6 Week Gap Year

26th November (Sunday)
Wake up around 7 thanks to the next alarm providers and make breakfast. 2 hard boiled eggs, toast and Bali coffee (I was given some by Wayan at the Royal Bali Beach Club) was from the filter coffee machine. Good, but not as good as the breakfast in the Prince Palace, BKK. Decide to visit Phuket town and Jim takes me there in the resort Honda CRV. (for a charge naturally) I have a small map and set out for a walk totry and include the old town now a Chinese area, the fish and vegetable market, and new shopping centre just of town called Centre Festival. Why there? Oh I don’t know, maybe it’s the contrast of construction styles. You know, the buildings of old town in their beautiful and intricate Portuguese/China style against the stark concrete and glass edifices we like to visit to worship at the shrine of consumerism. (oh, and they have a bowling centre).As I wander slowly around the town in the 30+C and rising heat I am constantly approached by very persistent taxi drivers who can’t understand why I want to walk when they can take me in comfort and coolness to any destination I choose! I wander through the small alleys and aisles of the market which is gradually closing for the day as it is now around midday. The smells in here actually make me gag, and I walk trepidatiously around suspicious looking pools of liquid on the floor. There are some stalls still selling but mostly they are clearing away the fish from the stainless steel tray counters and washing and sluicing down. The thought strikes me as I watch them put the fish in plastic bags, tie them, and place them in a box to put on a cart, to presumably take away somewhere, do they resell the fish tomorrow? Do they eat them themselves, but surely there is too many for that. Where’s the ice to keep them cool and fresh? Do they get sold to the street food hawkers? Too many unanswered questions here re food hygiene so I make a mental note to never buy fish from any of the street hawkers. My gentle wanderings take me to Phuket old town and some interesting building architecture. I I notice the buildings are thin but very long, with wonderfully ornate sofitting, verandas and window shutters. The pavements have glazed tile patterns (see photo) and along the road are a number of very large colonial style houses set in beautiful gardens of lawns, blooming bougainvillea bushes, trees and huge exotic plants. Reminders all, of past colonial trading and settling successes. I really enjoyed walking this bit of history and felt a little sad that so much of it was in a really quite bad state of repair. One or 2 places had been renovated to their past glory but all too many were but faded shadows. I am a faded shadow myself now as the heat and sun take their toll on me. My water supply has run out and I need a rest and shade. Return to the main part of town and take a taxi to Centre Festival. It’s a buzzin’ and happenin’ place and absolutely stuffed with shoppers and lunchers. It’s in 2 parts. The slightly older part is a very large supermercado surrounded by loads of restaurants including a Japanese style one called MK! The second building is newer and a concrete and glass structure with all the big name shops fo clothes, jewellery and electrical. Couldn’t get in there as too busy and had a waiting list. Found a little counter area further in that sold pizzas so had a seafood, pineapple and cheese 8” and pepsi. Very satisfying. Made my way up to the second floor where the bowl was and loads of karaoke booths. Sat here for a while and listened to the strangulated tones of kids and adults alike using echo or reverb effects to “enhance” their singing and murdering known and unknown songs. I waited for a while but the police never turned up to arrest them!
The bowl was fairly busy but lovely and cool so decided to have a game (or 3) Bowled 179, 202, 192 in those lovely house shoes and badly fitting house balls. Met a nice guy called Bentoon Rakrangsimansukon the lane next door and got chatting. He owns a backpackers campsite north of Patong at Mai Khao Beach but has not been able to trade so far this year as the government have decided to build a new road past his property and has consequently blocked all access to the site. His website is http://www.phuketcampsite.com/ for anyone interested next year. Went back to Phuket town and went into a department store called Robinson. As I was wandering around 3 girls went past me into the ladies perfumes and make up area and on a second look I think they are not quite all they seemed! As I watched they walked in a more girly way than girls and their mannerisms were so exaggerated they were almost obviously ladyboys! One of the male assistants was watching me watching them and he caught me eye. I raised an eyebrow as a question at him and he laughed and nodded in confirmation. Just thinking a little further on from this if you are out at night and having a few drinks , perhaps not quite in control of all your sensibilities and you are talking to these bar girls how do you how do you tell the difference. I bet it makes for some interesting conversations when they get back to apartments and exciting discoveries are made!