Phuket
Island off the southwest coast of Thailand is unbelievably over amped tourist mecca
for Europeans (a twelve hour flight direct) and Chinese looking to escape the cold north latitude winters but the fun, fun, fun is a yearlong thing. Phuket City is the probably the tamest place on the island, an old city
established when tin mining was the main economic engine of the island. The old
center of town was very interesting architecturally and full of stylish shops
and great restaurants. The central market had many strange and weird looking foodstuffs, meats and fish. I had a fascinating tour and all the
vendors welcomed my interest and photography. For me, the most interesting attraction
in the City is the huge Thavorn Collection of industrial, business, cultural
artifacts including comic book posters, toys and dolls from the 30' to 70's housed in the Thavorn Hotel.
Patong Beach
is 3 and 1/2 kilometers long
and for many blocks inland this beachfront tourist town is filled with hotels,
restaurants, clothes and souvenir shops, massage parlors, one day shirt and
suit tailors, time share salespersons, Starbucks coffee shops, 7-11's, so many bars,
huge night clubs throbbing with the sound of techno rock and loud, amplified
DJ's, taxis, etc. The beach itself is very nice, sugar sand and warm clear water. When I was there North European predominated the crowd (especially
Russians) since the Chinese tourist had all gone home due to the coronavirus.
