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Post by nycgirl on Jul 7, 2012 2:33:01 GMT
My husband and I traveled to Thailand in 2010 and it was one of our favorite trips ever. Rather than write a trip report, I just wanted to share a few photos. If anyone would like to add theirs, feel free. We went kayaking in a mangrove forest and explored caves full of stalactites, stalagmites, and prehistoric paintings. On the banks of the river, we saw these cute little crabs... ... and these funny little mudfish who can actually live out of the water for months. We took a dip in the waterfalls of the beautiful Than Bok Khorani National Park. The local schoolchildren did the same, uniforms and all. We took a cooking class, which was a lot of fun. The best part was eating it afterwards. We made pad thai, massaman curry, green curry, and tom yum soup. Yummy! New Year's Eve in Krabi was nice and low-key. We just strolled along the beach watching the fireworks and paper lanterns being sent into the sky. We rode long-tail boats to visit a lot of islands. I loved the sight of enormous monoliths rising out of the blue water. Railey Beach was particularly stunning, with its pristine beaches and towering limestone cliffs. I was dwarfed by the huge stalactites. Here is a gorgeous little cove in Ko Phi Phi Leh. Kayaking in Ko Phi Phi Don. We saw lots of cute monkeys. We knew we had to be on guard against them, though. I spotted a familiar character from home, only this guy was more deferential.
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Post by lugg on Jul 7, 2012 5:01:14 GMT
Enjoyed seeing these NYCgirl. I too am a huge fan of Thailand. As you suggest - I will add some over mine later.
( I think I may have one of the same stalactite if it was taken where I think it was -Maya Bay ? )
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Post by nycgirl on Jul 7, 2012 16:41:09 GMT
No, the stalactite is on Railey Beach, but I did go to Maya Bay and it was beautiful. The picture of me in the water (with my dorky orange vest on) is near Maya, I believe.
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Post by lugg on Jul 8, 2012 10:35:36 GMT
Ah yes when I looked a my pic i can see they are quite different
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 11, 2012 1:28:13 GMT
What a nice thread idea & what wonderful pictures, NYCGirl.
The R.McDonald one is a classic of cultural adaptation -- too good!
The cave paintings had to be a major thrill.
Was that food as delicious as it looks?
I adore that fireworks picture, & all of the boat pictures are fabulous as well.
That's your teaser picture, Lugg? Bring on the rest!
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Post by hwinpp on Jul 11, 2012 12:20:08 GMT
Phantastic pics, NYG and Lugg!
I haven't been in that area of Thailand for decades, maybe it's time again ;D
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Post by lola on Jul 12, 2012 13:15:51 GMT
Beautiful, NYCg.
How fun to take a Thai cooking class in Thailand.
I wonder whether that pictograph is supposed to be a whale?
I must say that "cute" isn't first word that popped into my mind, but that's a great monkey photo.
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Post by lola on Jul 12, 2012 13:16:17 GMT
That is a gorgeous photo, too, lugg.
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Post by nycgirl on Jul 12, 2012 13:52:14 GMT
The food was delicious. I'm not a particularly good cook, but I found Thai cuisine to very approachable.
Wish I remembered what the pictographs signifies, but it was cool seeing something that has survived for so long.
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Post by lugg on Jul 13, 2012 18:27:44 GMT
I will not post too many of the same area that NYC girl has but there are a few that I would like to show, Not a great photo but it shows how white the sand is within the Phi Phi islands - the parrot fish are really chewing and pooping the coral in this area Did you notice the litter in the above photo? Sadly we saw lots of waste floating in the lagoons and on the beaches. The Thai authorities are trying to raise awareness The Phi Phi islands were affected by the 2004 tsunami , my husband's cousin and his family were caught up in it here, out an a boat , fortunately they survived relatively intact The aquamarine lagoons and towering limestone karsts are truely spectacular Lovely as it is it is not my favourite part of Thailand, that is further north...
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Post by lugg on Jul 14, 2012 19:37:45 GMT
About 3 hours drive north along the Andaman coast from Krabi , is the area known as Khao Lak ( at least it is known as such to tourists) . Khao Lak area comprises of a series of linear townships which stretch for approx. 25 miles in total along the coast. The developed areas, in the main, are the townships of Ban La On and, our favourite place to stay , Bang Niang . The townships themselves are not particularly aesthetically appealing, however the coast and hinterland are. Also a big bonus to this area is it's proximity to the Similan and Surin islands, which offer some of Thailands best snorkelling and diving . North of Bang Niang the beaches have , in the main, been spared development so one can stroll, walk or jog for miles and hardly see a soul. ( Personally I prefer to amble ;D. ) This is unlikely to last, as, although development of this area was halted by the Tsunami in 2004 , developers are moving in all along this part of the coast. And finally, possibly the jewel in the crown , this area is also close to Khao Sok , one of the most beautiful national parks in Thailand . The towering limestone karsts of Krabi , posted by NYC girl and myself , can also be seen in this area but they are no longer coastal, instead are located inland and surrounded by jungle and a fresh water lake.
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Post by lugg on Jul 14, 2012 20:09:50 GMT
This is the more, populated part of Khao Lak – the beaches of Bang Niang and Nang Thong which are separated by a creek. This crossing is a gentle paddle at low tide but requires a ferry crossing at high tide. Fortunately, payment of the ferryman, will not break the bank. lh4.googleusercontent.com/-sWsZDZ73a-s/S6SCRrfZqLI/AAAAAAAAB7k/corHtpSDLOI/s400/P1010936.JPG [/img] There are multitude of great places to eat but one of my favourite Isan restaurants offers this kind of sustenance... Prawns in whiskey sauce and the greatest Pad Thai on the planet ( ignore the fancy crap around it )
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 15, 2012 0:03:53 GMT
Gadzooks ~~ talk about expanding on a theme! Great stuff, Lugg.
If I'd only read "aquamarine lagoons", I'd have thought it was a lovely but hyperbolic description. But wowee, there they are in living aquamarine!
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Post by lugg on Jul 15, 2012 5:25:05 GMT
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Post by lugg on Jul 15, 2012 5:53:46 GMT
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Post by lugg on Jul 15, 2012 6:03:14 GMT
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Post by lugg on Jul 15, 2012 6:04:02 GMT
Looking forward to seeing others adding to this thread
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Post by nycgirl on Jul 17, 2012 3:29:24 GMT
Oh my goodness, these photos are so beautiful, Lugg! Thank you for sharing these. You're making me want to go back and explore the parts I haven't been to. I remembering seeing a chart about littering. It is crazy how long it takes something as small as a cigarette to degrade. I didn't know those limestone "things" were called karsts. Glad I learned a new word today.
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Post by lugg on Jul 18, 2012 18:11:54 GMT
Thanks Nycgirl - it made me want to go back too.
Hoping that others will post here too.....
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2012 20:04:38 GMT
I promise I'll dig up some more photos of Thailand one of these days. Now that I have a new scanner, it only requires the desire to get to work on the subject.
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Post by htmb on Jul 18, 2012 23:53:54 GMT
I promise I'll dig up some more photos of Thailand one of these days. Now that I have a new scanner, it only requires the desire to get to work on the subject. Is your scanner now wireless, or is that still an issue?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2012 12:18:14 GMT
If it made itself wireless while I've been away from home, that would be a plus, but it works just fine with the wire for the moment.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 25, 2012 4:01:35 GMT
Gosh, I hadn't looked in here to see Lugg's latest additions. Astoundingly beautiful series, Lugg! What are the houses with the boardwalk there at the end, please? Are they on piers?
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Post by lugg on Jul 25, 2012 4:14:17 GMT
Looking forward to seeing your photos K2
Bixa - they are bamboo raft houses - very basic accomodation - loos etc - all available at a distance ( see last photo) !
Here is a video which shows a little bit more
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Post by htmb on Jul 25, 2012 4:38:58 GMT
I am enjoying this so much! Thanks for posting your fabulous photos nycgirl and lugg. What fantastic trips!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2012 16:49:55 GMT
My stomach is grumbling for pad thai. Also raw beef salad.
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Post by lugg on Jul 28, 2013 8:47:13 GMT
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Post by lugg on Jul 28, 2013 9:06:10 GMT
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Post by nycgirl on Jul 28, 2013 14:10:44 GMT
Excellent photos, Lugg! I've never been to Bangkok yet. I'd love to see those splendid temples.
I recognize a couple of these from previous Image Bank posts. Nice to see them again.
What's the story with the alligator? Is he trapped there?
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Post by mossie on Jul 28, 2013 14:40:03 GMT
Super photos of a super place nycgirl and Lugg, thanks for taking us somewhere exotic.
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