Up Early In Pattaya,

I was going to,

meet Vic & Joy, out of my hotel, across the street it appears that there is some sort of restaurant, 

looking down the street, 

one of the local cats has made a kill,

and up the street waiting for my taxi, and talking of waiting, 

this unmanned level crossing is not the place to wait in traffic, with this view to the left, 

this view in front, 

and this view to the right!

but the traffic soon cleared and I was here, 

at the Monster Aquarium, 

not name because some of the creatures in it are huge, but because of birth defects they are monsters, things like a terrapin with 2 heads and 6 legs! I kid you not!

first thing to see as we go in Guinea pigs, so popular as pets many years ago, 

next a few birds, 

you can have your photograph taken with some of these for a fee, 

they supply the bird, 

you supply the camera, 

one of the toucans, 

next goats, 

Joy and her new friend, 

as Vic takes a photo, 

there were also various sheep, 

and goat central!

some of which you can feed,

around the corner, 

a saltwater aquarium, 

that Vic was photographing, 

the next one full of sharks, 

very impressive, 

and you can feed them, 

a black swan enclosure, 

next to one full of terrapins, 

then Joy and Vic had a photo session, 

Ah!

into another of the huge rooms here, 

these with mammals,

looking down, 

there were a number of I do not know what's, 

certainly lacking in the hair department,

next some Degu's they are a small hystricomorpha rodent endemic to the Chilean matorral ecoregion of central Chile, never heard of, or seen them before,

we continued through the mammal cages, 

there were all sorts there, 

this serval looking so sad, knowing how much our F2 Savannah cat like to exercise, this wild one did not have much room,

in the reptile section, 

Vic got into pose mode,

next to a python!

there were so many,

 lizards here, many striking the pose,

aquatic specie on the left, dry on the right,

these 'dragons' looked very impressive, 

a fearsome head, 

and back sail,

completely chilled out, 

like this monitor lizard keeping cool,

into the aquatic section,

lots of pacu, white, 

and in a line natural ones, 

so many fish here,

and the exhibits went on into another aquatic room,

with stingrays,

these all freshwater, like this batman ray,

a osteremus gourmia, 

next we were in the huge aquarium that goes overhead, 

and down both sides,

Vic strikes the pose, 

before we look at the aquarium housing Arapaima gigas, 

huge ones, 

Vic takes a photo of them, 

for myself these look and are so strange, 

Mississippi Paddle fish, (Polyodon spathula),

above the arapaima pool, 

Joy & Vic are having a photo shoot,

back into the dark,

for a fun aquarium, 

you can become the goldfish in the bowl! standing inside the aquarium,

a new hall, 

aquariums on the side, 

and pools in the middle,

with freshwater stingrays, 

of many species in them,

at the end of the enclosure, 

flamingos, 

that you can feed,

when they are not feeding themselves, 

in the terrapin pool, 

at one end a feeding frenzy, 

at the other a chill out section,

then some rodents, 

who have begging down to a fine art, 

a walk upstairs to look down, 

at where we had just been,

lots of life belts, just in case!

and lastly, the Guinness toucan!

we made our way out, 

past all manner of ways to entertain yourself,

we were back in the main hall, the admission is 180 baht for Thai nationals, 300 baht for everyone else, at todays rate 44 baht = £1.00,

then time for a late breakfast/lunch,

after which we caught a baht bus, Vic & Joy going to their hotel, but before we did this is a common sight on the roads, open back trucks selling fruit directly to the public, 

for myself to Soi Bukaow market, 

it was Tuesday, 

so all of the traders were here,

lots of clothes on offer,

as well as fruits, 

and for myself shirts, many of the ones I had being made of cotton had shrunk, 

lots of dresses, 

and swimwear, 

beauty treatments, 

and foods, 

are also here in abundance, 

and another direct sell truck, 

I walked back along the stalls selling flowers,

and goods for the upcoming Loy Krathong, 

as well as goods for donations to the temple monks,

the entrance to which looked stunning in the afternoon sunlight,

in the distance the traffic lights change to green and it was a almost race to get away from the rest of the pack,

crossing the road I entered the Soi, (Road), that leads to my hotel, 

passing not one, 

but two local cats chilling, arriving back at my hotel a shower and I was out again for my evening meal, 

passing one of the local cats again,

I made my way to Turkish Corner, and started walking, 

everywhere in Pattaya now, cannabis shops, 

and mobile cocktail bars,

I walked past Ripley's Believe It Or  Not, 

and then almost next door to it, 

Dicey Reilly's, 

I was going it meet Vic & Joy here for my evening meal,

first a pina colada, 

which I followed with fish & chips and a beer, 

Vic went with a shepherds pie, covered in cheese, Joy was not hungry, 

bill paid  and into Walking Street, 

and where else? Dang's bar!

one of the waitresses also wanted her photograph taken, we had a few there and then said our farewells, arriving home a surprise, 

Vic had taken one of me with the big camera, 

and a couple he took of,

of his girlfriend Joy, after seeing these I was off to bed.