Samae Beach, on the south side of Koh Larn
Sidebar: Okay, y'alls get ready for this...no, I am not quoting Reel 2 Real superfluously...I joined a gym. I know, I know, I've always said I'm morally against gyms, the "morally" part thrown in to give my argument some substantive footing. But look, I'm not paying... Hua joined some American chain gym (has anyone ever heard of California WOW?) and as a result of her doing so, I get a free two-month membership. I'm going to take yoga, and lots of it. In the meantime, I got a one-week free membership to the fitness center at the Dusit Resort here in Pattaya (which is the nicest hotel here), also thanks to my cousin. So I've been working out every day.
Anyway, I liked the beach so much, I went back today, only this time my destination was Tawaen Beach, for several reasons:
-Hua had been to that beach and liked it very much
-the boat to/from Pattaya went directly to this beach - I wanted to save myself the 30-baht sawngtaew ride
-why not try a different beach?
Tawaen Beach, on the north side of Koh Larn
Once again, I took a 10AM boat to Koh Larn, but again, this was not the boat directly to Tawaen Beach. I had misread the schedule - the boat to that beach only departed at 8AM, 9AM, and 11AM. Back at the pier I was again. I went to the same sawngtaew stand as yesterday and found the same driver. I told him I wanted to go "to the beach where the boat is" - I'd forgotten the name. He told me to wait until all the other trucks had left and he'd take me - and then he didn't charge me. Apparently he had to go there anyway to meet the people getting off the 11AM boat. Then he walked me to the beach, said there was a section of umbrellas and lounge chairs reserved for his friends and that I could sit in one - free shade. Oops, too bad I'd forgotten a towel...
Later, this dude peddling jetski rides kept coming over and asking me if I wanted a ride He said he wouldn't charge me. I said okay. It was fine until he started trying to kiss me as I was trying to steer through extremely choppy water, so I said I was finished. Then he asked me if I wanted to go out tonight, if I liked the disco. Lying through my teeth, I said "No, mai chawp disco." Then he asked me if I wanted to go for another ride before I left on the boat. I said "maybe," and ran away.
I returned to my seat and began drawing a fat white dude down the row from me, napping. Other dudes peddling rides, etc. who were friends with the sawngtaew driver came over and saw me sketching. One dude sat down in front of me and requested a portrait, to which I had no choice but to oblige. It actually wasn't half bad, considering I'm rusty and I hate being put on the spot. The exchange? He got me free Heineken. Mmmm. Then another dude sat down next to me and we began chatting and somehow compared Hong Kong Cantonese accents to those of Thai speakers from Chiang Mai - both speak the languages veerrrrrrrrry sloooooooowly and draw out the last syllables of each sentence.
Earlier this morning, a clueless European woman (fat, of course), brushed shoulders with a monk because she is ignorant. Duh, women cannot touch monks! It was hilarious - the monk let her walk past him and pretended to bop her on the head with his fan and everyone else laughed. I tried to be nice and ran after her to explain to her but she didn't understand me because she does not speak English. Idiot. Anyway, you had to see it - a dignified monk pretending to whack this fatass woman on the head.
And that, my good people, was my day. I came home, called Hua to let her know I was back, and then ordered fried frice from the hotel restaurant and had it delivered to the house. Mmmmm. And I am skipping my workout tonight. Too tired. God help me I love the beach. I wish I was going back tomorrow. Click here or on either of the photos to access the entire photo album on my FlickR account.
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