30 December 2007

Splashy Samui

Well, there is something I need to admit to you all. Here I am in Thailand, with the opportunity to explore all the best of Asia right at my feet, and our trip to Koh Samui can be summed up in just three things. Laying at the beach, eating at ridiculously delicious (and oh, maybe a bit pricey!) restaurants and cruising around on motorbikes. Yes, people - that sums up the four glorious days Eric and I spent on the splashy island of Koh Samui, located right in the Gulf of Thailand. The beach view from right outside our bungalow if you will...

Another good sign of a stellar vacation is when you arrive to Promtsuk Buri (our resort on Koh Samui, which we totally recommend!) to check into your bungalow, and even though you paid for a seaview bungalow, the resort upgrades you to beachfront. Oh yeah, that happened to us! The portly man at the front desk oh so nicely asked us, "Can we move you to beachfront? Is that okay?" We took one look at each other, smiled to ourselves and replied, "Yes sir, that is just fine. I think beachfront will be okay." However, okay was definitely the understatement of the year! Take a look at the view from literally right outside our bungalow door!

So, like I said, I could tell you I got cultural and explored the islands' many wats (temples), but let's be real, all we did is park ourselves on the white sand and enjoy the turquiose waters of Thongtakian Bay. The first day, after enjoying a lovely afternoon of doing just that, we thought we might treat ourselves to a luxurious dinner. Now, for someone who really hasn't been to a plethora of nice resorts and resorts, I could really get used to this lifestyle! After consulting the handy dandy Samui Dining Guide, we headed to Cliff Bar & Grill and ate a seriously scrumptious Mediterranean meal of bruschetta, sun dried tomato & salami salad, vegetable risotto, fine Italian red wine and of course, a chocolate brownie ice cream dessert! Like I said, a girl can get used to this!

The second day was full of more laying, frolicking in the salty waters of the Gulf of Thailand and oh yeah, a 1-hour long coconut oil massage! Did I mention that massage took place under a big leafy palm tree right on the beach? That hour was probably one of the most glorious of the trip - head, neck, shoulders, legs, arms and yes, even butt. The massage took care of it all and for only 250 baht (8$)! Later that night, after having enjoyed the high life for two days, we headed to Tamarind Restaurant for the most delicious meal of the entire trip. I could go on and on about the mouthwatering meal (avocado salad with fettucini & peanut sauce, anybody?) but the real treat here was - brace yourselves - the sushi of sticky rice and mango, rolled in cinnamon, sugar and sesame seeds, dipped in a caramel sauce. I do not have the words to explain it. The best dessert I have EVER had, hands down!

We decided it might be best on day three to give our delicate skin a break from the incessant UV radiation we had been exposing to it the past few days and rented a motorbike! The next two days, we cruised around the island like pros (Eric drove of course! We all know me & motorbikes - do you remember what happened in Laos anyone?) and got to see all of the island outside our bay, which was great! We also happened upon a cute Fisherman's Village in Bo Phut - known for being more of a bohemian hipster beach area - and discovered Tandoor Taj Indian Restaurant, our dinner destination for the last two nights!

Indian happens to be my favorite cuisine, but this time, I introduced Eric to the wonderful world of curries, naan and Tandoor oven cooked foods! Dee-lish! Eric's favorite was the Shrimp Curry (which was one of the best curries I have had!) and Butter Naan (a flatbread), while my fave was the Aloo Baigain (potatoes & eggplant in Indian spices) and Roti (whole-wheat flatbread). Here is Eric and I cruisin' around Samui!

Unfortunately, the beach laying, food eating and moped cruising must come to an end. Last night, we left sunny Koh Samui to head back to Bangkok because it's New Year's Eve today in Bangkok baby! Eric and I are spending New Year's instyle in downtown Bangkok at a swanky hotel along the Chao Priya River - woohoo! It's been an awesome vacation to have him here, and I can't wait for the craziness of New Year's to begin! We hope all your holidays were merry and here's wishing you all an early Happy New Year's! To 2008!

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