Mairood

Mairood, a bustling little fishing community not far north of the Thai-Cambodian border is my next stop.

I have been here before last December, and I am happy to return to this little paradise. Chin, the Thai owner who spends half the year in his second home on Nantucket Island, Mass., and Judy from Canada were glad to see me back. Or maybe, they weren't, because of my less than favorable review of their fabulous place on Agoda. We all had a good laugh, and the issue was settled, kind-of.

I moved in to the little bungalow #1, the one with the sun room and the American flag (a Russian guest once threw the flag out into the yard), and I am happy to spend a few days here, entirely cut of from the world and everything else (well, of course there is an excellent, fast Wifi connection!), surrounded by chickens, cats, many dogs, and geckos, and a new member of the family, Yaya, the little pig. It is just great.

Beautiful Yaya, the little pig.

The village is inhabited by Cambodian refugees who fled the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime in the mid 1970s, now the village leaves the impression that everyone is fairly well off. The fresh catch, crab, shrimp/prawn, fish are plentiful, and business seems to be very good. Sometimes the larger boats go out for a few days and nights on end, before coming back to anchor in the village.

All homes and the little concrete footpath are build on stilts, no cars, vans or trucks can access here. Walking through the village is walking through peoples living rooms. Everything is out in the open, children play carefree, the motor-scooters which are coming and going have the right of way. When they are coming it is best to step into one of the private residences and let them by.

Nets hung for repairs

The town's 'main road', here comes a scooter, you better get out of the way!

The freshest seafood, plentiful!

I cannot believe that I rode on this path above the water last year!
This time the motorcycle is stored outside the village in Chin's garage. Much better!