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Published: October 28th 2008
We drove north in Phang Nga and stopped at a pier where Pooh knew there were longboats for hire. They look like long canoes with a canvas tent-like canopy and can hold about 35 people. The weather was threatening that day, and he was able to negotiate four hours of boat time just for the three of us at a price well within our budget. That meant the boat driver would take us anywhere we wanted to go and we had no need to rent a canoe to explore the island nooks and crannies. Again, the Royal Treatment!
The weather actually lent a magnificent drama to our trip that day, even though I was not able to capture it in photos. Shortly into the ride, we began to see many very mysterious, elephant-like limestone formations, rising one hundred feet upwards out of an aquamarine sea! These islands were breathtaking, and each one different in size and shape, some of them with caves that our driver willingly navigated our way through. If you have seen "The Man with a Golden Gun", then you have seen James Bond Island.
We were fascinated with the beach around these cliffs, which were formed entirely of crushed shells. We were able to follow a trail of hewn stone, to explore the islands on foot and get a closer look at the amazing formations of limestone, which reminded me of elaborate sculpture from a long lost and ancient civilization.
We made a stop at a remarkable village built on stilts, inhabited by the descendants of nomadic tribes of sea faring gypsies who were long ago merchant traders and also said to be pirates. I could have easily spent the whole day there. The primitive market intermingles with their residences, chores, and family life, all on stilts connected to one of the islands. No cars, of course, boats get them around. This floating bazaar consisted of many, many open air shops filled with unique and indescribable objects for barter, lovely fabrics, silk scarves and clothing hanging from overhead, walls and piled on tables and makeshift racks. Wonderful aromas of steaming rice dishes, satays and curries and even a large, stiff tapir lying with his legs up in the air, a small child busily burning off his bristles with a propane torch. Hated to leave!
We also stopped by
a monkey training school, and enjoyed their
show. Monkeys can be trained to pick a thousand coconuts a day. Remember that the next time you buy coconut milk!
We packed so much into this day, it's difficult to write about everything. We were sad to leave Phang Nga, as the atmosphere was more like the Thailand we really came to see.
Pooh knew that I wanted to learn how to cook Thai food, so the next evening he brought his family over and I got a REAL cooking lesson from his beautiful wife and her mother. It turned out to be one of our most memorable evenings. I hope I can return the favor someday!
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