Dogs' Island

You throw - I catch?

The dog fight starts at sunset. Every evening when the sun has set beyond the hills they arrive. Five feisty, yellow mongrels, some with collars, some without.

The dogs have chosen their ring for the fight carefully, the often abandoned beach where the tide is low.

For a water loving dog of retriever bread this must be paradise. A fight and a bath. Running around in the waves growling, biting. Rolling over in mock submission just to get up and chase the other one around for a bit.

Me and my posse.

If it gets too tough you can always run off for a while, hiding under a shrubbery or behind one of the Bangkok kiddes playing photomodel in the sunset.

- Hey! There's that spotted dog from next door, should I challenge him? Nah, maybe not after all, I'll take a swim instead.

Koh Samet is known to be one of the most dog "populated" places in Thailand. Here on Ao Thien they seem to be quite well cared for, though. Healthy furs and fine bone structure.

You want the 'checkbill'? You'll have to wait...

The feline species on the other hand, are as always observing everything from above. From an veranda, from the cashier machine, from a book shelf. With a yawn. Pretty much the same as I.