Prochaska Family Thailand Vacation

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

under water again

amazing how many different life forms you see that you didn't know existed.

Nemo was everywhere!

under water

lots and lots and lots of fish

Dacotah was in her element. She couldn't get enough of the water or what it had to offer. Unfortunately, the sun won.

snorkeling

the reef was so impressive. so much to see.

life on Ko Rok

There are monitor lizards that live on the island. They leave you alone as they are vegetarians. this one is over 7 feet long

Ko Rok

The beach was amazing. The water so clear you see to the bottom.

The trees roots weave in and out.

Leo at the tiller

Leo and Tom navigating us on a 30 mile sail to Ko Rork.

Tom's 3 sons

From left to right, Edward(2), Gabriel(9 mth) and Jerry(3)

They are quite the boys!! Very active and full of life. Finding crabs on the

beach is a daily event. They always have hugs and kisses for everyone too.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

snorkling on a coral reef

we stopped at another island on our way back from Morakot cave to go snorkeling on a coral reef.

Morakot Cave

after the cave tunnel it opens into a hidden beach protected from the sea on all sides by shear cliff walls extending several hundred vertical feet

Inside Morakot Cave on KoMai

Tom pulled a rope that we held onto as he lead us through the cave.

Morakot Cave entrance as we entered the cave the water all around us glowed with that aqua blue. At first very small and then opening up into larger caverns and then becoming pitch black for a ways until you go around a corner. A ways further and you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Opening up into a hidden beach with a pool of water protected from the sea with limestone walls going vertical for several hundreds of feet.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

sailing

This was our first experience as a family. It is quite enjoyable to be out on the water and this trihull is very safe and stable. Lots of sun too!

balloon

While on the beach at Otto's, we purchase a rice paper 'balloon' the vendor lights a coil and when the balloon inflates, the kids release it. it goes for a long time and is fun to watch in the sky.

dinner with neighbors

We enjoyed dinner with the neighbors on each side of us. Daniel and Au from France, Mike and Krystal from Frankfurt, Germany and Tom, Kan and kids. Mike made pasta and sauce; one Thai spicy and one regular, and Kan grilled fresh squid and shrimp on the mongolian grill. We also had fresh bananas and pineapple for dessert. It was really nice to sit with them and enjoy the evening.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Otto's Bar and Grill

This is the view from inside the Ottos bar, open to the elements,amazing decor hand made by Otto who I think is more of an artist then a bar owner,all while on the perfect beach. some of the drinks are garnished by the orchids grown in Ottos Gardens. Ill be getting a few pictures of them next month when there in full bloom (incredible under a canopy thousands of plants and hundreds of varieties of jungle canopy orchids) . I'll make sure to post.

Otto's Bar and Grill

Ottos Beach Bar and Grill on the other side of the South West end of the island. Amazing food, service, and drink. Great sunsets on a perfect beach. They have small canopies you can sit under while laying back on reclining beach chairs, while you eat. You can eat your meal and watch the sun go down, the stars come out, and the tide come in, and then they lite the fire.

monkey

the monkey is a male and likes Cindy and Dacotah

The Elephants are waiting for us

this one is very pregnant and dosent want to stop eating

Hiking back down the mountain

Tiger Cave

Large room in the cave.

Tiger Cave

Many ladders and bridges help us to navigate through the cave.

Tiger Cave

Leo finds it easy to navigate through the cave while the rest of us struggle.

Mouth of Tiger Cave

The elephants took us half way up the mountain side we hiked the rest of the way about 3/4 mile up a creek to the tiger cave once inside we were lead through about 300 ft of very narrow corridors, some that you had to crawl through, that opened up in to rooms inside the cave some of it was pitch black except for our guides flashlight some of the stalactites that hung from the ceiling could be tapped with your finger to produce a sound each produced its own unique tune

Monday, January 18, 2010

Hiking in the jungle up the rest of the mountain to the tiger cave

a good hike and Leo needed the exercise, the jungle is an amazing place

Elephant ride

Cindy and Dacotah geting a ride on an elephant up the mountain through a rubber plantation and pineapple grove

yummy coconut juice

leo is drinking from a freash coconut just cut from a tree. un like the one we get in the store the inner shel is not hard the meat is very soft and is full to the top with juice.

Friday, January 15, 2010

fine Thai dining at the resturant "Beautiful"

we had a several course dininer on a patio on stilts overlooking the ocean when we got there the tide was out but by the time we left we were almost eating over the water oh and for 8 of us the bill was under $40usd

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Our Sea Villa

The house is completely open in the above loft with vertical shuters made out of small split logs which make up most walls. Aside from a roof you are almost completely exposed to the elements with the wind blowing in and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore line. If the bed had wheels on it I would wheel it out from under the roof and sleep under the stars which are as clear as I have ever seen in the upper UP and Canada.

we are in the 3rd house from the left

sea gypsy fishing village

This gypsy village is right next to us. They use "long boats" to catch fish in order to earn a living. They are seen coming and going occasionally,. Sometimes they return when the tides are out leaving there boats to beach themselves on the red washed stone beach. They are not able to launch there Wooden boats, until the tide comes back in.