Rain Rain Go Away

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This the the third day of rain. An easy reminder that Typhoon season is not quite over yet. It hasn't seemed to change life on the island at all. People still drive fast and the Thai nationals are still pushing their carts along the streets peddling their goods. Tourists still go to the beach and wander around shops bargaining for junk.

We got up and sent a few emails and contacted schools. We walked around to our favorite sweetbread shop and ate danish and coffee and went to the beach. While we were eating we could hear chanting from teh Bhuddist temple.

We didn't stay long at the beach. Evidently when there is fewer people, there are more wild dogs. That is a little bit of a problem for me because I'm scared of them. The dogs are mangy and sickly looking- the equivalent of rats in D.C. No one seems to pay them any attention so the mutts just run a-muck.

Every time we sat down, a dog would come close and sit and scratch or look hungrily at us, or pee on the nearest surfboard. So we would hop up and scamper away to another spot. After the third move (and having a soccer game develop around us) we gave up and went for beer and french fries. There's always time for beer here. I love it.

Yesterday we went to the school right on Patong beach (the windows literally look out to the ocean). The school building was completely destroyed by the tsunami and was rebuilt. It looks very modern and even has a computer lab, although no internet. It is the school where the poorest families send their kids.

We met an English teacher who let us sit in on a class of about 10 seven-year-olds. They were learning numbers and colors and shapes via flashcards. Kate, the teacher, said that her aim to give these kiddos enough of an English background so that one day they can work in the resort hotels and restaurants. She's trying to keep them out of the bars and give them enough education so they won't have to peddle goods to tourists.

The kiddos were so cute and friendly but still lound and smelly. I'm afraid of them en masse. They are like ants. One is okay, you can overpower it, but get ten or twenty together and they can eat you alive.


Our Aussie friends told us about the "Experience". The girlfriend experience is a new one for me. Evidently you can buy more than just a hooker here. If you have enough cash, you can buy an actual “Thai Girlfriend”. I'm imagining Pretty Woman meets Indecent Proposal meets Strip Tease.

English men who want to escape their ball-and-chain wives can (for the right price) pay a Thai national woman to entertain them all day. Kind of like an escort, but the men buy the women gifts and drinks and dinner and flowers and whatever else they want. Kinda defeats the purpose of getting rid of the wife, but I'm assuming the men get a little bonus.

It's getting easier to tell who is a genuine English/Thai couple and who is on an “Experience” date. From what everyone says (and from what I've seen) it's typically an older 'distinguished gray' man with a Thai woman who looks 18- barely. He usually has a wedding ring, she has armfuls of shopping bags. Minus the ring. That' s the giveaway I guess. I'll try to be sneaky and snap photo of an Experience so you guys back home can see what I see at every bar.

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Photos

Little Temple
A little alter in the middle of nowhere. Last night a bartender brought shots to us. She had a lighter in her hand, so I thought it would be like a flaming Dr. Pepper so I got out my camera. Turns out it was her offereing to Bhuddah. Oops. The liquor wasn't for me after all.

Night Phuket
Rows and rows of bars.

Beach School
This is in the yard of the school by the beach

Coffee and Bread
View from the sweetbread shoppe- with the chanting

Swamp Land and rain
This is the road from our beach to the hotel. It's raining again. We also found out that this is swamp land with snakes. So next time we'll go the long way to the ocean

Evac Sign
These are at every street corner on the beach- directing folks where to run if "the big wave" comes back.

Comments

[Dillonandersonian]

Naked angels, well Phuket
Well good to see the sorang comes in good use when it rains. It sounds like the American monkeys are having an experience of thier own sin the grey ole english gents. You girls have fun and don't be afraid of the little ones Caroline, they can smell fear and are afraid of your "modern antibiotics." And yes they will surround and dominate you given the chance. Texas is not the same without you girls and Colin; really not the same, we were annexed by Mexico last week and now are known as Tejas once more. All the whites are now in servitude, and I am now the "Anglo-Brown skinned Ambassador" (official title still in the works) to the American government. Hope you girls have fun and try to stay dry/safe/away from snakes/tsunamis/and the experience (unless you run out of money or feel the need for an all expense paid shopping spree). Best wishes and awkward moments, Dillon...