A slow morning rise. Deprived of TV for a few weeks, I enjoy the meager sampling of channels by watching some rugby. Janel fixes some coffee and completes a blog entry.
The day unfolds in front of us like a puffy cloud, fairly shapeless and not requiring much attention. Linda and Janel have a spa treatment scheduled at 2pm. That's about it for the next 14 hours. It's a stressful existence.
Last night, Linda spied a "pillow menu" in the room. Among the options: Classic standard polyester pillow (800g non-allergenic pillow), Micro Fiber Pillow (normal 900g microfiber pillow with a down-like feeling), Ultra Soft Micro Fiber Pillow (slim soft micro fiber pillow with 450 g), Duck Down 90% Pillow (original 90% duck down), and Hypoallergenic Pillow (100% non-allergenic). She takes no time in calling up and ordering just about one of each. Do you recall the story of "The Princess and the Pea?"
The Princess and Her PillowsHere at Layana, even strolling from our room to the dining room turns into a nice experience. As each employee encounters us, we receive a big smile, then a wie and "Sa wad dee kaa-a-ah." We almost feel like royalty here.
Layana serves a continental breakfast, and we find it considerably more thoughtful than the average buffet. Smoked trout, hams, bacons, and other meats, six types of fresh fruit juices, six fresh fruits like pineapple, dragon fruit, mango, and guava. Cook-to-order eggs, Thai foods, waffles, etc. Pastries, donuts, chocolate croissants, creme-filled donuts. Great flavorful coffee. Fresh baked breads with butter, jams, nutella, etc. Of course, the three of us invest a good fraction of the morning simply relishing the fare, people watching, and gazing at the Andaman Sea.
Breakfast at Layana
Grazing and gazing
We can handle this
A very serious buffetAfter breakfast, the three of us take a long exploratory walk north up the beach about 3/4 mile. We scope out a couple places to eat, and one of them, Thai Cat, offers an attractive selection of fresh fish. We grab fruit smoothies and eventually make it all the way to where the beach ends and big rocks take over.
The gorgeous Layana pool
Our home for a week at Layana
Janel, 2 gay guys, and the glass smooth Andaman Sea
Smoothie time!
The far north end of the beachI've decided to explore some of the diving operations in the vicinity down the beach. I talk first to the Layana guys, then to 2 operators further up the beach, comparing prices, boat size and speed, schedule, etc.
I've also brought my snorkel gear, and give those big rocks at the beach's end a try. Marginally worth the effort, but still, for a couple of hours I enjoy spotting several schools of a few hundred fish, plus lots of individuals. Near the end, I even spot a juvenile barracuda, and then a small octopus. The octopus got upset with me, slinked under a rock, then inked the water to my entertainment.
A long walk back to the resort. I find that Linda and Janel have the room key and are not back from the spa yet. I wait out by the pool, eventually getting settled in with a towel, chaise, some nice shade, plus a zippy capirhoska from the bar.
They arrive about 2 hours later, all greased down and chirping about their spa treatments. Another round and more pool time. Happy hour has just begun.
Enjoying the great pool
The Princess needs pool service
Happy hour and a pina colada on the beach just before sunset
A little rest after a strenuous massage
LikewiseMaybe we're missing something, but it doesn't feel like it. Linda and I take a wonderful and refreshing dip just as the sun sets.
Going for a swim at exactly the right minute
Can it get better?
Maybe it canWe take positions at the bar and all decide on Mai Tais. Even before the drinks are ready, a perfect table opens up on the beach.
Janel and I head directly over to the grill station and begin examining the beautiful fresh fish on display. Whole white snappers, whole red snappers, grouper fillets, mackerel steaks, and barracuda steaks, plus some of the biggest prawns we've seen yet.
The Grillmaster says he likes the grouper the best, but Janel wants to have a whole fish, so we settle on a white snapper. The mackerel also looks so good that I order a nice steak of it as well. We're asked if we'd like the fish filleted and/or boned. Heck no! Much better with the bones in it, and we joke that we want to eat the checks and brains. The Grillmaster likes this alot and says, "Wow, you guys know how to eat."
Additionally, we order the Som Tam (green papaya salad) and the Tom Yum Goong (shrimp coconut soup with potato and all sorts of other good stuff).
Consulting with The Venerated Grillmaster
This is how you do it
Some of the best fish (mackerel steak and whole white snapper) we've had yet.The Thai dishes come out and we're raving immediately. Perfect blend of acidity and heat, perfect blend of papaya and carrot, perfectly tasty mushrooms. The Grillmaster often comes over to talk with us and seems genuinely pleased when we compliment the food.
Both fishes come out, served with a chili-citrus sauce and a garlic cream sauce. We learn from the Grillmaster that they're seasoned with spices and citrus and soy and sugar and a bunch of other things, then wrapped in foil and baked to perfection. The luscious contrast in textures and flavors is outstanding - this IS the best fish we've had yet in Thailand.
We continue jawing with the Grillmaster about Thailand, other places he's been, and other languages he speaks. Great guy, great place, we vow to return (particularly to try the grouper).
At one point, fireworks fill the air from a Black Moon party down the beach. Quite a few of the delightful paper fire balloons don the skies as well, drifting way up and out over the water.
We enjoy a pleasant walk back to the resort on the dark beach, raving about the meal the whole time. When we reach the room, Janel again sullies the neighbor's Birkenstocks.
The Birkenstock Bandit strikes againApproaching midnight, as I work on a catch-up blog, a big smile crosses my face when a tokay sounds off outside our room.
that final foto is creepo.
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