Puppy Playtime and Punching-Seth-Time

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It has been pointed out to us that it has been awhile since we last posted. We've fallen into a very comfortable routine here, and as such our days have grown rather uneventful. We wake up, get breakfast at one of the great places that we've come to know and love, and then go to the beach to read, write, draw, and watch Muay Thai that seems to always be playing in the bars. In the evening Seth goes to the Lanta Muay Thai Gym, and I edit pictures, scratchboard, or occasionally volunteer at the local animal shelter taking pictures of their animals that are up for adoption (and playing with puppies). Sometimes we do something different, like go get Thai Massages, go hiking through the national forests, or go snorkeling in pristine coral reefs. Okay, well maybe it isn't that uneventful.



There are loads of things to do here to fill up our free time. Or, if we'd rather not do anything, there are plenty of beaches and hammocks to sleep the day away on. Our favorite haunt is Fin's Stoned Bar, a spoof off of the Flintstones. Note that the name is not reflective of the atmosphere - the other bars along the beach are named Freedom Bar, Mushroom Bar, Cloud 9, Hippie's Hill, Galaxy, etc. At Fin's, the hammocks are large, the drinks are strong, and the bartenders are friendly. There is also an excellent restaurant owned by a matronly woman named Kwan that serves Northeastern Thai specials. Some of the best food we've found on the island! I've just completed a scratchboard for one of the guys who work there, Esan. Esan works at the bar, and his brother works at the restaurant next door (not that any of these places actually have any doors). Esan is the rude dude tattoo artist and ex-fighter, his brother is a clean cut student / cabana boy. When I presented the scratchboard to Esan, done in exchange for free drinks and a lesson in Muay Thai for Seth, a crowd of restaurant workers and bartenders formed around me. Many of these guys also work at the Tattoo shop across the way, so they are artistically minded. Esan's brother, who spoke the best English in the group grilled me on the technique, and refused to believe that I did art as a hobby. I love spreading scratchboard to new audiences! They were clamoring over my knives and the new never-before-seen medium. I think I'll give one of my boards to the tattoo shop so that they can play around with it and learn the techniques.



When we aren't lying around at the beach, which really does take up most of our time, I've been volunteering at Lanta Animal Welfare, a combination animal shelter and vet. The program was started by Jane, a woman from Canada who saw the roaming packs of feral dogs and cats on the Krabi islands and decided to do something. Like Susan Hendrickson of Honduras, Jane began by neutering the wild dogs and cats on the islands as she found them, working out of her restaurant and home. Eventually the operation grew and moved out of her home into a shelter. The organization is run completely by volunteers and the donations of tourists. She also runs an pricey cooking school, Time For Lime, a non-profit that funds the shelter. We visited the shelter a few weeks ago for a tour, and I decided to help out and put my fancy new camera to good use. So, I've been going to the shelter about once or twice a week to take pictures of the animals for their adoption pictures. Tomorrow morning I am going back to take pictures of their merchandise. If you are interested in checking out the program or donating to a great cause, check out their website here: http://www.lantaanimalwelfare.com/



Seth is having a great time with Muay Thai, but is consistently injured in every session. So far he has fractured his foot, tore the calluses off both big toes, covered his elbows and shoulders in huge black bruises, and cranked his neck practicing the clinch with strong german dudes. And he is having a blast! Today the owner of the gym came in specifically to train with Seth (now nicknamed Married-Fat). The Thai training style is designed to break your will, by promising rest and then denying it cruelly. Luckily, Seth read blog posts before coming and knew to expect this psychological abuse. He is giving 110%!a(MISSING)nd the trainers notice.

We have one more week here and plan to make the most of it!

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Comments

[David King]

Shots to the Head
Please remind Seth that we don't want him taking an blows to the head... a broken foot, bruised shins, who cares. But let's keep that Married-Fat brain protected - please? Looks like you're both having an amazing time, and we're all living vicariously!