Thursday, February 03, 2011

What a memorable vacation part two

The hot springs of Krabi

Geographically Thailand is siuated on the outermost of the infamous Pacific Ring of Fire -- the chain of active and dormant land and underseas volcanoes ringing the Pacific Ocean coastline. Even though there is not any active volcano in Thailand, there are still seismic activities from time to time. One of the indicators of this active underground activities is the stream of hot underground water running along the west coast of southern Thailand. Old Faithful it is not, but the Hot Springs of Krabi are a very popular tourist desination.

About an hour's drive north of Phra Nang Inn Hotel where we were staying lies the Waree Raksa Hot Springs Day Spa, also run by the hotel.

It was one of the most beautiful, peaceful sites I have visited.



The hot springs run through the property. The place was delevoped into a traditional Thai day spa. Shallow tiled hot and cold pools were built to blend in with the landscape. In essense you have an outdoors Jacuzzi.


Thatch-roofed huts and traditional Thai style houses are interspesred throughout. That was where we later had our Thai massage.

But first, the hot tub!

We soaked in 100+ degree crystal clear mineral water.


Learned basic Yoga:


And got a massage:
A good time was had by all.

The place is expanding. Right now it is only a day spa but they are building accommodation so guests can stay overnight if they choose to. And who would not. And an inherent foreman in Carl just needed to check out the construction underway:

What can I say? The man has not met a construction project he could keep his hands off.

We also checked out the palm oil field near by.

Palm Oil has replace rubber as the cash crop of choice in southern Thailand. There is an ever growing market for the oil in the food industry and expecially more in the cosmetic and beauty product industries. It is more lucrative, less labor intensive than maintaining a rubber plantation.

But that is not to say there is no more rubber plantation in Thailand. There are still plenty.

Considering you have to get up every day at 3:00 a.m. to collect the rubber sap from tree to tree, I think I would go with the palm oil any day. At least with the palm oil, you collect the fruit once every three months. And each cluster of fruits weighs in over 20 pounds.

We also stopped by a pineapple field on the way back to the beach.

That guy in the bottom left picture is about ready to be picked.

Back at the hotel I went back to my socks.

P1030706

Moving right along.

Our stay in Krabi was drawing to an end. One farewaell dinner though:


I'll have the one in the middle please.

Yum!

We had three more days in Bangkok before heading back home.


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