We aren’t always cycling to sites hither and yon. Quite often we get to relax and keep up with the world, thru our online resources.  This year we’ve added a back porch table and chairs, plus they’ve shifted a lounge chair to my pond-side spot that only I and the neighbor’s cows take advantage of.

There are small fish in the several ponds behind Ban Wassana and the most interesting visitor besides the cows is a Monitor Lizard who we’ve never seen before this year. This guy is over 6′ long and moves very cautiously when he’s out of the water.  We’ve read that his diet is fish, small rodents and snakes, which is of particular interest to Stanna.

On Monday we cycled to the White Dragon Spine beach just south of Hat Yao, where the governor was promoting his plan to get tourists to visit this remote village and 5 other spots that have “spines.”  A dragon’s spine is a sand bar or shell bar that becomes exposed when the low tide (especially around full moon) drops the water level over 3+ feet.  According to local lore, it’s good luck to walk on the dragon’s spine and if you could conquer all 6 of the spines, the governor suggests you’ll be very fortunate.  Since this was a muslim village they had a performance of the local women dancing to an ensemble of drums and a fiddle.

About 200 people showed up for the ceremony which included a walk on the spine filmed by the newly requisite drone. This spine goes out over a kilometer into the sea and very nearly reaches Koh Libong across from the coast.

The rest of the week was consumed by visa extensions and getting my road bike upgraded with new shifters (eBay purchase and brought over), plus a new chain and a set of upgraded (used) wheels.  And, not to forget, reading the latest Economists and New Yorkers on the iPad. We should mention that this week’s temps are 38 C, and a clue to conversion is that the human body is 37 C, so shade and a cool breeze are very important.