One evening my wife and I were sitting amicably in the living room enjoying a Thai curry. Everything seemed normal. There was certainly no indication that a nuclear remark was about spring from my wife’s mouth.

“Let’s go for a stroll,” said my wife, almost casually, like we did this sort of thing everyday.

“A what?” I asked, confused.

“A walk,” she clarified.

The rice flew out of my mouth, striking her chest. “Take a walk?” I spluttered.

“Yes, dear,” she said sarcastically, “you know, where one leg reaches in front of the other and propels the body forward. It’s quite simple really.”

“But this is Thailand,” I stammered. “No one walks here. Why, just to pick up the laundry you, yourself, drive a paltry 50 metres on the scooter.”

“I wasn’t thinking of just walking anywhere. I was thinking we should take a stroll down the old streets of Phuket Town. They always seem so beautiful and quaint, but we pass them by so fast that we never get to enjoy them. Pleeee-z!”

Bright and early the next morning, I found myself parking the car near the corner of Patiphat Road and Krabi Street preparing to indulge in an adventurous stroll. My wife was all bubbles and coffee. I was trepidation and sleep.

We commenced east, into the rising sun. The thought crossed my mind that we were walking with the sun in our eyes, the wrong way for a cowboy, guns-at-high-noon duel.

My mood improved considerably when we passed an old Chinese temple called Sam Sar Shrine. It is next to the Phuket Fuchow Club, whose name itself gave me a giggle. The temple is very beautiful inside with intricately detailed dragon sculptures and decorated in the traditional red and yellow of China. Perhaps this wasn’t such a bad idea.

Continuing fifty metres along Krabi Road one comes across two old Sino-Portuguese buildings on the left. The first is a beautiful two storey white house with gorgeous Venetian shutters that bring to mind images of houses on the Mediterranean coastline. There is a sign in English and Thai at this building discussing the history of the Sino-Portuguese architecture. It describes how the wealthy Chinese tin miners escaped to Penang, Malaysia, for their holidays, where they encountered the Portuguese architecture that was to influence the design of their homes back in Phuket Town.

The white building is an appetizer for the grandiose house next door called Phra Phitak Chyn Pracha Mansion, after the original owner. It is a pale yellow and, also two stories tall, but built on a much larger scale than its neighbour. It must require an army of servants to keep it dust free, while the surrounding garden is large enough to host a cricket match.

Crossing Satun Road that peels off to the left, Krabi Road becomes Thalang Road and we soon encountered the first of many two storey, connected terrace houses. Looking up at the Sino-Portuguese buildings from the street, I felt a touch of Europe in these tropical Asian streets of central Phuket Town, and was reminded of a journey I made in the Philippines in my younger travelling days.

Late at night, gladly departing Manila for the north of Luxon Island, but not on the bus for where I desired, I fell asleep concerned for where I would end up. At three in the morning the bus pulled over in the middle of a two-lane highway and another bus travelling in the same direction drew alongside. Without concern for other traffic, the bus driver walked to the back of the bus and indicated for me to board the second bus. Too tired to care where I might end up, I did as I was directed.

On the second bus, I fell asleep. I awoke with the heat of the rising sun, stirred and looked out the window. Immediately, fright and disorientation stung me from sleepiness; I truly didn’t know where I was. Before me were buildings I’d only seen in European history books. The Spanish architecture of solid stone buildings painted earthly colours with Venetian shutters peering onto the sidewalk was wondrous and completely unexpected. But I wasn’t on the outskirts of a small village perched above the Mediterranean Sea; I had arrived at my desired destination, Vigan, a former Spanish city in the northwest of Luzon.

There is a similar feeling of disorientation when one takes the time to walk and look at the European architecture dotting Krabi, Thalang and Phang Nga Roads of Phuket Town.

We continued along Thalang Road, crossed Thannon Yaowarat and stopped at the beautifully maintained China Inn Café with its crimson facade. There we had coffees in the ambience of the magnificent courtyard at the back. Hidden by tall walls that block out the city sounds and surrounded by vines and shrubs, one is transported back to the past.

The stroll turned right at Phuket Road and right again at the Charter Bank Clock Tower. Highlights on this return voyage down Phang Nga Road included the On-On Hotel, famous for its role as a Khao Sarn guesthouse in the movie The Beach, and the newly renovated Siam Indigo Restaurant.

With a dogleg left and right, we were soon passing the fresh market on the left. Opposite is the Thai Airways building that hides its historical beauty behind a white fence and guard box. It is worth taking a closer look.

The final destination was Pud Jow Shrine, the Chinese Temple that is central to the famous Vegetarian Festival. Here I thanked my wife for what had proved to be a refreshing change from the ordinary and made a quiet prayer that she wouldn’t get another energetic idea too soon. Despite it turning out to be enjoyable, sleep is still preferable.