here

how many people died on phi-phi?the rockety rumble--a thai train. the happiness of so many clusters of green coconuts at tops of huge palms. in the womb of the train. the green green green. the clear turquoise water. the bobbing long-tailed boats. and the wind. i'm here, in the andaman sea.the tree outside our thatched bungalow scatters tamarind pods on the ground. they burst under my feet. the light filtered through the bamboo. it was hot. the gecko on the ceiling-chirping. the cool, shining tiles. we're in bangkok. it's hot. the room is ringed with screen windows--high up and the cars and tuktuks and motorcycles going by sound like they're in the room, and people clearing their throats and coughing and spitting and showering. and the horns. at the morning market i got a bag of ice coffee for k and i to share, 2 sweet rotis each and two banana leaf packets of coconut sticky rice. then on the way back i got the most amazing congee to- go from a street vendor--eating it here in the noisy room...to an empty plastic bag, the vendor added a spoonful of sugar, a handful of cilantro, the rice soup, cooked ground chicken, a dash of fish sauce, a spoonful of tiny dried shrimp, cooked garlic, slivers of ginger, tiny shards of rice noodles, a handful of chives and salt!!! then she gave me little baggies of chili and vinegar and i was on my way...past the park, the street stalls, the tuktuks...