Now Phuket is not a place Tony and I would have chosen as a holiday destination. His brother on the other hand loves it and goes there nearly every year and keeps asking us to go there with them. We finally relented due to the fact his brother paid for Tony's half of the holiday as a present for his birthday. I was quite happy to go to get away from the cold and into warmer weather if it was only for 8 days. I really feel the cold now; must be something to do with getting old.
The Giant Budda
Pan Yee Village -MuslimFishingVillage
This villiage is all on stilts in the water next to a big rock Island. The first settlers were the Malay people. The people in the village rely heavily on tourists. There are markets and numerous restaurants. It even has a school.
The most popular mode of transport on the Island is by bike. We were amazed to see how many people they fitted on one bike. Whole families would pile on to the bike. with babies up front.
Phuket is an Island that is only 48 kilometers from south to north and 21 kilometers from east to west. That makes it easy to get around and see the entire island in 1 day if you so wish.
To hire a car with driver for the day on Phuket was only 800 Baht (about $25). The picture is of our first driver and car.
As you can see by the expression on my face I was not impressed with the baby elephant putting his trunk around my neck. I must admit after seeing the film "Water for Elephants" I had a lot of empathy for them.
It was interesting to go through the cave to see the rock formations. We got into the carubber float which seats 4 passengers together with one guide in front and a paddler behind. Next, we move onto sitting on bamboo rafts before wading through the rest of the way. We were given miner styled headlights for us to view the rock formations in the cave. The cave is also called elephant cave as there was a rock formation which looks like a white elephant.
Here we are on James Bond Island, where 'The Man With The Golden Gun' staring Roger Moore and Christopher Lee was filmed in 1974.
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On another note, we are off to Belmont (near Newcastle) for 2 days tomorrow with our dancing friends.
After nine and half hours we arrived in Phuket and were taken by car for another 3/4 hour ride to our resort at Patong Beach where Tony's brother and wife were waiting for us. It was about 11.00pm (Phuket is 3 hours behind Sydney) and I was feeling rather tired as I can't sleep on plane
At Reception they gave us towels and a bowl of water. I wiped my face with the towel and dipped my fingers in the water. The receptionist said "no no you drink that". Didn't I feel a "right fool".I didn't like the taste of the sweet water anyway and would have preferred to wash me hands in it. We then proceeded to the bar where we had cocktails and I had my first Mai Tai. Cocktails are very cheap so we made the most of them during our stay.
The Amari resort (First photo is of the Hotel) is set up on a hill above the beach where the Tsunami took place in 2004.You would never know anything had happened as everything has been rebuilt. Except for the Tsunami sign post letting you know where to evacuate to just in case.
Some of the sights we saw were:
The Giant Budda Sitting serenely atop a quiet hilltop in the center of Phuket - its presence a stark contrast to the unrelenting hustle and bustle of the hectic resort island surrounding it - is a towering and partially completed giant Budda.
Measuring in at 150 feet (45 metres high) and 80 feet (25 metres) across its base, this cross-legged colossus, its body layered with Burmese marble tiles, can be seen gazing down benevolently from many vantage points across the island’s west coast. Known to locals as the Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri Buddha, it seems to glow with an almost ethereal brightness whenever the sun emerges from behind its dense tropical cloud cover.
This monumental statue is being built to attract both tourists and devout Buddhists alike, plus of course as a constant reminder to locals of the supreme divinity of the enlightened one.
They certainly don't have any health and safety regulations on Phuket. No safety harnesses or hard hats. Even around the Budda where people walk there is no safety rail.
The main religion on Phuket, as in the rest of Thailand, is Buddhism.
Although we did manage to find a little Catholic chapel up an alley in the back streets.The priest was Italian and the Mass was in Italian. Although when he found we were English
Measuring in at 150 feet (45 metres high) and 80 feet (25 metres) across its base, this cross-legged colossus, its body layered with Burmese marble tiles, can be seen gazing down benevolently from many vantage points across the island’s west coast. Known to locals as the Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri Buddha, it seems to glow with an almost ethereal brightness whenever the sun emerges from behind its dense tropical cloud cover.
This monumental statue is being built to attract both tourists and devout Buddhists alike, plus of course as a constant reminder to locals of the supreme divinity of the enlightened one.
They certainly don't have any health and safety regulations on Phuket. No safety harnesses or hard hats. Even around the Budda where people walk there is no safety rail.
The main religion on Phuket, as in the rest of Thailand, is Buddhism.
Although we did manage to find a little Catholic chapel up an alley in the back streets.The priest was Italian and the Mass was in Italian. Although when he found we were English
he translated the sermon for us.
Thai Muslims make up approximately 35% of Phuket's population, and many are still concentrated in the area around Surin Beach where the migrant Malays originally settled. Despite the smaller number Thai Muslims make up approximately 35% of Phuket's population, and many are still concentrated in the area around Surin Beach where the migrant Malays originally settled. Despite the smaller number of Muslims, mosques actually outnumber Buddhist wats on the island.
of Muslims, mosques actually outnumber Buddhist wats on the island.
Thai Muslims make up approximately 35% of Phuket's population, and many are still concentrated in the area around Surin Beach where the migrant Malays originally settled. Despite the smaller number Thai Muslims make up approximately 35% of Phuket's population, and many are still concentrated in the area around Surin Beach where the migrant Malays originally settled. Despite the smaller number of Muslims, mosques actually outnumber Buddhist wats on the island.
of Muslims, mosques actually outnumber Buddhist wats on the island.
Pan Yee Village -MuslimFishingVillage
This villiage is all on stilts in the water next to a big rock Island. The first settlers were the Malay people. The people in the village rely heavily on tourists. There are markets and numerous restaurants. It even has a school.
The most popular mode of transport on the Island is by bike. We were amazed to see how many people they fitted on one bike. Whole families would pile on to the bike. with babies up front.
We also visited the sleeping Budda which is in a cave with lots of monkeys around.
Phuket is an Island that is only 48 kilometers from south to north and 21 kilometers from east to west. That makes it easy to get around and see the entire island in 1 day if you so wish.
To hire a car with driver for the day on Phuket was only 800 Baht (about $25). The picture is of our first driver and car.
As you can see by the expression on my face I was not impressed with the baby elephant putting his trunk around my neck. I must admit after seeing the film "Water for Elephants" I had a lot of empathy for them.
Another place we visited was Pung-Chang Cave.
It was interesting to go through the cave to see the rock formations. We got into the carubber float which seats 4 passengers together with one guide in front and a paddler behind. Next, we move onto sitting on bamboo rafts before wading through the rest of the way. We were given miner styled headlights for us to view the rock formations in the cave. The cave is also called elephant cave as there was a rock formation which looks like a white elephant.
Here we are on James Bond Island, where 'The Man With The Golden Gun' staring Roger Moore and Christopher Lee was filmed in 1974.
All in all we had a fantastic time. The weather was 34c each day. The company was great.
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On another note, we are off to Belmont (near Newcastle) for 2 days tomorrow with our dancing friends.
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