I guess I've been busy and time got away from me. I did not include photos of my not-so-new-anymore pink house. I moved in May when I had to vacate my studio at beautiful Nakatani (that was part of my volunteer package).
I had to move to the next town because Kamala is a tourist destination and is more costly. I now live in Bang Tao. The tourists are on the more expensive beach side of Bang Tao and I live on the mountain side. My road winds through the narrow streets of a Muslim neighborhood. The wife of my neighbor is the only other farang (foreigner) in the area.
My friend, Tao, on my porch, looking toward the mountain side of my house
There are at least four mosques nearby and the call to prayer from the mosques blends like harmony and echoes against the mountain. I like the sound - it's pretty, and it doesn't bother me at 5 AM either. The roosters and free-ranging chickens in the neighborhood are the other endearing sound.
In the photo, Armelle (colleague and dear friend) and I are having birthday cake for Tao in my pink kitchen.My house is Thai style with a separate kitchen on the lower level. It has more room than I need, with two bedrooms. But I love all the space around it. I look up at the mountains, and some days they are enveloped in mist and clouds. I look out over a field of banana trees, and I have banana trees with ripening fruit in my yard. My landlords also have papaya and longan trees nearby. I am happy to be out of the city and the stars at night are lovely.
My landlord, Por (pronouced Paw, meaning father), doesn't speak a word of English, but that doesn't deter him from talking away to me at some length. Even though my ability to communicate in Thai is just the tiniest tip of the iceberg, I am sometimes surprised and pleased how much I can understand and communicate with him. Of course, I am sure he keeps it very simple.
I live 10 minutes from Kamala and the school. Each morning I drive along the winding mountainside road until I see the beautiful sea and town of Kamala stretching below. The sea looks different each day - sometimes rough with waves crashing, sometimes gentle rolling swells, sometimes clear and smooth as glass. Sometimes a brilliant blue, or aqua green, sometimes gray, sometimes so pale it almost looks whitish. On my return home, I see the sunset over the water and the hot colors of orange, pinks, reds and blues, with the silhouetted palm trees in the foreground. I notice the beauty every day.
There is plenty of room for visitors in the pink house.
Come.
The orchid plant was a gift from my aunt when she visited last year. It is blooming again, and this lizard was enjoying sitting in with it.
