Thursday, September 26, 2019

OLD PHUKET TOWN IS COLORFUL, WELL PRESERVED, FASCINATING AND FUN WAY TO WHILE AWAY ONE OF TWO HOURS ONA LAZY, LEISURELY AFTERNOON. FLLED WITH KOPITIAM, CAFES, RESTAURANTS, BOUTIQUES AND OMNIPRESENT SOUVENIR SHOPS, OLD PHUKET IS A CHARMING DISTRICT FILLED WITH DOUBLE STOREY SHOPHOUSES THAT REMIND ME OF PENANG, MALACCA AND SINGAPORE'S NYONYA BABA PRECINTS. BUT OLD PHUKET TOWN ALSO CONTAINS TRACES OF PORTUGUESE ARCHITECTURE AND THE WALL PAINTINGS ARE AMUSING AND PRICES CHEAP!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

PHOTOS BY CANON POWERSHOT SX 720 HS

OLD PHUKET TOWN IS LOVINGLY PRESERVED AND MAINTAINED SO IT IS LIKE A STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE!

PHUKET USED TO BE A MAJOR TIN MINING DISTRICT AND TIN FORMED THE FOUNDATION OF MANY CHINESE IMMIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED IN PHUKET TO MINE, TRADE AND FIND THEIR FORTUNE. MANY DID WHICH EXPLAINS THE PROLIFERATION OF STATELY TOWN HOUSES.

THE OWNERS WOULD LIVE UPSTAIRS WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN THEIR PRIVATE QUARTERS WHILE THE FORMAL RECEPTION HALL AND GRAND HALLS FILLED WITH COSTLY FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS WERE PLACED ON THE GROUND FLOOR. THE GROUND FLOOR WAS ALSO USED FOR IMPORTANT CELEBRATIONS LIKE CHINESE NEW YEAR, WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAYS AND FAMILY OCCASIONS.

LIKE OTHER STRAITS SETTLEMENTS, THE CHINESE WERE MOSTLY HOKKIEN WHO MARRIED LOCAL THAI WOMEN. THESE CHINESE BLENDED WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY YET RETAINED THEIR DISTINCTIVE HOKKIEN TRAITS IN DRESSING, CUISINE AND LANGUAGE.

THE TIN INDUSTRY STARTED IN THE 16th CENTURY AND BY THE 19th CENTURY BOTH HOKKIEN CHINESE AND PORTUGUESE WERE IN FULL SWING, RESULTING IN NEW ROADS AND CANALS. THIS UNIQUE FUSION RESULTED IN THE 2 DISTINCTIVE ARCHITECTURAL STYLES---CHINESE-PORTUGUESE AND CHINESE-COLONIAL WHICH ARE MORE BRITISH.

TODAY MOST BUILDINGS IN OLD PHUKET TOWN MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL FACADES WHILE INTERIORS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO SUIT MODERN TIMES.


INSURANCE QUEEN MAY LEE OF HONG LEONG ASSURANCE POSES PRETTILY WITH DANGLING CREEPERS
INSURANCE QUEEN MAY LEE AND JANE HAN OF JANE DMC-KOREA
SHOPPING QUEENS!




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 WE PARKED OUR COACH IN THIS TEMPLE COMPOUND AND WALKED TO OLD PHUKET TOWN WHICH IS ACROSS THE ROAD







 START OF OLD PHUKET TOWN!
 YES, REMINDS ME OF PENANG AND MALACCA A BIT, SO CHARMING AND ADORABLE!
 MALAYSIAN LADIES AND 1 KOREAN!

 BEAUTY AMID THE HANGING CREEPERS
 MAY LEE AND JANE HAN
 CREEPERS LOOK LIKE CASCADING WATERFALL VERY DE NICE
 SWEET CAFE
 PRETTY IN PINK
 IMPERIAL YELLOW FACADE
 EXQUISITE
 EUROPEAN TOUCH


  


 GIGANTIC WALL MURALS!
 STUNNING
 ALMOST LIKE MURAKAMI'S ARTWORKS
 RED INDIAN EAGLE?
 CAN BE GIGANTIC TORTOISE
 BIG YELLOW DUCKEE


 ALMOST LIKE JAPANESE ANIME

 YUMMY
 SIMILAR TO OUR BAJU KEBAYA



 THE NEW BUILDING IS SUCH AN EYESORE!
 LOVELY! 
 WELL PRESERVED---BOTH DOOR AND MODEL
 BOTH HUMAN AND DECOR WELL PRESERVED
 UGLY NEW AND CHARMING OLD!
 NICE
 WELL PRESERVED GENERALLY!

 MODERN WOMEN SHOULD WEAR THESE CULTURAL ICONS
 3 CUTIES
 DATO KEE HUA CHEE AND CHANATIP POTI-ON OF TOURISM AUTHORITY THAILAND TAT
 GREEN AND BLACK IN TECHNO COLOR

 A CUPPA IS ALWAYS REFRESHING
LOVELY COURTYARD 

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