Lucky for me, one of our singers, Sarah, has a friend who lives in Thailand. Sarah had met this family on one of her previous ship contracts and became good friends with them, so when we went to Phuket for a day, we had our own, personal tour guides! Having locals show you around is just the best. They have history, context, transportation, they know the best deals, the best meals… it's always a win! Our day started off by meeting Jimmy and his grandmother at the pier. It was a bright, sunny day, and they picked us up and whisked us away from the busy area of Patong Beach.
Already the vibe of Thailand was exciting; there were so many people, tons of shops, restaurants, Thai massage spas, etc. We drove for a while and got to know each other, but the sites along the way were fantastic. It was great to see local plants and signs for wild bird shows and elephants along the road. I have recently become aware of the troubles with the horrific treatment of these captive elephants, so we definitely did not go for a ride or anything, but it was still amazing to see these huge creatures all over the place.
Our first destination was a big Buddha statue on top of one of the hills of the island of Phuket. Unlike the big Buddha in Hong Kong, this one was a bright, stark white. Against the clear blue sky it was pretty awesome to see. At the bottom of the statue was a monk who blessed Sarah and gave her some sir tot lucky bracelet and we headed up to the Buddha itself. As we got to the top, the scent of incense was almost as overwhelming as the amazing sound. There were tons of gold bells tied to the trees around the Buddha. They had names and message written on them. All different sizes, the bells made the most amazing, beautiful sound. It was peaceful and clear and bright. I don't know why it struck me, but I just loved the sound, so I had to get one of those bells to take with me.
Next up was Chalong Wat. "Wat" is the word used for a Buddhist Temple and from first glance I knew the gorgeous Thai architectural influences really made this place special. I had never seen anything like the bright red and gold facade of these buildings. They were covered with delicate, ornate carvings and their cooped roofs seemed to pull themselves all the way up to a point, as if they were reaching for the heavens. Each building was a work of art. I could have walked around and discovered more and more details all day. Inside were many beautiful Buddha statues, but the real treat was the outside of these buildings!
As we were leaving we stopped because Jimmy spotted a couple guys selling something on the side of the road and made us stop. They had what looked like palm leaves rolled into spheres. Inside there was rice that had been cooked to be very sticky and sweet. They stuff the rice down and let it dry a bit so as you peal away the outer shell you are able to munch on the sticky, sweet rice. Treats like these are why you need a local guide! We headed to their home for a bit to say hello to Jimmy's grandfather and have a glass of champagne. What a wonderful home. It was so bright and airy, sitting right on the edge of the water with tall palm trees and a gorgeous blue pool looking out to small islands in the ocean. It was quite an amazing retreat and I could see why they would love living there.
We continued our day driving around he island and stopping at some amazing overlooks. It was great to see the many clean, crescent-shaped beaches along the coast and the clear blue water. Our stomachs were calling, so we were thrilled when we pulled up to a resort called Boathouse for lunch. I love Thai food, so I had been anxiously awaiting a good meal all day. We had some Thai tea and a bunch of appetizers that were so fresh and delicious. My main course was a Pad Thai that was filled with the most amazing, fresh seafood. It had giant shrimp and calamari. It was incredible! The day couldn't have ended better than that.
Our drive along Patong Beach road just continued to fill us with amazing visions of the many locals and people vacationing in Thailand. The people here were so nice to us, but most of all, our guides made the day really great.
Miss everyone and hope you are well,
Tripp
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