Our planned recovery time is about at an end. It was just about the perfect length to allow us recuperation between the intense first month of travel and the last 3 weeks which promises to be every bit as intense. Krabi/Ao Nang is not a place we have any desire to return to being as intensely tourist and outdoor activity oriented as it is. However, because of the specifics of the home we are renting and its location on the very outskirts of the tourist area, we've actually had a very tranquil stay.
Our days have fallen into a pattern. I get up early and take a walk to the waterfront and back. Wife joins me as she is in the mood. It is pretty hot and sticky by the time I get back. Breakfast is either made (eggs) or purchased (fried chicken, fried bananas & small donuts...yes the ultimate health diet! And who would have thought that fried chicken would have become a go to breakfast item).
Every other day we will put a load of laundry on because it is easier for us to find hanging areas for small batches. Then its into the pool. I do some laps. Wife does some water aerobics. None of it is very intense. And there are lots of breaks for talking. We're doing a LOT of talking. There are just some things that we're really putting our heads around. We've jokingly called the pool The Boardroom.
I usually shower & shave after pool/boardroom time. We do online stuff after that - some blogging, research, work (for me), Rotary, etc. I will typically nap early. We eat a snack. Then we either go to the outdoor market or order food in. Delivery here is so fast that it doesn't really pay to eat out. Mon-Thu I frequently have meetings anywhere from 4pm to 9pm to various parts of the world for Theodora, paying clients, or Rotary projects. Then its relaxation time with a nice after dinner drink.
Repeat as often as necessary. It is sort of the antithesis of the crazed de-I/Wife assault touring.
Another Morning Walk
Fighting Fowl?
Every night and early morning we are serenaded to the sound of two roosters in our neighborhood. I thought roosters are territorial. But these two hang around together all the time. And I don't see any chickens. I'm wondering of they are fighting cocks. They sure the heck prime specimens if you ask me and the back of their feet have these nasty look spurs. (Though on close examination of this picture, they appear clipped)
The weather has turned rather dramatically over the last four days. We've gone from dry season extreme heat and humidity, to afternoon torrential downpours, slightly lower temperatures and extreme humidity (this is SE Asia). The rain has caused the view at the waterfront to be slightly clearer.
Hunt for Espouses Fotograficus
Loyal readers will know that de-I makes a point of researching in depth the likelihood of find the rare and elusive Espouses Fotograficus whenever he is in the world. Most of the time the shy Fotograficus is very aware of her surroundings and resists her image being captured. My studies indicated there were sighting in Ao Nang. One must be patient and very subtle in one's actions to capture this rare beauty.
I followed her up into town
Something was calling to her
On deciphering Fried Chicken
I know I am verging on being poetic on my appreciation for the fried chicken we've been getting. But it is not just the local fried chicken (which is uniformly good), but particularly our local little vendor. She is one woman with one helper (at least every day we've gone there which is about six times so far). The helper is doing the cooking, the woman is filling the orders.
It is a popup stand. It's gone by 10am. I have yet to see her miss a day so I don't know when she takes time off. She works her ass off. It is hot from the product being fried to the beating sun. I have never gone there when there isn't a number of people waiting to be served. Everywhere else I've seen, the chicken has been made earlier and is sitting out. Her orders are going out so fast that I've never seen the chicken last more than 10 minutes. I wish I could write a Google review or something but she's too small to be listed.
Fate would have it that I saw an article about Southern Thai food that confirmed how ubiquitous fried chicken is as a breakfast, street food item. And they had a recipe that simply called for the chicken to be brined. But the chicken I am seeing does not look like just a brine.
With us leaving in just another day, I may never find out.
2 comments:
I, too, find vacations very thought provoking. Since I'm usually traveling alone, there are no board meetings, just jotted notes on changes I'd like to make in my life.
I am so curious to hear what else, aside from house renovations, you guys have been talking about
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