(Feb 1; need to download pics from Greg's camera) We kicked off the cloudless morning with a walk down the beach, past the occasional shrine, to the local barber so that Jim could get his hair cut (he was well over due). Aware of the language barrier, he went in prepared with a photo of George Clooney and, of course, came out looking just like him!
En route, we came across a huge mermaid statue on the rocks and Addi's mermaid line of questioning sprung back to life...what this, why that, but why...exhausting. We stopped in a few shops on the road behind the beach and saw another (much smaller) rooster shrine. Gotta get me a rooster to leave as an offering...but can't figure out where to get it! Ko Samet is apparently a Russian vacation hot spot so there are enough tourists here that Addi doesn't stand out as much and isn't the center of attention.
After lunch, Jim worked, Bonnye relaxed, and Greg, Addi and I went on a 3 hour snorkeling trip for a grand sum of $15 US. We circumnavigated the island and stopped at two reefs and a fish farm. With no snorkel gear or bathing suits in sight, Greg and I were convinced that we were on the wrong trip. But when the boat stopped, the gear came out, and most of the Thais jumped into the drink in their clothes! Why not? The reefs were fine- we saw enough action to keep Addi swimming ("like a mermaid", of course) and Greg did a good job diving below us for entertainment! Towards the end of the last swim, one of the boat drivers dove down and pulled up a sea slug for us to touch. It looked like a giant poop (sorry- it did!) And felt like that gross jelly stuff you could get for 25 cents as a kid. I don't think it liked being passed around because it shot goo all over the guy across from me! After a good laugh, the boat driver tossed it back in (aiming for an unsuspecting snorkeler) and went back in the water. He came out with a giant clam (the size of a dinner plate) which promptly spit water 5 feet across the boat and onto an onlooker. Good stuff.
On to the fish farm/ aquarium. This attraction is one of the craziest I've seen and I hope I can do it justice. We disembarked the boat and balanced along a wobbly grid of 8" wide walkways (two 2x4s next to each other) hovering just above the sea. Each 10'x10' square of open space held a different kind of fish- clown fish, barramundi, shark, turtle, etc contained by underwater netting. We inched our way along, trying look but not fall in as the boards shook and people tried to pass in the other direction. For 3 cents you could buy a bag of 4 dead fish to toss in or hand feed to your sea creature of choice. We waited to hear an unlucky splash but never did. We headed back home marveling at the things a non-litigious society can let a person do.
Addi fell asleep on a bench at the restaurant while the grown ups ate dinner, exchanged stories, memories and opinions. I felt a little bit bad about that, but it was only 8:00 and as the old saying goes: when in Rome...
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