อ่าวนาง, Ao Nang & ไร่เลย์, Railay Beach
Ao translates as bay and Nang, princess. Railay comes from a Malay word meaning rice-producing.
- limestone cliffs behind the Silver Orchid
Exploring the environs, forgoing the fondue, sitting beach-side into the sunset:
- longtails racing home, westward, from the same direction a ferry of evening shift-workers and tourists, electricity
then electricity:
- under the cliff, behind the hotel; we visited next day, the enclosure padlocked and overrun with macaques
snaps of ventilated cars and obligatory cats:
the loudest longtail in Thailand:
to Ao Nang:
local produce:
- our first encounter with macaques
taking the path to the other side of Railay peninsula:
Phra Nang Beach and Tham Phra Nang, lingam, phalluses left by fishermen and locals, in the cave dedicated to the goddess princess, for safe journeys and fertility:
- the bird a Grackle, blue-black iridescent plumage
Macaques:
Back to Railay:
- and wild wild life, including hornbill and crab spitball architecture
longtail back to Ao Nang:
- note mosque in central Ao Nang, moon from the resort and note figure against the cliff
to dine with a united nations of young people from the hostel, whose unity, across ethnicities, languages and nationalities gave hope in a time of war; a memorable night also for seeing a loris climbing into a palm tree beside the terrace of the restaurant
music break:
reception at the Silver Orchid, on the road to สุราษฎร์ธานี, Surat Thani ("city of good people"):
