the horror that day. There must have been two or three thousand umbrellas on this beach today that runs for over a mile. There is a lounge every three or four feet, three deep the whole way along each with an umbrella. I see no reason for there to be less on the beach that Boxing Day. Tragic.
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We had a late rise but in spite of that we were firmly plunked down on our lounges under beach umbrellas by 9.30 AM. Yup, we decided to skip the hawkers, tour buses and taxi rides around the island and sit on a beach and enjoy our own company. Once again we have all been here and pretty well know what is out there. Many people signed up for an elephant ride but inasmuch as we have done that with the added bonus of tigers in the jungle, we saved our money and beach-sat today. I have no regrets.
The sand on the beach is like Maui and the water is a bit warmer, but, what the heck! Jim soon was up on the road-side massage platform with some Thai grandma working him over. $10.00 for one hour. Soon Doug was lying alongside him with another masseuse working me over. Heck, it was safe, cheap and I always wanted to see how it felt. It was wonderful. Lots of oils and kneading and pounding but it was not painful, just what I need for this old creaky body. I could not talk Fellette into one but Gail was up there shortly after me. That may not be the last massage that Doug has!
There was vendors constantly walking the beachfront as is often done in other places. They were obviously government controlled because they had yellow jackets on with a number on the back so that any bad apples could be reported I suppose. They were not aggressive or obnoxious at all, but if you engage them they are very good at their trade. The range of goods walking by was amazing: sunglasses, dresses, shirts, purses, drinks, cooked corn,shrimp,meat pies [?], baskets, suntan oil and carved elephants. Gail felt their home had a need for an elephant so it is now in their cabin. I bought sunglasses, as Gail, a fan and of course lunch: shrimp, chicken and spring rolls. Beer was $2.50, soft drinks $1.00, ice cold.
After 5 1/2 hours of massaging, swimming, resting, eating and talking we hoofed it back to the tender spot and were soon in the shower getting back to reality. Jim and Gail came up for a sail away drink as we head off across the Bay of Bengal to that pearl below India, Ceylon. [Sri Lanka]. Three days at sea at a very leisurely 14 knots. The captain promises good weather and calm seas.
Now if I could only get Fellette to give me a massage!
Today's nautical term in everyday usage.
Wallop: When the French burned the town of Brighton, England, in the 1500s, King Henry VIII sent Admiral Wallop to retaliate and teach the French a lesson. He so thoroughly wrecked the French coast towns, that ever since, a devastating blow is said to be an "awful wallop."
Pics:
- A vendor and his jacket.
- Lunch on the beach.
- At rest.
- Imagine a tsunami at this place.
- Selling shirts.
- Our lunch.
- Two beat up guys after the massage.
- Gail in heaven.
- Scooter gasoline sold in wine bottles.
- Gail's new sunglasses and elephant.
- It's a wonder the place doesn't blow up with all that wiring jungle.
- Lots of little shrines abound.
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