I continue with the account of our trip through the islands of the Andaman Sea:

Those tropical islands, with their white sands, their rich and abundant marine life, and their breathtaking limestone formations left us all speechless, and that's saying something, coming from a country with such excellent beaches of its own.

We visited Ko Yao, Ko Yao Kai, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, and Ko Hua Khwaan (Chicken Island), which does, in fact, look like a chicken from a distance.

We passed through Phuket and stopped at several islands along the way. Juan and I have already decided we want to go back and take the whole route more slowly.

We went snorkeling and got to admire all sorts of wonderful things: crustaceans, corals, and an enormous variety of fish.

The water is an intense, crystalline green.

On one of the islands where we came ashore, we spotted macaque monkeys, and they were so used to people that they'd walk right up to drink the sodas some visitors offered them.

The whole visual spectacle was extraordinary, and those magnificent islands, each one deserving its own unhurried exploration, kept calling us back.

We ate wonderfully and returned home well bronzed and happy.

Also there in Ao Nang we tried massages, and I decided to try another one that's very famous and quintessentially Thai: the foot massage. I walked away with entirely new feet. These Thai hands are something you simply have to experience for yourself.

Another day we went into the city of Krabi, since we were staying near Ao Nang beach, about 20 kilometers from the city center. Still, the real atmosphere was right where we were staying.

The city was more formal, but we had to see it, and while we were there someone offered us a river tour. That turned out to be a lovely outing too. Two cheerful, lively boys took us upriver in a boat. We got off at a grotto and took photos.

We spotted more macaques, and this time they put on quite a show. The crocodiles we'd been assured were there, however, remained invisible.

On other days we simply talked, swam, sunbathed, and had lovely dinners in the evenings. One morning, Maru and Xochitl went off to play golf.

We made a night of it at a bar on the day of Songkran (the Thai New Year). Maru and Sofía were tired, so it was just Adriana, Xochitl, and me who went out.

We danced, took photos, and got completely drenched, plus smeared with something white like flour, all of which is very much part of the tradition.

In the morning a few cheerful floats passed by, and one of the girls managed to photograph them.

Needless to say, we also went shopping, because temptation turns up absolutely everywhere.

On the last night we bought some drinks to toast in our rooms, and they lent us some music. So once again: conversation, cocktails, and confessions.

We came back fairly exhausted, but happy.

Our return was on the 17th, well into the afternoon. Since Adriana needed to pick up some tablecloths and Xochitl also wanted to buy a few sheets, those two went off with Juan while Sofía, Maru, and I headed to the lovely Silom neighborhood. I wanted to show them the fabulous pearls you can buy there, but with the holiday everything was closed. The big hotels are all in that part of Silom.

So while Juan, Adriana, and Xochitl finished their errands, I took Sofía and Maru to visit one of the few Hindu temples here in Bangkok. It's very picturesque, and its façade, which you'll see in some of the photos, is instantly recognizable in its style.

Since Sofía was dressed in a very Indian style that day, they assumed she was from that country, and so she ended up chatting with one of the monks.

Afterward he gave them his blessing in exchange for a donation (not that I'm suggesting anything, but this temple does appear to be one of the more prosperous operations in the neighborhood). You should see the quantity of banknotes displayed on what look like offering trays, and the steady stream of Hindu worshippers arriving with their respective gifts and donations. Photography isn't allowed inside, so I've only included a few photos that Sofía took of the façade.

In the end, Sofía received a Hindu blessing mark on her forehead, which you can see in some of the photos we took afterward at a bar in the State Tower, where we went to admire the view from up high.

The night ended with drinks and photos at that spot I just mentioned. Already wearing the faces of the exhausted, and with a touch of sadness at the impending goodbye, we had dinner at one of our favorite Thai restaurants. This restaurant is considered one of the best in Bangkok and is called the Blue Elephant.

The food is excellent, the presentation spectacular, and the space itself is an old house that blends Thai and English architectural styles from the era in which it was built. We had shared a meal here with the Castillo family when they visited Bangkok a few months ago.

The floral decorations are absolutely breathtaking: a beauty, a harmony, and a variety of plants that you can only find in countries with a climate and vegetation like Thailand's.

On that note, I should tell you that at the end of the meal they always give each woman an orchid on the way out. Since there were five of us, everyone left their orchids with me to take home, and I can report that today, the 7th of May, they still look lovely, even after I've had to remove a flower here and there over the past few days.

The last day, April 18th, brought a great deal of nerves and anxiety, because there are always far too many things to fit into suitcases, and as we all know, baggage restrictions on many airlines have become extreme.

We have no way to weigh anything since we essentially live out of a suitcase. So finally, Adriana, Xochitl, and Maru, once again with Juan's company and guidance, go off to ship things via FedEx. Sofía believed she didn't have that problem (though later at the airport she ran into some trouble since her bag was too heavy, and she was lucky that Maru had planned ahead by shipping things early and was able to free up some space for her), and managed to fit everything without issue. While the others went to send off their boxes, Sofía and I went to visit the Wat Saket (popularly known as the Golden Mount, a gilded hilltop temple). It's not far from our house, so we had plenty of time.

It is an artificial hill ordered by Rama III, intended to be a gigantic chedi (stupa), but it collapsed due to its poor foundations. It sat in ruins until Rama IV built a small stupa at its summit, from which there is an incredible 360-degree view. At the base of the Golden Mount sits the Wat Saket itself, which was built during the reign of Rama I. The climb is fascinating: along the way you encounter ancient bells with inscriptions that you're welcome to ring as you like. These are the last photos of the trip, and in them, naturally, only Sofía appears. Although Adriana, Xochitl, and Maru missed this visit, they had admired its beauty from a distance more than once when we were returning from an outing. At night it's beautifully illuminated, and the gold of its chedi glows.

Here is the link to see the photos:

The Photos

With the orchids now in front of me in a vase, I am left with the memories and the photos of this wonderful, long-awaited visit.

With all my love, Adriana.

Some original external links (Picasa Web, external sites) no longer work. The text is kept here for historical value.