Bang Saen Beach

Beach to your left  - shops and food stalls on your right.

We decided to widen our exploring, and get some relief of the heat - so Wednesday we traveled to Bang Saen Beach near Chonburi about 60 miles outside Bangkok. We took a very long bus ride in heavy traffic to finally get to where we could get a ticket on a van traveling to Bang Saen. Once there we needed to find the correct table to buy this ticket - this turned into quite the wild goose chase. Each table we asked pointed us in a direction after about 15 tables (about an hour of looking) we finally found it! We bought a ticket and boarded the van. The van waits to leave until it is full, so some more waiting.

Van ride out was non-eventful. Got to see some interesting landscape on the way. Finally about an hour down the road we arrived at the beach! We had to walk through a wall of umbrellas to get to the beach. Funny thing we (Americans) like to be in the sun and get that great tan - Thai's do not, in fact they value more pale skin, so much that many beauty products have whitening agents in them!


After a quick lunch we hit the water! It felt a little awkward being the only "white person" on the beach in a swimsuit. Most conservative Thais' wear street clothes to swim. It wasn't the nice blue but it was still pretty and kids everywhere! Water was very salty!




At one point I was standing on the beach enjoying the view, with this cute Thai family playing near me. The father who was snapping pictures of his family told his little girl to come stand by me so he could take a picture - so we did! 

A storm is coming!

While taking a break from the water under our umbrella - the wind started to pick up and it started to downpour!! All the people, including us, hunkered under the umbrellas in attempt to stay dry. Then a big branch fell down through the umbrellas - so the staff started ushering everyone out. We dashed across the street to the bathroom. We changed and hoped it would let up soon - no such luck so we purchased sweet ponchos and walked to a coffee shop a few blocks away to dry off. Yummy warm lattes hit the spot!

Loving our new looks in the rain!

Later that night we had supper with a fellow Teach in Thailand teacher who was placed in Chonburi. Fun to chat with friends! We weren't sure how to get back but randomly some lady drove us to the van station - so we got back to the city. We then took a city bus back to our apartment.

Yet another adventure in the Deal books!