Koh Phi Phi
Trip Start
Feb 20, 2006
1
15
19
Trip End
Mar 24, 2006
Koh Phi Phi,
Thailand
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Today we leave for Krabi. We've just spent the last two days on the Koh Phi Phi Islands. The only export here is fun and great memories.
The Tsunami did a lot of damage here. Now the most of the buildings are new or are being rebuilt and most sidewalks still remain remarkably flat. To the unknowing, history has been replaced and life carried on. There are many sign and loudspeaker systems on every beach directing to the evacuation paths and a few sweet memorials.
We dined on fresh lobster, actually getting to pick the poor buggers out of a tank of several species including the local monster Thai lobster. We watched the fire dancers juggle flame and contort to heavy beats from our restaurant table.
Menus and signs here all murder the English language. Sapaghetti, filet miggnong, bloddy mery are amongst my favourites. You are left to imagine and shudder at what the translations are like in other tongues. The islands are filled with tourists and ex pats from all over the planet. Strangely I haven't met one American. The people here are mainly Muslim, a happy variety. Unlike the north of Thailand where Wats out number all the churches in Italy, the south has mosques but there are far fewer. The culture is so integrated with tourists. A primary school is built mid-beach tucked between hotel bungalows. Homes for the locals and rooms for rent co-mingle. The people here are lovely. We rented a longboat and took our second tour of the islands, snorkelled with a colourful array of fish and visited beaches built for two cut from limestone cliffs. Monkeys stood us up, but hey - Life is easy, no worries eh mate!
