[ asian influence ]

WE'VE BEEN seeing more and more asian-inspired decor lately, but today while roaming around in Bloomingdales, I came across a display of throw pillows that add a face to the theme...

From buddhas to royalty, it's a definite shift from the simple patterned motifs that have become so popular. What do you think about adding a face to your decor?

lisa

[ holiday stop: phuket part 2 ]

THERE ARE so many things to see in Phuket and we decided to take in a tour of Phang Nga Bay, on the north-east side of Phuket. After a short bus trip, we boarded a tour boat and set off.

The bay holds some beautiful scenery, with spectacular islands and massive rocks rising from the sea.

We made our way to see the most famous Thailand island, James Bond Island ~ the distinctive spot where The Man With The Golden Gun was filmed.

The area is surrounded by caves that you can travel through on the boat {very cool} or rent canoes from floating boat rental locations on the spot.

After we squeezed through one of the caves {it was high tide so it was a little tight}, we made our way to the old village of Koh Panyee.

Built over 200 years ago, this village was built entirely on stilts on the water, likely during low tides when water levels would be shallow enough to stand in.

Fishing has been its primary industry but tourism here has picked up and many of the buildings hold handicrafts made by the locals.

But look past the craft stalls and you will see the everyday life of the residents.

We travelled by bus back to Patong Beach and took in a bit of the sights along the way...

shrimp farms...

grand gateways...

shops and food stalls...

motorbikes and tuk tuks...

What I loved about this stop was that it was filled with bits of interesting everyday life in Thailand. Definitely a trip to remember.

Thanks for following along! Have a great weekend everyone and see you Monday with something pretty.

lisa

[ holiday stop: phuket ]

A SMALL island off the southern most tip of Thailand, Phuket is famous for its gorgeous beach resorts and became world-renowned when the tsunami hit in 2004. Patong Beach is the most popular and was hit hard but has managed to rebuild itself since the disaster and the beaches are beautiful once again.

But aside from the gorgeous beaches, Phuket is a fascinating place to visit. 95% of the population is Buddhist so temples and buddhas can be seen everywhere.

We visited the Buddha Cave Temple {Wat Suwannakuha}, also known as Monkey Temple since there are monkeys everywhere.

Speaking of monkeys, coconuts are a huge industry in Thailand and did you know that most are picked by monkeys? Monkeys are captured and sold to farmers who send their monkeys to monkey school where they are taught how to pick ripe coconuts and load them into trucks. Seriously! They receive a diploma when they graduate and go to work in the farmer's coconut plantations. They work for several years and then the farmer cares for them through their retirement.

Another thing I found so interesting were the Spirit Houses that could be seen outside every building, business and home.

Thais believe that there are spirits, or celestial beings who would otherwise reside in the heavens and could cause problems if not appeased. They believe that by providing a shelter for the spirits, they will watch over them and protect them. Regardless of the size or style of the dwelling or business, in Thai culture, it is imperative that one is erected and many people light incense every morning and ask the spirit to watch over them.

Next stop: Phuket part 2 ~ Phang Nga Bay

lisa