After going to town for some art supplies for Mae I went to have lunch at my new favorite restaurant out front of the hotel.  After the best cook in town is out front and it is cheaper than eating in the back.  Usually when I go to eat I kind of let them decide for me what I am going to eat.  Sometimes they make me something new and sometimes they give me the  option of a few dishes.  Today for lunch the cook asked if I wanted Phad Si Eiw (because I wanted it last night, but she was out of the big noodles).  So I had Phad Si Eiw for lunch.  Phad Si Eiw is a typical noodle dish with big flat noodles, vegetables, and meat (today I got chicken).



Phad Si Eiw is quickly becoming one of my favorite dishes and probably my favorite noodle dish anywhere (even better than the spicy drunken noodles at my favorite Thai place in San Diego).  For dinner I had a variation of Phad Si Eiw.  This was one of those times where they said they had something new for me to try.  The dish was basically Phad Si Eiw, but with gravy.



The gravy made it taste like a whole different dish.  It was really, really good.  After dinner I gave Mae (the little 7 year old girl) her gift.  When she opened the bag she got a very big smile.  Then I could see her dad behind her with a big smile too.  She excitedly went through the bag trying to see what all I gave her.  I got her all kinds of paper, pencils, colored pencils, markers, glue, scissors, a ruler, a sharpener, and some clay (like play-doh).  Every night I see her writing and drawing and she always shows me what she is working on.  So I figured she would like the art stuff and she sure did.  I went to bed that night with a very good feeling inside.  The next morning I got up and had my typical breakfast and went for my typical kayak trip.



I wish I could take my camera with me, but I don't want to risk getting it wet.  Especially since I usually come back soaked.  I really like kayaking because it is good exercise, I like being out on the water, and I usually see some interesting wildlife.  I have seen all kinds of sea birds and even some kind of hawl flying around.  Yesterday I saw a group of flying (or jumping) fish.  I have seen flying fish before, but these were very interesting in how they jumped out of the water.  The fish would jump out of the water and then bounce off the surface of the water a few feet away and then bounce again and again.  It basically looked like a stone skipping across the water.  It was really cool to see.  Today since it was low tide I went to a sand bar beach that is only exposed during low tide.  I walked around looking at the shells and crabs when I stumble on a weird blob of a creature.  It must have been some kind of sea slug.  It was very soft to the touch.  As I watched it for awhile I noticed it did something very interesting when the waves came in.  Normally it had a ball shaped center with a tail and neck/head coming out of each end.  However, when the water came in if it was a strong enough wave to move the sea slug then the slug would retract it's head and tail to make a perfect little ball that would just roll up and down the sand with the wave.  It would ride out the wave and then stick it's head and tail out again until the next wave.  I really wish I could have gotten a picture or video of it.  Nature really is interesting to watch.  Eventually I left the sea slug and headed back to the hotel.  After awhile the rain came trapping me inside for part of the afternoon.



This is the view from my room.  Later this afternoon I am going with one of my friends to the local market which is only open on Wednesdays and Sundays.  There is suppose to be a lot of fruit and good local food at the market.  I hope the rain doesn't keep us from going.  I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens.