Showing posts with label Koh Tao. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Koh Tao. Show all posts

Friday, March 18, 2005

Cute And Cuddly

Okay, I know I'm getting a bit out of hand with the cute animal pictures, but these are sooooooooooo cute... They are all from Koh Samet.

It's not that they're relaxed. It's HOW relaxed they look.

This is another island action shot. I had to use a high speed lens to capture this one. The dog is jumping out of the way of a speeding motorcycle. Fortunately this is Thailand and the motorcycle was still moving slower than the dog so no one was hurt.

I call this composition: 'Cat chasing Lizard in Airport'.

In Thailand, there are a lot of flies buzzing around the open air restaurant tables. This is one of the devices used to keep the sanitation under control. (She is on a coffee break...really!)

These are sand crabs. There are thousands of them on the Koh Samet Beaches. But cute? You decide.

Okay Rachael, I owe you a cute doggie picture after so many cats. This girl reminds me a lot of Cleo, except this is as fast as she gets. And L? They still have those binky hairs that got all over those hardwood floors back home.

And this is Dan (Sorry if I got your name wrong. I have it in my notes somewhere) from St Albert, Alberta Canada. He and I had a great talk while travelling to Koh Tao. Rachael, you want his number? You'll have to write me more...

Dennis; Chick Magnet 2

Perhaps I haven't properly expressed Dennis's ability to attract people to him. I have made a lot of jokes about how the women can't resist him. The truth is, everyone likes him. He is the most recognizable person in Thailand. Everyone calls him 'Santa'. But, since I seem to have given a false impression of our situation here, let me add for the record, that these are just nice women who like to have their pictures taken with him. In reality we live a very quiet life here in Paradise. Dennis is available for birthdays, but he is booked through the Christmas holidays...

This is the woman who arranged our transport to Koh Tao. Dennis just asked for her to pose for this picture and she melted into his arms.

This is Yoko from Japan. She does Tai Massage in Koh Toa. She was another big fan of Santa.

This seems to be a massage theme. This woman gave Santa a Thai massage on Koh Tao as well. Okay, we have gone for a lot of Thai massage. "You just keep taking the pictures Steve", Dennis kept saying. "It's something you're good at."

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Koh Tao Coffee Cup

Somsoc writes me when she gets and inner nudge to pass on information. She asked me on March 4th: "Steve, Just curious, do you have any connection to the name of David?" Yesterday I received a letter from a dear friend who's new lover is named David.

After reading my email, I ordered some coffee and this was the cup it was served in. It was only when I looked at the name on this cup that I remembered Somsoc's question. Somsoc wrote me again today and said she kept seeing the names alternating: Steve/ David Steve/David. Remember, you read it here first. We'll just leave this in the category of things that go bump in the night for now. And thank you Somsoc for all that you do.

Koh Tao 2

Koh Tao is a beautiful Island to relax on.

This rock behind me holds a Monogram inscribed when the King of Thailand first visited this Island. The Rock is considered sacred. Our Bungalow was just a few yards from this monument.

I spent a very relaxing day talking with Nicole, while it rained. It has only rained one day since I arrived in Thailand on February 5th. Nicole is from East Germany and saw the Berlin wall torn down. I asked her what it was like. She says it was exciting but she was only ten years old at the time so it didn't have the same impact on her as it had on her countrymen. She has travelled for several years and is certified in Scuba diving, Computer Technology, Thai Massage and speaks seven languages. When she's not relaxing she runs a small Country somewhere.
Nicole was also on the Beach the day the Tsunami hit Phuket. She says she had been sleeping in her hut and had just gone for breakfast when the wave came in. Her hut was totally gone and she would have died had she been in it an hour before.

This was Dennis's occupation on Koh Tao; holding the waves in place. His relatives insist I show him in the Blog every so often so they can keep an eye on him. He's still losing weight Angie, and is still a major chick magnet.

Litton is from Sydney Australia. He suggested the bungalow we stayed in. I love the serendipity of just meeting a traveller as you're walking down the path and he ends up giving you just the information you need when you need it.

I finally figured out the master plan of mosquitoes. It's not about biting. It's about recreating the stars of the night sky on my leg; one bump at a time...

These birds are exactly like the string of birds I talked about in the story: Calgary to Thailand in 2 Minutes. The psychic who gave them to me said they had belonged to someone who met the Dali Lama and that I will meet him too.

And here we have the turtle mascot for the Island.

We took a walk around the outcropping of rocks on our last day.

I never knew I could feel so peaceful as I did on this Island. Dennis and I would get up; usually very early and swim in the ocean, and dry off in the sun and drink coffee and cool down in the ocean again. Time just didn't mean a thing. I wish all of you that same sense of peace that I have felt here on Koh Tao.

Friday, March 04, 2005

Koh Tao (Turtle Island)

*WARNING: THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONTAINS IDYLLIC IMAGES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF PARADISE THAT MIGHT BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME SNOW-BOUND READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.*


What I enjoy most as I snorkel in the coral reef surrounding this beautiful Island, is how the current carries the marine life and myself, by the same sway of the current, back and forth, like an effortless dance of nature. The buoyancy of the salt water holds my body on the surface as I watch the pastel of fishes swim past.

I am in awe of the pastel colors that swim quietly before me. The coral reef looks like some archaeological ruins beneath the waves. I glide over a shallow reef to a deep section that drops off to twelve feet beneath me with a bright white sanding bottom to it. Suddenly a large rainbow colored fish swims out from it's hiding place.

The just as suddenly, a school of a thousand minnows flash before me, all swimming in perfect harmony, never touching, suddenly reversing direction; the color of quick silver. I swim into them but they miraculously swim all around me, never touching me; like the amplitude of a symphony, secretly played out in this eternal Sea.

Dennis wanted you to see what a day at the office looks like today from his point of view.

And remember what I've been saying about dogs hanging around us all the time?

We were sitting having breakfast when we suddenly noticed this little guy with us. I asked Dennis to take this picture and he said: "this should be good to get the dog in it too. I didn't even know he was under my hammock til that moment. I feel so protected where ever I go. Meliss, is that you in a new disguise?

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

3 Picture Day: Bars, Brothels and Busses

My 3 Picture Day starts twelve hours before yours does Melissa because I'm in Bangkok this morning. Picture 1: The Screaming Lady

If you've read the Post: Calgary to Thailand In 4 Minutes, you know that the catalyst for this journey was a woman I was engaged to who had a change of heart. I am very happy this morning because L has written me a very sweet letter to open the door to a new friendship. I am sitting in an open air internet cafe at my Guest House when suddenly I hear a screaming woman. She is ranting and raving and pointing at the bar tender of the bar just behind. She seems to be tripping on drugs and the people around me are laughing at her. She goes on ranting and shaking her fist at the bartender here for at least 4 minutes before she finally walks down the road. As I'm writing L, I mention her because the scene is so intense. I write 'L': "Today is 3 picture day on the Blog, and this is one of those pictures but I just don't have the heart to take it. I don't know what that means but I have learned to live in the moment here and this is definately a moment." I didn't take the picture. But then I went to get my laundry and there she was again sitting at a table near me. I walk up the road and back again and there she is being approached by the Police for disturbing the peace. Finally, as I'm leaving Koh Sahn Road, there she is in front of me again and I just know I should be including her, so I snap this picture. I don't know how to explain her except to say that when L and I split up it was an intensely emotional experience for both of us. It was as if this woman was the release of this emotion in a physical way as I replied to L with love and support for her new life.

Picture 2: Tuk Tuk: This is my illusive Tuk-Tuk driver, Joe. He was supposed to meet me yesterday to do some errands but he never showed up, so now he's here to take me anywhere I want to go. So I say I want to go for a Thai massage. The next thing I know I am standing before a glass panel, and behind the panel are 9 scantily clad girls (they don't look very old to me so I call them girls) and they are all blowing kisses to me and waving. "I'm here for a THAI massage," I say to their- Manager-. I won't tell you exactly what the proprieter said next but I can tell you I waved goodbye to the ladies and got back into the Tuk-Tuk. A block later, Joe dropped me at another establishment. Much different from the first. Now there were TWELVE women waiting for me. I had to explain again that, although I was honored at the offer, and although I had to agreee that 2000 baht is a very reasonable price for this kind of (what did Tom Cruise call it in the Movie 'Risky Business'?)...for this kind of 'human fulfilment', I just didn't think this was what I wanted, but thank you so much. It took some delicate negotiating but I finally did get a very nice massage from one of the older women. When I came back outside, Joe was gone. They told me he couldn't wait so I had to take another cab to the Bus Depot. Fortunately Joe had left my knapsack behind for me. The new Cabbie was a real Joker. He wanted to know the intimate details of my experience and when I told him I didn't get "the works" he laughed at me and called me "small heart" which I suspect is not a nice thing to call me. I insisted that I had a big heart and that it wasn't a matter of money but of respect. After 20 minutes of his ridicule, I arrived here at this Bus Depot.
Picture 3 (Mliss Picture 1): Bus To Paradise

This is where I was Melissa, when you were starting your day. Dennis met three Thai women when he was cycling in Ayutaya; one of the ancient cities of Thailand, and a place I still very much want to visit. These two lovely woman are Jook and Toi; but Dennis nick named her 'Monkey' so that's what we all call her now. We took a bus from Ekamai station in Eastern Bangkok, to the port city of Rayong, where began one of the most fulfilling adventures I have experienced since arriving in Thailand.

Was this kinda what you had in mind for 3 Picture day Mel?