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STORMBLAST1953

My friend Henk Landkroon, from Groningen in the Netherlands, has an excellent photoblog: STORMBLAST1953

Monday, August 29, 2011

Koh Tao

I went down to Koh Tao for a couple of days of diving. Koh Tao is a small island in the southern Gulf of Thailand. It's a popular spot for good, inexpensive diving and dive courses. Very popular with people a whole lot younger than I...

It was a long journey. Three hours on the bus from Korat to Bangkok's Don Meuang airport. The flight was delayed, so two hours in the airport followed by a 90 minute flight to Chumphon and an hour bus ride to the ferry pier. The ferry ride to Koh Tao takes another 90 minutes or so.

Click on an image to see a larger version in a new tab or window.

Solar Air flies the Dornier 228 commuter aircraft to Koh Tao. It seats 18 passengers and one flight attendant.

The fly low enough to give you great views of Bangkok and the coastline. This is the Chao Phraya in Bangkok.

Shrimp farms in Samut Sakhon.

Cape Son, Pak Khlong

Chumphon Airport

Lomprayah Ferry Pier


Nang Yuan Island is a resort island very close to Koh Tao.

From the pier at Koh Tao

Mae Had town, Koh Tao

Sunset from Safety Stop Bar and Restaurant

I dove with Master Divers, a very class act.

Mae Had wharf. Everything comes by boat.

Mae Had beach, looking south.

Longtail boats, Mae Had.

Looking north from southern Mae Had.

Nang Yuan Island

Lots of dive boats and lots of tourists at Nang Yuan.

Master Divers dive boat.

Barrel Coral with Ribbon Worms(?)

Dive boat from the water.

Cushion Star

Juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips

Yours truly. Scary, eh?

There were many giant clams (Tridacna). This one was about 60cm (two feet) across.


Tridacna

Poor shot, but lots and lots of barracuda. 

Soft corals with a Dorid Nudibranch
(Phyllidiella pustulosa)

Blackcap Butterflyfish

Tridacna

This is another poor shot, but just below the yellow coral in the center of the photo you can see some sort of flat worm about 15cm (six inches) long. Never seen one like that before.

Lots of folks on the pier, ready to go.

Bye...

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Garden - August 2011

Fish Pond with Shiva and Vishnu

Koi Carp and Comets

The Stream

Ganesh overlooking the stream

More Fish

The Patio
(The Korat Web Cam is in the window.)

Water flows from the elephant fountain on the left, through the stream and then into the pond.

Bromeliad.

Stream and pond with spirit house in the back.

Shiva, Apsara and Anthurium 

White Ginger - lovely scent

Side yard with bikes and orchids

Rangoon Creeper

Orchid and Spirit House



Saturday, August 20, 2011

New Coffee Shop - Finally Open

This new coffee shop, adjacent to the Khon Kaen bypass at Mukkamontree Soi 22, has been finished for several months. They had problems getting power, so they only opened recently. Mam and I stopped by this afternoon. Unfortunately, the place has neither a name nor menus.

Mukkamontree Soi 22

Beautiful wood throughout.


The owners also have a small nursery nearby. 

I really like the teak flooring. 

Coffee's just fine. I'll come here to read the morning newspaper now and then.