These five pictures were taken on my trip to The Island of Phuket, Thailand, during the later part of January 2001 for our Winter Break, or as it is called in China, New Years Holiday. 
 
 
 
 
 

This picture was taken just outside of the front door of my hotel room. Quite beautiful isn't it?

This second picture is also another shot taken just outside the front door of my hotel room but from another angle with a different setting. 
It's one of the most beautiful sites I have seen. 
Certainly one of the most beautiful views I've had. 
How sad that I had to spend almost the entire 6 days there working on my Master's papers rather than enjoying the local sites, but it was my own fault. 
I had spent so much time on working on my students projects and correcting their work 
that I didn't have time to do much of my own things.
But what an incredible place to be able to complete my requirements! 
My surroundings and the views that God provided for me were so beautiful and serene that it made doing my work, a pleasure.

This third picture was taken from my devotional place.
After breakfast every day I would walk out to this secluded place under a tree and read, study and talk to The Provider of all that I have.
From there I could look back on the Hotel that I stayed in (The Phuket Palace), the place where I ate breakfast, and the beautiful lake that was just in front of me. 
The flowers were in full bloom and of vibrant color and scent. 
How could I possibly ask for anything more?

This picture shows the place where I sat and ate daily.
This is also the place where a magnificent, tropical singing bird sat perched on the chair next to me one morning to share the joy and pleasure of the beautiful morning with me, as well as God's great creation, AND my breakfast. Luckily there was always a plentiful supply of perfectly ripened sweet tropical fruit of all kinds. Many types that I had never tried
before and found to like very much! 

     If you have never had one of the small incredibly delicious "specialty" bananas from Thailand, you are truly missing a true culinary treat! They are bananas, but they are a variety that I have not seen and they have a slightly different taste and texture that I have never experienced in America, Mexico, or China.
They are WONDERFUL and literally everyone loved them!
Especially my new friend, the tropical singing bird who must have loved them as much as I did. 
Maybe that's why he would sing for his breakfast.

This last picture in the series is a picture of the lake, or pond that I viewed every morning while eating my breakfast, having my devotions and doing my studies.
What a Blessing it all was and how thankful I am to have had the much needed break from teaching classes and correcting papers.