Return to Paradise - See

Sept. 2-3, 2017

A couple of kick-back-and-relax days were spent playing in the sand, lounging in the pool and playing some chinese checkers.  Tim created a mini Seven Kingdoms - well, two kingdoms anyway.  Ted and Hiustyn cooked some Venezuelan arepas for us, creatively substituting for some of the usual ingredients.

King's Landing

Winterfell

Arepas con huevos

While the sun was out, we got lots of great group shots in the pool.  And our adopted pet hermit crab hung out in a plastic water bottle on the table.

In the afternoon, most of the group walked down the beach to the swim-up bar and had a swimming contest.  I walked down toward the other end of the beach to check out the clubhouse.  It was fairly deserted, with a few staff at an outdoor kayak rental stand, and some others setting up their massage stations.

People took turns taking the somewhat unstable kayak out into the water.  I nervously watched from the shore, lest someone should capsize and no one was paying attention.

Mick wanted to take Ted out fishing in the kayak, so they loaded up the vessel with fishing gear and a cooler stocked with squid for bait and beer for...well, you know.  They paddled out into the bay.  They sat for a bit in one spot, then lifted anchor to move to another place.  However, the lifting was a little too destabilizing (not naming names,) and soon two men and a cooler were in the water.  Fortunately the water was quite shallow, so they just walked the boat back into shore.

Mick and June grilled up the squid that was intended as bait

We had lots of food to use up, including the leftover chicken wings from Mick and June's party, so we stayed in for dinner.  People turned in early so they could wake up for the Michigan football game at 2 a.m.  I passed on that opportunity.

One more sunset...

Tim and I were up early on the last morning, and waded far out into the water at low tide.  Hermit crabs were everywhere, as well as beautiful, perfect shells in all shades of white and gray.  We enjoyed watching one of the local dogs fishing in the shallow water - something I imagine must happen every time the tide is out.

...and one more sunrise

We returned the motorbike, paid our bills, and packed as much of the leftover food as we could into the van for the journey back to Pattaya.  We didn't have to wait long for the ferry, and had an easy sail across to the mainland, then a three-hour drive back home.

We took the group to one of our favorite eateries, the Wooden Box, for dinner.  We got the royal treatment from our "regular" waitress, Muay.  The food was delicious as always.

Sides of honey and simple sugar come with the fruit shakes

oh, that carrot-ginger soup - "Aroi Mak Mak!"

They toned down the spice in the salmon larb to "farang spicy," but it still packed a punch!