After such a slow pace on Bottle Beach, it only seemed fitting to make my way slowly back up towards Bangkok. I spent a night each in Surat Thani and Chumpon, port towns most commonly used as stopovers to the gulf islands. Next, I stopped in a tiny town called Prachuab, set in the middle of three gorgeous bays. I spent two lazy days there, maintaining the relaxed vibe from Bottle Beach. Not many tourists stop in Prachuab, which means less English-speaking natives and less vegetarian food.
At the top of a big hill, a tribe of monkeys greeted me. They looked me in the eye with expressions strangely resembling troubled faces of old men. Apparently these monkeys hopped a bus from Bangkok in search of mangos. They are well-fed, as evidenced by all the corncobs, peanut shells and banana peels littering the steps. From the top, I could see all three bays, the town of Prachuab and the mountains to the west. After being chased by a monkey (to the amusement of a group of tourists), I decided to make my way back down the hill. I stumbled upon a free lunch at the nearby temple. Prachuab has a lovely night market, selling meals from carts, mostly seafood.
From Prachuab, I took a bus to Bangkok and arrived just in time to enjoy the Loi Krathong festival, an annual event held on the full moon of November. Vendors lined the streets selling floats of flowers, banana leaves and baked bread in the shape of turtles. Each float has incense and a candle to be lit before placed in the river. Dance, martial art and music performances scattered the lawn near the river. Attendees munched on carnival food and swarmed to the river to send off a float. Lanterns floated in the sky until they burst and fell, flame extinguished. I bought a float with purple orchids and sent it down the river.
Also in Bangkok, I got my first Thai massage. I changed into loose cotton garments and laid down on a low bed. Despite my distracted masseuse texting and taking phone calls, she gave me a good massage. Thai massage focuses on the body's energy meridians; in addition to pressing strategic points on the meridians, the masseuse move your body into all kinds of positions, ones you've never attained yourself... not even in yoga class. She used her own body to stretch mine, wrapping her feet around my legs and pushing hard. She served me herbal tea and gave me a discount (I assume because of all the texting). I felt great afterward and was sore for two days.
While I waited for my Vietnamese visa to come through, I had time to visit more sights, including Wat Arun. Located on the river bank, it towers 250 feet high and takes courage to climb up and down the steep stairs. The surface is composed of tiny mosaic tiles.
I took a 10-hour overnight bus north, to Chiang Mai- haven of all things healthy with temples on almost every block and fantastic cuisine.
If you missed coconut shakes, tree swings and the lazy days of Bottle Beach, HERE it is.
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