Took the truck/bus 10km over to Patong Beach. This was the first of the dozens of picture-perfect sandy bays on Phuket Island to be "discovered" and then destroyed. (I had a chance to stop here in the '80's but passed it by--- my regret for what must have been back then.) It is now mass tourism like I have never seen anywhere else on earth. The middle-class crowds are jammed in like sardines that actually enjoy being stuffed in the can!
We're on the side-road 4th floor of the "91 Residence", the only accom available in this high season. $48 a night, triple our usual Thai budget. Very modern comfie room with much-needed a/c (it's steamy and hot here). We're also near the anti-government demonstrations that are sweeping Thailand in violence and threats.
If it weren't for the flabby boorish crowds, the beach and Andaman Sea are beautiful. And to their credit, the locals have preserved a shady walkway between the beach chairs and the roaring main shore road. Lots of tempting food aromas from the street vendors. Despite the dozens of nationalities holidaying here, everyone gets by in Thai or English except the Russians! They have a zone of shops in nothing but Cyrillic. Old resentment against the dominant west, or inferiority complex??
Our first chance for a beloved sunset since late December. Then the thrice-daily search for food that's both satisfying and nutritious (hard to get both, if it's fried noodles or organ meats). Cool colourful little tuktuks. Sidewalk artists. A pretty good haircut from Sony, an ambitious single mom in our hood. Picturesque old boats at anchor. All of these made the place appealing, but not enough to stay. The mobs and traffic are making us take the advice of the "fortune sugar" (like fortune cookies) and begin life anew tomorrow.
We're on the side-road 4th floor of the "91 Residence", the only accom available in this high season. $48 a night, triple our usual Thai budget. Very modern comfie room with much-needed a/c (it's steamy and hot here). We're also near the anti-government demonstrations that are sweeping Thailand in violence and threats.
If it weren't for the flabby boorish crowds, the beach and Andaman Sea are beautiful. And to their credit, the locals have preserved a shady walkway between the beach chairs and the roaring main shore road. Lots of tempting food aromas from the street vendors. Despite the dozens of nationalities holidaying here, everyone gets by in Thai or English except the Russians! They have a zone of shops in nothing but Cyrillic. Old resentment against the dominant west, or inferiority complex??
Our first chance for a beloved sunset since late December. Then the thrice-daily search for food that's both satisfying and nutritious (hard to get both, if it's fried noodles or organ meats). Cool colourful little tuktuks. Sidewalk artists. A pretty good haircut from Sony, an ambitious single mom in our hood. Picturesque old boats at anchor. All of these made the place appealing, but not enough to stay. The mobs and traffic are making us take the advice of the "fortune sugar" (like fortune cookies) and begin life anew tomorrow.
I agree, too many tourists! However, it looks better than the never ending snow in Michigan. We don't have inches of snow but feet. And I am not going to talk about the temperature.
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