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Day 5 - Tuesday 28 June 2016 Euro 2016........It has rained heavily again in the night and into the morning, not that it really affected me. I declined the invitation to wake up for the England v Iceland game. Naturally the result was the first thing on my mind as I woke. When I saw the result my reaction was surprising and totally at odds with most of the nation. I’m actually relieved since now I don’t have this distraction to worry about during the rest of my stay in Thailand. Making this trip during the British summer is unusual. That last happened in 2011. Consequently although I’m in a position to stream TV whenever I want, it’s the time difference that is the issue. Staying up late defeats the object of being on tour. With Wimbledon also affected I need to put it at the back of my mind. It wasn’t that long ago I’d have had no choice. Leam Sing revisited........The morning follows a similar pattern with rain not far away. It’s not until 11am that we venture out. It’s usually at this stage on a penultimate day on tour that there is a mad scramble to get round as many remaining sites as possible. Strangely things are quite relaxed. Without taking anything away from this fascinating province there is not too much more we can do. I only ever intended exploring the coastline and the historic city of Chanthaburi at the expense of the natural attractions of the highlands to the north. Its true there are still some dotting of i’s and crossing of t’s but I am confident that we can tidy up here today and tomorrow. We start by doubling back to Leam Sing itself. Katoon is curious as to why a road was closed yesterday that would run to the tip of the headland to a popular viewpoint. A rocky outcrop seems to resemble a lion. In fact it has given its name to the area and is practically sacred. Sing in Thai means lion. When we reach the barrier today it is open but it soon becomes clear what is happening here. The roadway is being repaired. Katoon is particularly keen to make it to the viewpoint but it’s really too far to walk and not visible from Leam Sing Beach. I’m afraid it’s off the menu and Katoon is disappointed. But there is another site that we didn’t visit yesterday still to be explored. Ao Krathing........Translated as bay of the bull, Ao Krathing lies within the Leam Sing protected area. As we pass through the park entrance there is no charge and all is quiet as we park up. From here there are steps down to the bay where just a handful of people are enjoying the fresh air. It’s right to mention that wherever you are on the Chanthaburi coast there is a stiff breeze blowing onshore. These are monsoon winds blowing up the Gulf of Siam. Accordingly the sea is constantly being whipped up to a swell turning the ocean a dirty brown and unsafe for swimming. If you accept this, the breeze is actually refreshing and the pounding of the surf is almost magical. If you close your eyes your hearing senses amplify the sound of crashing waves and wind whistling around the ears. While there is nothing here but a secluded bay this is precisely the spot to get away from it all. It’s times like this when you tell yourself you’ve been waiting for this a long time, there’s no need to move on anytime soon. But you always move on. In our case it starts to spot with rain blowing in the wind.
Tuek Daeng and Khuk Khi Kai revisited........We return to the town and figure that Tuek Daeng could be open. It is! An elderly gentleman clearly knowledgeable offers advice. He seems to be the key holder. Inside Tuak Daeng the story of this French building is revealed but as seems to be the case in most of this province there is little in English that I can use which is a pity. The only exhibit in the building is a large cannon. I’m anxious to know it provenance but this is unclear. It dates from the Napoleonic but the only thing known for sure is that it was recovered from the estuary near here. This means that there is no connection between it and the Pairi Phinat Fort which is of a much later period but it does suggest a connection with King Rama III and his war with the Vietnamese. Following this I find my way back to where I started and take a look inside the French prison, Khuk Khi Kai.
Ban Koh Meow and Ban Koh Proet........Google Map../..Google Map. It’s time for lunch and we head down to the beach road, still the scenic route, the Chaloem Burapha Chonlathit. At the same time I’m curious what else there might be further east but soon the tourist facilities end and instead all there is to see are shrimp farms. Nevertheless I press on towards the villages of Ban Koh Meow and Ban Koh Proet where there are still descendants of Vietnamese migrants, fleeing from oppression. Neither of these locations is inspirational and in fact this is perhaps as near as you’re likely to get to places untouched by the modern world. That also means no restaurant and I see no point in continuing along this route. I’ve now established that rural roads head east from here but next up is the massive Welu Delta bordering Trat Province and to explore that effectively you need a boat. Farewell party........On return to Leam Sing Beach it’s quite late for lunch and we park up at one of the beach front restaurants. Again it’s hard to describe the solitude. The only disturbance is the pounding of the surf. Having taken a break from seafood it’s onto it again. The spicy coconut fish soup is amazing as are the baby clams. Again I’m amazed by the bill; just $10 for two. When I get back to the resort I sleep for 2 hours. I can’t possibly remember such a lazy day! With such a lunch we felt we’d give dinner a miss yet just after 7pm we head for the grill on site. Ordering chicken steak with cashew nuts and a beer I’m well aware this is doing nothing for a diet. Maybe I will start tomorrow. Next Page. |