The cousins ended their tour of Bangkok and we drove south to where I'm living these days overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.This area of the country is so relaxed compared to the activity of the city -- not too much to do except relax on the beach and wonder where the next meal is coming from. Not to say there aren't tourist attractions in the area, but they are not as readily available as in cities like Chiang Mai or Bangkok.
We did take advantage of some of the attractions in the area, such as reserving a boat to take us to Koh Tao or what is better known as Turtle Island. It's here that a protective sanctuary is set up for baby turtles to mature before being released into the ocean waters.
Witnessing young turtles in aquariums was interesting, but my favorite part of the trip was spending time sitting on a sandbar in the water eating local fruit and connecting with the cousins. The boat ride to and from the island was also a wonderful way to experience the Gulf of Thailand, a change from the typical views from the shore.
And I especially enjoyed watching the now-mature turtles waddling their way into their new home from a local beach months later!
Another excursion we chose was a mangrove forest called Thung Prong Thong or, translated, Golden Meadow.
I learned that mangrove forests are coastal wetlands characterized by salt-tolerant trees. Apparently, trees in these forests have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen and remove salt, allowing them to tolerate conditions that kill most plants. Mangrove swamps protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (like tropical cyclones) and tsunamis. In fact, they limit high-energy wave erosion mainly during events such as storm surges and tsunamis because the massive root systems are able to dissipate wave energy. Who knew?
Fortunately for us, mangrove forests are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including a short 20 minute drive from Escape. In all candor, I had no idea these forests existed in my neighborhood -- thankfully Lynn brought it to my attention when initially planning their trip to Thailand!
It was wonderful to be able to share some of the local restaurants in the area after these arduous (not) excursions. It still amazes me how many different types of restaurants exist in this remote part of Thailand beyond the typical Thai cuisine -- from Italian, French, Tex-Mex to Steak and Seafood. Needless to say, it was a pleasure to spend time with the cousins, regardless of cuisine!
