Merry Christmas from Phuket

After a busy night at Cape Panwa Hotel I returned home to celebrate our Christmas with my family.

Merry Christmas to Chuen and Jemma
and
Merry Christmas to all my readers.

xxx

Travellers Point - best photographs of 2013

I was thrilled to receive an email from Travellers Point to indicate that I had been awarded the first prize in their competition.

There were a lot of other photographs that were in the competition and I was awarded the prize from the judges because:

"Fantastic framing and composition here! There's a real energy to the image, not only because of the nature of the event and what's going on in the frame, but because of the decisions the photographer made when capturing the action" – Terence Carter

Congratulations to timinphuket, who won the Judge's Prize and has scored a $500 voucher for the Viator travel experience of his choice!

There were a lot of other photographs that i took but this was my favourite of the Vegetarian Festival - how can i surpass this next year though?

Phocea - the Super Yacht at Cape Panwa

This super yacht that has been floating off the beach at Cape Panwa Hotel - has been named - thanks to Mike and David.

image from www.sail-world 

It has been here for a while - first arriving a fortnight before the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Race Week. Thinking that it was here as part of this event I paid little notice.

It was still here for the photoshoot of the cape+kantary magazine - making the front cover no less...

But it never left...

But there does seem to be a great number of stories surrounding it - beginning with the story of the two 'super-rich' men who owned it together and then fell out with each other - one owner ordered the boat's captain to take the boat. The other owner noticed that it was gone and reported it stolen!

It arrived here and was subsequently impounded - where it sits here today.

But there is another story about the Phocea and a list of problems. But no mention or Phuket - mention of shady transactions and a court case though - but it was on it's way to Phuket?

But there is another story in 2012 - drugs and guns.

But there is another story - Wikipedia has it listed as well - but tells us of the accident involving the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. 

But there is another story - there is the blog about the owner - Vu Anh Quan Saken - the great martial arts expert - here's his blog. and this connects to Phuket, make your own mind up but there is certainly a story here

But I have requested information from www.sail-world.com? 
(see below)

Hi Tim

I don't know, but it's such an individual boat that if you think you've seen it there, you probably have

Cheers

Nancy Knudsen

Editor

Sail-World Cruising

Amusement Expo (12-22 Dec)

This was an event which I was unable to got to but Chuen and Jemma visited

after going to see 'Frozen' at the cinema in Central Festival.

 There were a number of Fair stalls to play typical games but what attracted my daughter most were the larger Fairground Rides.

Only here for 10 days and it is across the road from the main Central Festival at what is called 'Homeworks'.

View tim in phuket - shopping in a larger map

The meanings of the postures of the Buddha - Saturday

Buddha in Wat Tha Rua

In every temple there a number of different Buddhist states and each one has a different meaning - this does not remain consistent when I read all the documentation BUT I have chosen this one from Willy.

The Saturday Buddha image is sitting in a full lotus position in meditation on the coiled body of the Naga ‘Muchalinda’ that uses it’s head as a cover against rain.

This pose represents a time during the sixth week after Siddhartha's Enlightenment, when the Naga king protected the meditating Buddha against heavy rainfall by making a shelter with his multi-headed hood and lifted him above the flood waters by coiling its body under him.

If you were born this day:

You are calm, logical and a bit of a recluse, very likely engaged in manual work of a skilled nature.

Lucky day is Friday and lucky color is blue

Unlucky day is Wednesday and unlucky color is green.

View Buddhist Temples in Phuket in a larger map

Phuketique, Dim Sum, Fuji, Central, Mellow Yellow, Japanese, Manicure and Dairy Hut

I took Jemma to school in the morning and I was fascinated that I saw the amount of people on a vehicle! 

After this I went to Phuketique after a had a coffee. I met here until I met Jo (who was staying at the On On).

I wanted to have some Dim Sun and we searched for the closest place - we found โชคชยตมซำ which was around the corner. It was great to have a snack and it was a great fun.

Ater this I needed to have a Sweet drink and I chose to visit Mellow Yellow - wonderful Bubble Iced Tea here (but was told that it was like drinking tadpoles! Then I visited to Radsada Handmade shop to start to look for inspiration for Christmas - bought something but not a lot.

Then I walked through Phuket Town to Hok Ngoun Chinese Shrine.

Then it was time to look for time for a motorbike because it started to rain - standing outside Robinson there is a price list for the motorbike and it cost me 80 Baht to get to Central Festival.

At Central I visited Starbucks whilst the rain got heavier... I noticed that you are able to get 3 hours WiFi free at Central.  After that I went to the top floor and found that the thing to do there was having your nails paint.

After this we chose to go to a Japanese restaurant in Central Festival - we chose to go to Fuji...

I chose then to have a manicure and a pedicure at a local lounge - very nice but wow my nails are very short. 

We then went to the Dairy Hut for dinner.

A Fair at Masjid Iszatulislam

There was a Festival near our home at an Islam Temple - Masjid Iszatulislam.

We arrived at 6:30pm and the field next to the temple was full of typical food, typical clothes and typical toys. There was a introduction by the local people - it was all in Thai and it was a lovely environment :)

The fair was organised next to the Temple.

Initially we saw that there was a welcome made on a stage made by a number of children and a song. 

I immediately found that  there was not many tourists at all. I immediately found that that there was a great number of different types of food that you could choose from. There was no indication what the dishes were so I was a little reluctant to try - I wasn't hungry.

Then there was also an enormous amount of clothing and material available. The greatest amount of clothing was for the women and most of the women were wearing traditional Islamic clothes.

We wandered through to the back and it was here that we found stalls for children, trampolines and a large bouncy castle. 

Jemma was happy on the bouncy castle. After this we moved to the stalls and played a number of games - winning a drink.

After this I found that there was some LEGO Star Wars...

We hope that we would not get in the rain so we quickly moved to the car.

These people make our Patonkor.

Thank you to you all for welcoming us.

View timinphuket - places of religious worship in a larger map

Posters and Wrong Spilling?!

Well there are a number of web sites which show the incorrect spellings (in English) around Phuket.

This one was on the outskirts and I did not notice it initially - did you?

This one was in the Cape Panwa area...

The birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej

December 5 is the King of Thailand's, 
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej birthday.

Long live the King.

Image Asia Events image.

Phuket Happenings - November 2013

'Pop Rocks in Phuket'

This month was certainly more different - with the freak weather at work and the crashing of the waves, Emily and Justin's Wedding - more rain, OTOP Festival, new restaurants and it was certainly busy.

Jet Ski Operators sorted out ahead of High Season 
April Fool? (but in November) 
next they tell us that there will be no traffic outside Central!

No guns in Tourist Areas of Phuket 
- where is that?

A report about getting a Metered Taxi from Phuket Airport
- i am surprised that they were still able but not the fact that it was not turned on!

A Warning?
Russian dies after a Thai massage on Bang Tao beach
- never did like them much - i will stick to a heart attack from coffee

A bus topples off Patong Hill but no casualties
- this is dangerous

Charged with illegally importing Coral into Phuket
- but Rawai has lots of shops and they can seel the Coral because it does not come from Phuket - so only if you get caught?

1.6 million baht stolen from ATM using a blowtorch 
- nobody noticed (but there is a security guard in the picture
- that's a lot of cash for an ATM

Amnesty Bill crashes? Bankgkok ATM's hacked and Boy dies in ferry tragedy


Rain water pipe removed from discharging into the sea 
- and what about all the other beaches with real discharge?

Russian Tourist destroys Abbot Statue Wat Karon
- this is what is still special about Thailand - Respect
- but is this more about the Russian tourist?

Phuket Jails it's worse taxi drivers 
- interesting concept?

The Krabi 'boat death' happened in International Waters 
- and how was this ascertained?

Volunteer Police involved in Iguana disagreement in Patong
- would I get involved?
NO

With all the furore surrounding the Starbung coffee... 

A Russian goes on a drunken rampage - smashes a monk statue and tries to hotwire a truck - locals want an apology - the Russian is under police guard
- do they know something we don't?

Guest at Bang Tao Beach Garden find a cobra in the bathroom!
- not had this one to deal with where I work yet...

"Taxi Meters are allowed to pick up passengers anywhere on the island but no one does - once new fares are introduced, this will change, because they will earn more money"
- Elephants might fly - Dumbo could

Russian tourism may have peaked!
- i watch with interest as the third group of inspectors arrive today

Comfortable in your own skin 
- products are dangerous and do not do all that they are sold as

Rhianna was in Phuket to make a video - a little demented...
here's a 'snapshot'


Yet again a video shows a crime
A fat balding farang steals a bag at KFC

Then there is a Travel Warning to travel to Thailand
I don't think that the Public Opinion of Thailand is doing well...

OTOP Festival and more

The OTOP is an organization which was started when the Prime Minister Thaksin was in power and it is something that has continued despite these beginnings.

It means 'One Tambon One Product' - it aims to teach the Thai people to be proud of something which is particular to where they live - in Thailand these areas are called Tambons.

One Tambon One Product (OTOP) is a local entrepreneurship stimulus program designed by Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his 2001-2006 Thai Rak Thai government. The program aimed to support the locally made and marketed products of each Thai tambon (subdistrict). Drawing its inspiration from Japan's successful One Village One Product (OVOP) program,^[1] the OTOP program encourages village communities to improve the local products' quality and marketing, selecting one superior product from each tambon to receive formal branding as its "starred OTOP product". It provides both a local and national stage to the promote these products. OTOP products include a large array of local products, including traditional handicrafts, cotton and silk garments, pottery, fashion accessories, household items and food. After a military junta overthrew Thaksin's government in 2006 following an election cancelled for irregularities, the OTOP program was cancelled. However, it was soon revived and rebranded.

The  Festival was in the Car Park in Sapan Hin and was in a very large air-conditioned 'tent'. The was a great deal to choose from and every where we looked there was something of interest.

My first spot of interest was the unmistakable smell of the Northern Chiang Mai Sausage - wonderful and never to be missed. Not as good as eating it in a restaurant in Chiang Mai but close.

The next spot was the man with the Iced Sweet Tea - Fabulous - I have his card somewhere but I seem to have lost it - a fabulous act but the drink was a little sweet but it was definitely worth it!

Time for something to eat and then it was time for a Crepe - deliciously sweet... As I wandered about munching I found that there was some eerily creepy (almost life like) Buddhist figurines...

Then it was time for some gifts and we found plenty of them - definitely worth a visit and maybe two.

View Sapan Hin - South Phuket in a larger map