postcards from Phuket

Our first lunch stop. If the gorgeous scenery and fabulous food weren’t enough, we were serenaded by Gibbons at the nearby Gibbon rescue facility.

Lemongrass salad. This was amazing.

We checked into the hotel, and were delighted to be informed we’d been upgraded to a suite with our own pool!!!!

A lovely welcome tray with pomegranate elderberry juice, a cool towel and a fragrant corsage. This place is also a spa and has a wonderful selection of fresh juices at breakfast.

View from the breakfast area.

Le Monsieur’s brother had rented a car for our visit, so we set off to see Wat Chalong, the largest Buddhist temple on Phuket. It was truly stunning.

Everything inside the temple is very colorful and ornate.

On our way back to the car, a quick opportunity to goof for the camera…it was very hot and humid, was glad to have the umbrella!

After a quick lunch stop, we drove over to see the Big Buddha, recently built and still under construction.

It was quite an impressive structure, and offered views of both East and West sides of the island.

The King is revered here.

View from the Big Buddha

On the way home we stopped at a few street food vendors to pick up dinner to take back to the hotel: chicken and pork sate, fish cake and vegetable steamed in banana leaves, sticky rice, papaya salad and a few of these desserts wrapped in banana leaves. It was SO delicious!

We’re off early today on a boat excursion to see some of the islands and other nearby sights. More soon!