Ko Phi Phi’s beauty is more than emerald water deep – the endless mid afternoom procession that color the back streets of the tourist ghetto highlight this party isle’s fascinating diversity:
A man pushing a cart filled with garbage bags. Another pushes backpacks and valises. The two of them accelerating at the same time so as to make it up the steep winding crest that defines this section of the walkway.
An implausibility of school children, dawdling and sashaying their way home from their school that sits in a prime location by the now low tide blue waters of Ton Sai Bay.
Three conservatively dressed men making a beeline to the mosque for afternoon prayer.
Two Thai women, dressed in leggings and sports tops, performing lunges and sprints for their afternoon workout.
One young boy, not older than three, zigzagging through the street and filling the scene with high pitched laughter.
A procession of Thai youths on bicycles, most of which mock the noise of a horn or bell to signal their incoming presence to those ahead of them (beep beep!).
A litter of kittens, playing in the vacant lot across the street.
A slender hazel eyed cat, pops out from underneath the bamboo bungalow, meowing incessantly for food, or just a bit of attention?
Can’t forget the tourists – a Dutch couple moving slowly, languishing in the late afternoon heat. Four Brits in neon tank tops recounting last nights exploits. A family of four, the father in a speedo and short belly enhancing t shirt, two young girls, and the mother peering through her green visor as the sweat beads drip mercilessly from her arms. Bikini clad Israelis snapping photos. A murder of backpackers, bearing the brunt of the heat, desperately seeking out cheap accommodation.
A trio of Thai Rastafarians, who have made bungalow number 7 their permanent home for the time being, coming and going to the sounds of Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd.
A duo of Europeans, fingering a wet map, seeking out the advice of a few locals.
And two Canadians, lying on their bungalow porch, perched low on comfy mats and finding that not all the best views require lapping waves and a sandy beach.
