A day of rest....[Entry #20: July 9, 2011]

[Above: A picture of a sitting area on the grounds of the resort]

Entry #20: July 9, 2011

        Today I decided to just relax and take it easy. I did not go on any spectacular adventure or exhilarating experience as many previous posts may have had. However I felt the need to just relax and sleep in, to get as much rest as I could and really take the time to enjoy the resort I am staying at. The one thing I opted to do was get a Thai style massage which is not terribly dissimilar from the type of massage treatments you might receive back home. The main difference, first is the price, I feel that because massage is a very common practice here within Thailand it is far more cost effective. For example I received an hour and a half long massage for just under 600 baht = $20 US, and that is a slightly higher then standard costs because the service is via the hotel, in larger cities such as Bangkok you can easily find the same practice for cheaper. The other notable difference between Thai massage and other styles is that some stretching is incorporated into the process, the therapist will massage a whole muscle group like the thigh and calf as well as the feet then do some stretching of the hamstring. So for anyone who travels to Thailand be prepared possibly for some slight discomfort in the process, but I believe it is very common to just explain that your feeling discomfort and the therapist will be more gentle. Thankfully the massage today was fairly light and I did not feel any real discomfort which I was slightly worried about because of my recent sunburn but it has been lightening over the day and hopefully within a couple days it will turn into a tan. I have to admit that the grounds here at the Resort are very beautiful and restoring, there is ample space around the grounds to find a quiet corner to read or have an intimate conversation. The other notable part of the day was the meal, I opted to order Gai Pad Met Ma'Muang (Fried Cashew Chicken Mango). It was even better then when I tried in Ayutthaya, I think I have found a new favorite dish. Previously before coming to Thailand I really enjoyed getting Gai Kaeng Keyo Wan (Green curry chicken). However there is a discernible difference between the Thai food within the US and here in Thailand. For instance the curry is often a bit sweeter, where as here I have found the same dish to be much spicier. Also within Thailand the peas they use are really big, and have a much harder shell, it is interesting how the translation is different and I am even seeing slight variation from one part of Thailand to another.

        I am looking forward to moving on to Chiang Mai, and getting on with my journey but the short period of respite I have had here has been worth the while. Tomorrow I hope to go get a look at the Stele from king Ramkhamhaeng, unfortunately today I realized via some web searching that the actual Stele was moved to Bangkok and now there is a replica in its place. Although it is not necessarily the original piece, I think it may be worth the trip to go see. But I will talk with the front desk and see what kinds of tours or transport might be available. I will just conclude the night by a bit more reading and watching a little TV which is really the first time I have done so since coming to Thailand.