Page 103 - quebec
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Dear Ron,                          out the local foods and treated us to a fruit   came to the table, leaned down conspira-
                                             smoothie.                          torially, and looking at Jody said, “Are you
          This is our last night. We will be sad to leave                       keeping her safe?”
          our idle time behind.              The French family staying at Villaguna gave
                                             us restaurant advice. So did the town mayor,   Robbers on Ya Noi? Kidnappers? For
          Earlier in the day we were walking down the   who we met because of horses. (Too long a   a second we panicked until the waiter
          Lamsai peninsula and discovered a Muay   story for this postcard.) We became regular   gestured toward a pirate flag hanging from
          Thai training facility.  Muay Thai is a martial   customers of the fruit cart lady who came   the restaurant’s faux rigging. Turns out
          art combining kick-boxing and plain-old   by on her scooter every day to sell us kilos   the waiter was in fact Ya, the owner, who
          boxing. We got to chatting with Kerry Mat-  of mangosteens.           invited us to his kitchen the next day for a
          thews, a 41-year-old legal secretary from                             lesson in Thai grilling.
          England who’s here for two weeks to train.   Seth Bogart, who runs a flooring store
         “I love Thailand,” she said as she unlaced her   in San Diego, told us that he’d tried the   That lesson will have to wait for our return
          red boxing gloves. “Everyone is so friendly   Phuket beach-party scene for a while then   trip. We had one last morning in Ya Noi
          and helpful.”                      bailed out to Yao Noi because he need relax-  and that hammock by the sea was calling us
                                             ation and quiet. “There are no guys walking   again.  One last dose of amazing idle time.
         “Friendly and helpful” should be the island’s   around in jock straps here,” he said.
          motto.  Our trip was as much about people                              Love
          as palm trees and beaches.  Olivier’s girl-  We had dinner with Seth one night at a
          friend, Joy, was a joy. She runs the toniest   nautical-themed restaurant -- tables right   John and Jody
          shop on the island and gave Jody a lesson   on the beach – that specialized in grilled
          in sarong-wearing. Afterwards she walked   seafood.  As we were deciding between
          us around the town’s market stalls pointing   grilled shrimp, lobster or grouper a waiter







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