Lynn's Trip to Thailand part 4: A Day in the Life
As before I will quote the text and then comment on it:
Posted: March 8, 2010
Kate and Lane have gone to the beach and I'm staying out of the sun and out of trouble. With so many shoe and handbag shops out there and no space for STUFF in my luggage, I'm banned from bargaining unless it's for stuff that's edible!
We have for the first time a mention of Kate and Lane, her traveling companions, by name. Someone has banned Lynn from buying any bargain shoes and handbags, which is probably a nice way of saying, “Kate told me I could not buy any more handbags or shoes because she doesn’t have any more room in her luggage to hold them, since I have already bought enough to fill up all the spare space in my luggage and her luggage. God I am so bored. Why did I agree to come on a trip with 2 honeymooners who spend most of their day having sex? I want to go see the ancient mysterious East.”
I've noticed there are no more mysterious, veiled women here in Phuket province. In Kata, anyway, everyone is in western beach wear and on the beach...the flesh hangs out in copious folds, flaps and formations. Lovely young things in tiny thong bikinis and handsome young men with tight stomachs blend in with red, rotund gents and large gelatinous women, none of whom seem to care about dress or decorum. I sat on the seawall for awhile and wished I'd brought a sketch book. No camera could capture this richness of imagery.
Along with what appears to be a picture of Muslim school girls, we get another comment about the mysterious, veiled women. Lynn mentioned them first when she was in Bangkok. The Muslim population in Thailand is a very small percentage of the overall population, but apparently Lynn prefers their style of dress to fat people on the beach. I am not sure in the line about the camera vs. the sketch book if that is her subtle dig that the fat beach people are so ugly they would break her camera. The comment makes me wonder if, on all those trips she took with Rod Johnston to Mexican beach resorts, if Lynn ever went to the beach. My experience is that fat people love the beach just as much as skinny people. Of course, in Mexico, Lynn may have gone to those resorts where the beach people knew to cover up to keep from offending Lynn.
The streets teem with food vendors. Tasty looking cubes of fish, meat and chicken, veggies and fruits of all kinds whet your appetite and then it hits you. Like a blast from a hidden jet of evil, a powerful whiff of sewer gas knocks you into closing your wallet and moving on. Where does this come from? There seems to be no obvious source. The streets appear to be clean and there are no privvies in proximity and yet, the pervasive and pungent scent of poo is there.
Another story of Lynn not eating. Has she eaten anything? Apparently Lynn is not alone on this issue with the smell. I have found a couple of references to Phuket and a strong sewage smell, which this writer says comes from the sea.
There are no timeshare people here. This obnoxious and exasperating animal is somehow absent from Thailand, but it's likely a matter of time before they, like other invading species find a way to thrive on this turf.
For Phuket timeshares, see this website. As to why Lynn is unaware of this, I can only guess it's the usual reason -- Lynn only knows what she sees, and my guess is that the resort and spa where she is staying is not a timeshare kind of place.
Tsunami sirens tower high above the entrance to the beach. This area was hard hit and people will tell you how the devastation affected them and their families. Nobody was exempt from suffering. Still, the resilience of the human spirit abounds and the local advertising is peppered with slogans reminding tourists that it's "better now it's rebuilt" and "we're STILL cleaning up!" (clearance sale)
Although she doesn’t say it exactly, I think Lynn is talking about the tsunami that hit Phuket back in Dec. 26, 2004. Here are the details.
Vendors are MULTI lingual. They call to you in every language and it's a game for some of them to see how many they can use. "Are you from Holland?" and they offer you their wares in Dutch. "Are you from France?" And they will bargain in French. Kate has already started to memorize some phrases in Thai. She knows the numbers up to 10, the names for a lot of foods and the very useful "Don't shoot! The drugs aren't mine!!!" I'm still working on "hello and goodbye"
This entry is her most negative so far. Lynn has a critical or snarky comment about every element of Phuket she has mentioned. You can tell from these comments on the differences between Kate's and her use of the Thai phrases, Kate is much more into this than Lynn. Normally Lynn brags on her own language skills. The drug reference is interesting and as near as I can tell from this news report talking about forming a special unit to deal with drug use, it is a concern from the people of Phuket for reasons of improving the appearance of Phuket. Drug use must be obvious if Lynn notices it.
Well, I've held onto this machine for too long and have to give it up to others, so will sign off for today. Tonight it's my turn to choose the cuisine and I think I'd like to hit the shop that offers "shark and fried". This must be the equivalent to Thai fish and chips. Maybe they serve it in newspapers! Cheers for now.
LJ
With shark and fried, Lynn wants fish and chips. She really is like Elly in her love of fried foods. As near as I can tell from this website, “fried” will refer to a fried noodle, not a fried shark:
Noodles
There are two styles of fried noodles which Phuket is proud to offer. One is mi hokkian or mi hun ( Amoy noodles) which is fried with fresh shrimps, pork, shellfish and green cabbage.
I can already predict Lynn’s reaction. “It wasn’t fried shark, so I decided not to eat any and just enjoyed my Phuket beer instead. Kate says I may need to be banned from buying any more beer, but I already told her I can buy all the stuff I want that's edible."
Posted: March 8, 2010
Kate and Lane have gone to the beach and I'm staying out of the sun and out of trouble. With so many shoe and handbag shops out there and no space for STUFF in my luggage, I'm banned from bargaining unless it's for stuff that's edible!
We have for the first time a mention of Kate and Lane, her traveling companions, by name. Someone has banned Lynn from buying any bargain shoes and handbags, which is probably a nice way of saying, “Kate told me I could not buy any more handbags or shoes because she doesn’t have any more room in her luggage to hold them, since I have already bought enough to fill up all the spare space in my luggage and her luggage. God I am so bored. Why did I agree to come on a trip with 2 honeymooners who spend most of their day having sex? I want to go see the ancient mysterious East.”
I've noticed there are no more mysterious, veiled women here in Phuket province. In Kata, anyway, everyone is in western beach wear and on the beach...the flesh hangs out in copious folds, flaps and formations. Lovely young things in tiny thong bikinis and handsome young men with tight stomachs blend in with red, rotund gents and large gelatinous women, none of whom seem to care about dress or decorum. I sat on the seawall for awhile and wished I'd brought a sketch book. No camera could capture this richness of imagery.
Along with what appears to be a picture of Muslim school girls, we get another comment about the mysterious, veiled women. Lynn mentioned them first when she was in Bangkok. The Muslim population in Thailand is a very small percentage of the overall population, but apparently Lynn prefers their style of dress to fat people on the beach. I am not sure in the line about the camera vs. the sketch book if that is her subtle dig that the fat beach people are so ugly they would break her camera. The comment makes me wonder if, on all those trips she took with Rod Johnston to Mexican beach resorts, if Lynn ever went to the beach. My experience is that fat people love the beach just as much as skinny people. Of course, in Mexico, Lynn may have gone to those resorts where the beach people knew to cover up to keep from offending Lynn.
The streets teem with food vendors. Tasty looking cubes of fish, meat and chicken, veggies and fruits of all kinds whet your appetite and then it hits you. Like a blast from a hidden jet of evil, a powerful whiff of sewer gas knocks you into closing your wallet and moving on. Where does this come from? There seems to be no obvious source. The streets appear to be clean and there are no privvies in proximity and yet, the pervasive and pungent scent of poo is there.
Another story of Lynn not eating. Has she eaten anything? Apparently Lynn is not alone on this issue with the smell. I have found a couple of references to Phuket and a strong sewage smell, which this writer says comes from the sea.
There are no timeshare people here. This obnoxious and exasperating animal is somehow absent from Thailand, but it's likely a matter of time before they, like other invading species find a way to thrive on this turf.
For Phuket timeshares, see this website. As to why Lynn is unaware of this, I can only guess it's the usual reason -- Lynn only knows what she sees, and my guess is that the resort and spa where she is staying is not a timeshare kind of place.
Tsunami sirens tower high above the entrance to the beach. This area was hard hit and people will tell you how the devastation affected them and their families. Nobody was exempt from suffering. Still, the resilience of the human spirit abounds and the local advertising is peppered with slogans reminding tourists that it's "better now it's rebuilt" and "we're STILL cleaning up!" (clearance sale)
Although she doesn’t say it exactly, I think Lynn is talking about the tsunami that hit Phuket back in Dec. 26, 2004. Here are the details.
Vendors are MULTI lingual. They call to you in every language and it's a game for some of them to see how many they can use. "Are you from Holland?" and they offer you their wares in Dutch. "Are you from France?" And they will bargain in French. Kate has already started to memorize some phrases in Thai. She knows the numbers up to 10, the names for a lot of foods and the very useful "Don't shoot! The drugs aren't mine!!!" I'm still working on "hello and goodbye"
This entry is her most negative so far. Lynn has a critical or snarky comment about every element of Phuket she has mentioned. You can tell from these comments on the differences between Kate's and her use of the Thai phrases, Kate is much more into this than Lynn. Normally Lynn brags on her own language skills. The drug reference is interesting and as near as I can tell from this news report talking about forming a special unit to deal with drug use, it is a concern from the people of Phuket for reasons of improving the appearance of Phuket. Drug use must be obvious if Lynn notices it.
Well, I've held onto this machine for too long and have to give it up to others, so will sign off for today. Tonight it's my turn to choose the cuisine and I think I'd like to hit the shop that offers "shark and fried". This must be the equivalent to Thai fish and chips. Maybe they serve it in newspapers! Cheers for now.
LJ
With shark and fried, Lynn wants fish and chips. She really is like Elly in her love of fried foods. As near as I can tell from this website, “fried” will refer to a fried noodle, not a fried shark:
Noodles
There are two styles of fried noodles which Phuket is proud to offer. One is mi hokkian or mi hun ( Amoy noodles) which is fried with fresh shrimps, pork, shellfish and green cabbage.
I can already predict Lynn’s reaction. “It wasn’t fried shark, so I decided not to eat any and just enjoyed my Phuket beer instead. Kate says I may need to be banned from buying any more beer, but I already told her I can buy all the stuff I want that's edible."
posted by howard at 5:46 AM
6 Comments:
Over at Foobiverse, several of us have posted various links to Old Town Phuket. For example, one can shop for other things than fake designer goods: art, silk, books, etc. And "shopping" can be a fine way to look at interesting stuff, even if you don't buy much: http://www.phuket.com/shopping/phuket-town.htm
Besides some lovely temples, Phuket boasts Sino-Colonial architecture. Well worth a stroll--in areas that appear to be shaded by trees. These buildings appear quite "mysterious" to me--speaking of a mixed, multi-ethnic past. Smuggling, perhaps? Did Indiana Jones stop by on any of his adventures? What about Terry & the Pirates? http://www.phuket.com/magazine3/focus.htm
Well, a person with imagination could see mystery. That leaves Lynn out. She prefers to look down
on those fat people on the beach who lack "decorum." They're probably people from cold, northern countries who just want to bask in the sun. And they don't give a flip if Ms Poo-Brain is offended.
At least she can feel superior, since she's not fat. So she'll skip another meal, have a beer & sulk.
--Maggie Tx
Maggie Tx,
Besides some lovely temples, Phuket boasts Sino-Colonial architecture. Well worth a stroll--in areas that appear to be shaded by trees. These buildings appear quite "mysterious" to me--speaking of a mixed, multi-ethnic past.
According to this website, the tin mining industry of the 18th century was carried out by Hokkien Chinese. In the early 20th century, European mining companies were invited in and it is from this time period, the Sino-Colonial architecture, including roads and canals were built. Now, if Lynn is comparing this to Beijing, she would be disappointed, since Beijing has dozens of old temples dating back hundreds of years. Compared to the Oaxaca trip, the difficulty appears to be Lynn’s inability to do things alone. She is trapped by this. There is no local friend to drive her and give her free tours, so she is stuck at the resort hotel unable to enjoy the things that are there: the beach, the shopping or the street vendors fare. Judging from this map, Phuket Old Town appears to be on east side of the island from Kata Beach which is on the west side, so Lynn can’t walk there. I know she could take a taxi, but this thought doesn’t seem to occur to her, or she can’t bear to do that without Kate and Lane.
Compared to the Oaxaca trip, the difficulty appears to be Lynn’s inability to do things alone. She is trapped by this. There is no local friend to drive her and give her free tours, so she is stuck at the resort hotel unable to enjoy the things that are there: the beach, the shopping or the street vendors fare. Judging from this map, Phuket Old Town appears to be on east side of the island from Kata Beach which is on the west side, so Lynn can’t walk there. I know she could take a taxi, but this thought doesn’t seem to occur to her, or she can’t bear to do that without Kate and Lane.
Good catch on that; Lynn doesn't seem to have the moxie to actually look for the 'mysterious East' without someone to accompany her. It speaks to a deeper issue of hers that she wants to conceal.
Jesus what a miserable, depressing old woman. Stuck in the hellhole that passes for a vacation resort in stinky Thailand, all the sad old mope can do is complain about beach blubber and sewage? Makes me want to hop a flight over there to put a bullet in her just to end her suffering.
Why is she even bothering with this?
DreadedCandiru2,’
Good catch on that; Lynn doesn't seem to have the moxie to actually look for the 'mysterious East' without someone to accompany her. It speaks to a deeper issue of hers that she wants to conceal.
There’s not too much to conceal about that. She’s over 60 and in a foreign country where she doesn’t speak the language. She probably doesn’t feel safe or comfortable doing it. Lynn has always had Rod or other friends to take care her before. If Lane and Kate are on their honeymoon, as I have suspected before, they may not be inclined to spend their days tromping around shopping and looking at old buildings with her, which appears to be the things she likes to do.
FDChief,
Jesus what a miserable, depressing old woman. Stuck in the hellhole that passes for a vacation resort in stinky Thailand, all the sad old mope can do is complain about beach blubber and sewage?
I agree with you there. I would be doing some spa treatments or snorkeling or swimming. Those are clearly not things which Lynn Johnston likes to do.
Why is she even bothering with this?
Probably she thought if she agreed to pay for Kate ad Lane’s honeymoon trip, then she gets a trip out of it with someone along to take care of her. She may not know how honeymoon couples are like since, as near as can tell from things she has said; she treated her relationship with Rod more like a business relationship than a romance.
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