Phuket is the largest island of Thailand , surrounded by andaman sea , it boasts of turquoise beaches , a very colorful night life , great sea food if you are a non-veg lover and a host of beautiful islands in the vicinity which is excellent for snorkeling , sea-diving and amazing view-points.
All the above sounds very touristy and something which you expect in an island . A place is to me is like a person. And when I travel I really want to experience the heart of the place . And the heart of Phuket lies in the Sunday night market . It is an experience which needs to be devoured to believe . Phuket as a place was never colonized but has trade relations with Portugal and other neighboring countries as it was rich in Tin and other resources.
Phuket being a part of Strait of Malacca had commercial interests from many neighboring countries including China , Malaysia , Burma , India and European countries like Portugal. Many trader came here and settled and this exchange is evident in the buildings , architecture , cuisine and in the daily life of people.
Phuket was never colonized but traders from different parts of the world settled there and made their home . This is evident in the heritage buildings , temples , restaurants and the overall city. In 18th century Burma attacked Phuket and two Thai sisters Mook and Chan had guided the army with their chivalrous plan to defeat the burmese army . The city honoured the sisters by placing a statue of them in the city center and you can see this while coming from Phuket airport to the city center.
One very vibrant aspect of Phuket’s multicultural mix is Baba Yaya, or Phuket Baba, a term used to describe the island’s Peranakan Chinese community. The community find its origin from hard-working hokkien Chinese laborers and merchants who arrived on the Malay Peninsula hundreds of years ago, Phuket Baba is a distinctive, living culture blending Chinese, Thai, and European influences.
Every Sunday on Thalang Road , the area transforms into a hub of culture , food , music and other shops selling handicrafts , local cuisine with a variety of sea-food , live music , games and amusement. This has been started by local government where a very busy street is transformed into a melting pot of culture where you experience the life of local people by becoming part of them . Thalang road has many heritage buildings housing cafes , family run restaurants where recipes has been passed from one generation to another.
While having lunch in one of the restaurants in Thalang road , we were awed by the food we ordered . Upon enquiring we came to know that the food was prepared by grand-mother in the kitchen housed behind the restaurant. It was a pleasant surprise. When we taste the food whose recipes has been passed from one generation to another we not only satiate our taste-buds but also become a part of their family as these recipes has evolved over a time carrying the character of the people who have cooked and passed it to the next generation. After the lunch we actually went and thanked the grand-mother who served us with so much love.
For the duration Thalang road is closed , it gets transformed into a magical lane where there is live music , different types of Thai food , Thai pastries , seafood , handicraft items , popsicles , rice cakes , live music , colorful beach clothes . The people enjoy the food , music and even bursting into impromptu dance . The whole vibe of the place is authentic , eclectic and yet so rooted in the local culture. I tried sea-food fritter and pancake , also many different varieties of cakes and pastries with local ingredients which gave Thai touch to the recipes which has travelled worldwide. Phuket as surrounded by Andaman sea has one of the freshest sea-food in the world and hence its a paradise for sea-lover.
When I close my eyes and think about Phuket I am teleported in this busy lane of Thalang Road in Sunday market where not only buildings are colorful but the entire road has the vibe of “Alice in Wonderland ” . A melting point of culture , it reminds me that every place has a flavor and like a child reading a story book , every person experiencing this have their own interpretation .
A Creative Bay 