We weren't in Chiang Mai very long before it was time to head to Ko Samui, Thailand's second-largest island after Phuket. Elizabeth wanted a beach vacation and chose this location - since she's been in so many places, I absolutely followed her lead and am glad we did. If a beach vacation is in order, Thailand is the place to go!
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| The Waterfront Hotel |
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| Checking into the hotel and resting |
Viv and I had gotten pretty spoiled during our trip because accommodations in Thailand are inexpensive. For example, when I looked at hotels in Chiang Mai, I did a search for only 5-star hotels because when else in our lives are we going to be able to afford 5-star accommodations?? I justified it by knowing we'd have jet lag and would want really comfortable beds and the possibility of room service so we could sleep as much as we needed.
So our first room in Koh Samui was...ummm...not the same as others we'd enjoyed. I'm pretty sure they used an entire can of ant spray before we checked in, the air conditioner was on its last legs, and the fan swayed precariously above our heads. But who cares??? Because the location was magnificent and we wouldn't be in the room much. Here's the thing: I don't like beaches. (I know. Most people do.) I get sunburned quickly and terribly and it's hard to find shade that truly blocks the sun. If there's a gap in sun protection, I'll get burned in that spot. Viv, meanwhile, loathes sand.
We arrived in Koh Samui during the time of year that isn't the ideal beach vacation. Cloudy water and the tide is out, revealing sharp coral. Who cares? THERE WAS A SALT WATER POOL. Nothing else mattered.
Years from now, we'll look back and say, "Viv learned to swim in Thailand." That salt water pool was exactly what she needed to become a confident, joyful swimmer. And she's super close to diving now! All that's left is to learn that kick of the legs up into the air.
Two anecdotes:
1.
Swimming in the pool one night in Koh Samui, we met Bennie, a lovely Thai woman who has been living in the United States for the past six years with her husband. Each year they return to Thailand to spend time with her mother and we were lucky enough to meet her. She couldn't have been lovelier - nice, friendly, charming, and delightful.
Out of her bag, she plucked some fruits I'd never seen before and she offered them to Viv. We all know Viv is hesitant about new foods, but for some reason, Bennie made it seem fine. And Viv liked them!
"Mangosteen is delicious!" I stood there in shock. Rambutan received similar praise.
2.
At the hotel, we met a lovely family who was in town for a wedding. It was three generations all spending their holiday together and there was a little girl a year younger than Viv. They immediately struck up a conversation and here is my favorite snippet of two girls getting to know each other:
Kaitlyn: “The next time there’s a World Cup, I’ll be 11.”
Viv: “Wow. That’s a lot of years.“
Then they stood next to each other, solemn, contemplative faces, nodding slightly.
July 25, 2018:
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| There really is an Irish Bar everywhere. |
July 26, 2018:
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| Grandmother Rock |
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| Grandfather Rock |
July 27, 2018:
Check out our room for the last night!!!!
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| Thai food is no joke - every single thing I ate was delicious. |
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| I'm in love with Watermelon Juice |
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| Fisherman's Village Walking Night Market |
From http://www.kosamui.com:
Fisherman’s Village Walking Street brings the quiet, sleepy town of Bophut to life every Friday from 17:00 to 23:00. It sees the narrow Beach Road and adjoining streets crammed with market stalls and shoppers from across Koh Samui, with a diverse range of wares available at very low prices.
Many of the stalls sell much the same items as you will find in markets throughout Thailand, including 100-baht T-shirts, simple jewelry, handbags, sunglasses, beer cozies, souvenirs, watches of questionable mechanical soundness, branded clothes of dubious manufacture and electrical goods of suspicious provenance. As with all market shopping in Thailand, a certain amount of judgment and measured expectations is necessary when selecting your purchases.
Bophut Beach Road is already a great place for shopping, with an impressive selection of small local and boutique shops. Many of these take part in the weekly Walking Street by simply extending their racks and shelves out onto the now carless streets. Quieter sections of the 860m road become much busier with food vendors, small cocktail bars, stalls and street performers, as do many of the side-roads. Fisherman’s Village Walking Street differs in the unusually high number of unique (or at least quite rare) goods you can find. These include interesting handicrafts, herbs and spices, musical instruments, an impressive range of shoes, high-quality local fabrics, one-of-a-kind jewelry and interesting fashion designs. You will also see fun street performances (including Muay Thai demonstrations, beatboxing and traditional Thai dances), particularly in front of the town’s old pier. The range of food and drink stalls is particularly impressive, allowing you to enjoy famous Thai treats like pad Thai, banana pancakes, tempura seafood, a host of cakes and sweets and a colourful array of street food. Prices are very low, with fresh spring rolls at 20 baht, pad Thai at 50 baht and cocktails from 70 baht. Price tags across the market generally start low and can usually be haggled down a little if you’re friendly about it. The Fisherman’s Village Walking Street is probably the most popular weekly market on Koh Samui and attracts a huge number of tourists and Thais. This can mean that the already quite narrow streets quickly become so packed that even maintaining a good walking speed is nearly impossible, so it is important to be patient and prepared. But this also creates a great atmosphere, making Bophut Beach Road the liveliest place to be on a Friday evening.
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| Look! A Tesco! Memories of Belfast. |
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| We like this airport signage. |
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