Butterfly Garden

After a night out in Patong, the majority of my classmates were not quite up to much activity the next morning, but I on the other hand was not hungover and had to get out of the hotel before I went stir crazy, so off on my own little adventure I went.  I had heard about a butterfly garden so I decided to see if I could find it.... apparently it was only 3 km from the hospital next door.  Of course I walked in the wrong direction but at least I got to see a little more of Phuket town.

It's still a little weird to me to be in a country where there is a royal family (I'm assuming this is a picture  of them)

Old Phuket

Old Phuket

I ate at an awesome little cafe called 'Rider Cafe'.  Definitely a western owner who loves motorcycles.  I didn't particularly love the biker decor, but the food was delicious AND they had iced Americanos- totally worth walking in the wrong direction for.  I asked the waitress there how to get to the butterfly garden and she is the one who pointed out I had gone really far in the wrong direction and told me just to take a motorbike taxi there- she was right- it was too far to walk- so I hopped on a motorbike taxi.  

I loved this driver- he was really nice and offered to take me all over the island (for more money of course) and to give me his number so he could essentially be my chauffur for the month.  I declined but in hindsight I should have taken him up on it because I haven't had as good of a driver yet. 

Finally, I made it to the butterfly garden:

this was about 8 inches wide

scorpions

A few of my favorites on display:

It was not just a butterfly garden, but a bug museum as well....

for real?

giant

the colors and patterns make me want to paint!

 haha

After the 'museum' part, you enter the gardens.  It's a really big caged in garden area with plants and ponds and all sorts of things.  Oh, and butterflies of course.  Lots of butterflies flying all over.  Some really really big ones too.  

 These were the ones I saw flying around the most.  They give you butterfly food but I could only get one to actually land on me.

These little tables were placed throughout the gardens- apparently butterflies love bananas.

Koi

There was a special breeding room for the butterflies and this sign was on the door by the exit. For some reason I found it amusing.

This was a popular gathering place for the butterflies.

 Those aren't leaves on the screen....they are butterflies.  Best camouflage ever.

Look closely.... there are larvae alllllll over in those bags.

Cocoons

Orchids.  

To the side of the gardens were some displays with live bugs as well.... I usually don't mind bugs at all, but some of these were gross even for me.

Stick Bugs... at least a foot long.  creeeeeeepy.


Looks like all leaves.... but there about 5 'leaf' bugs in there.


GIANT cockroaches.  (4-5 inches long).


I'm not sure why this guy was there.... but he was photogenic.

After the butterfly gardens, I went to the Thailand equivalent of Wal-Mart/Target called Tesco Lotus and then back to the Roongrawee for some quality study time.  Third week of class= lots to study/do.