PHUKET, THAILAND

I never thought it will be so difficult to find the time to keep this blog updated ;-). I'm trying my best, anyway.

I spent really special time in Phuket and the area around. It was a great idea to go on this very famous (not only for good) island on the Adaman sea after the hectic Bangkok. From the first moment the difference was evident. I couchsurfed Mark (thank you soooo much!) and he took me around in his free time. We went to see the Big Budda, the biggest sitting Budda of Thailand, sitting on a top of a hill and looking in Mark's garden. The site is still under construction (all based on donations) but it is already interesting to see and looking at the project is seems that it will be even more special when finished. A lot of work has still to be done.

Then we went to Kata beach. I couldn't wait to relax a bit after Bangkok. It was wonderful and I even felt asleep. We stayed there until the sunset and it was absolutely beautiful. Peace and relax. Phuket is not only Patong (the most famous place of the island, notorious for crazy partying, drugs and prostitution) and Kata beach, together with many other places, proves it.

Mark took me to Phuket town, for a tour of the historic core and its architecture. I really enjoyed the stories he told me about the place. The buildings, dating from the colonial times in which Phuket was of strategic interest, are really nice and many are recently restored or well maintained.

The buildings have mostly shops or bars at the ground floor and apartment on the upper floor. They look colorful and nice, making the area very pleasant for a walk.

Mark lives very close to the temple in Chalong, that I really liked as it is small and cozy.

For the King's birthday (on Dec.6th) there was a fair "Thai style" in the area all around the temple. (Remember never to talk in oublic about the royal family in Thailand. You could get arrested.).

It was quite chaotic and the poor monks had to try to meditate and sleep with the loudest sound system in the world always on :-)

At the fair, you could buy lots of different types of food and have a great meal for just a couple of euro. Or try to win a puppet with ball hits in one of the many stands that offered that kind of entertainment. One of the most unforgettable experiences you can get is eating bugs. I didn't try but I've been told that they taste like chips.

Or, you could buy an orange bucket for the monks. They walk every motning aroud 6 in the neighborhood to collect the offers in food or other basic needs and this bucket contains most of the things they use daily, like razors, soap... If you give an offer they stop and prey for you.