Tuk Everything...

For our last post, we thought we would outline a few of the things we either learned or observed from our 4 weeks of traveling through Southeast Asia.  A few things seemed to be country specific while others occurred everywhere.

- One of the items we noticed just about everywhere, that really frustrated us, was the lack of picture taking etiquette by a certain nationality.  Whether we were trying to capture a wide-angle photo, or a close up picture, this group of people had no concern.  They would constantly stand in front of you blocking your shot, or have everyone within their group pose for a photo with everyone else in every possible combination.  This would take 20 minutes for them to finally finish their photo session...only for another group to come in and do it all over again.  We know we missed several amazing shots because of this.

- Thailand seemed to be the only place we were able to enjoy a cold beer.  Everywhere else served a beer that was either room temperature (which was warm) or one that would become warm after two sips.  Since we drank a few beers with almost every meal, we believe this comment to be fairly accurate.

- Flock of Seagulls must be huge in Hong Kong.  It seemed most of the men in their late teens and early 20's had a hair cut that paid tribute to the great band of the 80's.

- Everyone in Siem Reap, Cambodia wants to sell you something, and because you are a special person or the first one there, it is for a special price.  When you explain that you don't want or need anything, they confidently tell you that you are wrong and do need what they are selling.  As a last resort, they ask you to buy from them once you do realize you need something.  You are also addressed as "Hey Lady" or "Hey Mister."

- All traffic signs are merely a suggestion.  Thailand was crazy but Vietnam was absolutely nuts.  Regardless of the traffic situation, drivers would swerve into oncoming traffic to pass another car regardless of the oncoming traffic.  When another vehicle was approaching from the other direction, they would simply shift into the scooter lane to give room, in turn cutting off any approaching scooters.

- At a restaurant, do not sit in the seats that are on the sidewalks or streets.  You will be a magnet for all of the people selling random items or people begging for money.

- Bangkok Airways, Asia's Boutique Airline, is great. The employees are nice and they serve food on all flights. It's definitely worth looking into the Discovery Pass.

- If you are a man walking the streets alone in the evening in Vietnam, you may be approached and offered a massage with "boom boom." Bill found this out when he left the hotel and went out to grab a snack to eat.

After visiting seven unbelievable cities, we've decided to rank them in order from favorite to least.

Overall Ranking:
1) Koh Samui - Nothing beats a small island of lush jungle trees with blue, warm water and soft, white sands.  This quite laid-back island had a great mixture of small and big.  It was small enough to feel the desired seclusion you want on an island vacation, but it was big enough to have plenty of options for sights, shopping, restaurants, and bars.  Definitely coming back again.
2) Hong Kong - It's London but with an Asian flare.  Navigating the city was surprisingly easy. We felt so at home here.
3) Chiang Mai - We were a bit surprised that this town (I hesitate to call it a city) was big; however, we fell in love with the people and the food.  Everyone was relaxed and friendly and the specific adventures here with the elephants and cooking class made us fall in love.
4) Bangkok - Very crazy city but filled with so many things to see and do.  Bill wants to return and experience more of the nightlife.
5) Siem Reap - The small, little city that tried to be the like the big dogs.  
6) Ho Chin Minh - Crazier than Bangkok.  Reminded me of Mexico City but on crack.  Not many things to see or do but we still enjoyed the vibe.
7) Hanoi - We were't quite impressed with this city.  Expected much more French influence that the books described.  All of the tours that were offered brought you away from the city which was disappointing.  We did not find much to do here except for Halong Bay.

Finally, not much of a take-away, but just some of our favorite photos from our time here.  

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A big thanks to everyone who followed us on this journey.  We appreciated all the support you've given us....and now it's back to reality.  

We can't believe that our four week adventure is coming to an end.  The time has absolutely flown by and that makes us a little sad.  We fell in love with Koh Samui and have been thinking of ways to remain here for longer...much longer.  We've thought about opening up a small food shack close to the water.  Bill would cook up some burgers, ribs, lasagna, and fish tacos, while Gina bartended.  Or, Gina could be a tour guide and Bill could bartend. Or, each of you can loving donate to the "Keep Gina & Bill in Paradise" fund.  Any amount, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated.

The mornings here are comfortable, the beaches are beautiful, the water is perfect, the food is delicious and the sunsets are unbelievable.  The cost of living is extremely cheap and the island has everything you need.  We've met a few people who have either moved here to retire (we met a Texan last night who owns a bar here) or have moved here for a few months.  In any case, we know we will return to Samui one day.

Yesterday and today were lazy days.  Yesterday we woke up, had breakfast, indulged in a couples Thai massage (thanks to the honeymoon package we booked), and headed to the beach for the remainder of the afternoon.  Today, we ventured to the remaining 25% of the island we had not visited yet, where we saw the Buddha's big foot, a rum distillery, and a very secluded beach.  It was a perfect last day.

For lunch, we went back up the street from the hotel to a place called Mama Moon.  Gina thinks they have the best fried rice she's ever tried.  And Mama was extremely friendly and welcoming.

After a yummy lunch, Gina got pampered again with a 2 hour long facial and aroma massage.  Bill took advantage of the time and relaxed.  Life is rough.

Dinner took us to a BBQ buffet, which the Texan now Samuian recommended the other night.  The BBQ setup was the same as we experienced in Cambodia, but this time, there were more options of pork, beef and chicken to choose from.  We were one of two foreigners there. The rest were all locals.  

We leave Samui tomorrow morning for Hong Kong.  We have one more night in Hong Kong and then catch a flight to Tokyo and then to New York.  It's been quite the adventure! We've met so many wonderful and friendly people on our trip and have a lifetime of memories (and lots and lots of pictures)!  

Please do not judge us but after a month of traveling through Asia, we needed something other than rice or noodles.  While just about everything we have eaten, we have really enjoyed, we still needed a change.

For dinner on Monday night, we went to a restaurant named Orgasmic.  While we found the name entertaining, we were not sure what to expect.  The highlight of the dinner was the "Orgasmic Steak."  We must say it truly was.  The plate had two petite filets in a mushroom sauce.  Any now you have the topping: the largest amount of truffle shavings and THREE biggest pieces of Foie Gras we have ever seen.

We wish we would have taken a picture of this to demonstrate the amounts but the photos did not turn out well.  We enjoyed this at a candle lite table on the beach so the lighting was not conducive for picture taking.  Keeping with the name of the steak, we definitely needed a nap when we were done.

Still feeling full from Monday's dinner, we elected for a light lunch on the beach.  We had about every part of the chicken: leg, thigh, breast, butt and skin.  All of this washed down with a large cold beer.  All for $4.00.  We still love Thailand for this.

Tuesday night's dinner was more of an accident that turned out wonderfully.  Wondering the streets of the Chewang Beach area, we struggled to find a good place to eat.  Everything looked exactly the identical - same menu with same expensive prices.

Gina spotted a restaurant that looked a little different but was still crowded.  Upon closer review, it was an Italian restaurant named Prego.  Needing the change, and tired of looking around, we decided to give it a try.

The first thing we must point out is this restaurant had a wood fire brick pizza oven.  Not what we expected to see so we thought we would give it a try.  Turns out we gambled and won, we won big.  This pizza was absolutely amazing.  So good we think it rivaled some of the pizza we eat in New York.

Feeling confident, we were excited to receive our pasta dishes.  The lobster pasta and black ink pasta were both homemade.  The texture was light and fresh and the sauce was a perfect compliment.

Nothing beats jumping on a scooter and driving around an island.  We must have covered at least 75% of the it yesterday.

The day started off with a visit to the near by Bophut Fisherman's Village, where we had a nice lunch to fill up on energy for our scooter ride.

Thank goodness for the clouds in the sky.  They provided much needed protection against the brutal sun, but the humidity didn't help much.  We didn't mind though.  We enjoyed the breeze on our reliable scooter.

On our first stop of our tour, we saw Hin Tai and Hin Yai, otherwise known as Grandfather and Grandmother.  These are rocks are famous on the island.  We'll let you decide what they look like.

After enjoying the rocks, we jumped back on the scooter towards a couple of temples.  The first temple stop featured a white jade buddha.  We discovered the specific buddha was included in a room filled with other forms of the buddha.  You can see another reclining buddha her as well.  

The second temple was probably the weirdest one we've seen thus far on our trip.  It housed the body of Samui's most famous mummified monk, Loung Pordaeng.  Yes, you read that right...mummified.  Legend has it that he died more than 20 years ago sitting in a meditation position.  He is still in the same position and his body shows few signs of major decay.  While it was weird to see, it was also spiritual and inspiring.

On the way out of the second temple, Gina almost escaped a serious accident....a mango almost fell on her head.  Luckily, she was standing only a few feet away when it struck the ground with great force so no harm was done.  It seems we must wear our helmets all the time and not just while riding the scooter.

The last stop on the tour was to Na Muang waterfall.  Too tell you the truth, while it was nice, it wasn't spectacular or anything special to see.  But at least we crossed it off the checklist.  There was a second waterfall but it came with an entrance fee so we decided to skip it.

We ended the day by visiting an open food market close to the pier.  After eating various pork products on a stick, we found a scooter with a "child's seat" on it.  This would never fly in the states.

All of the traveling today was rewarded with another beautiful sunset on this island.

Last, but definitely not least, we'd like to welcome our newest little friend, Bella. We can't wait to meet you when we return to New York!

It seems while on vacation, we wake up earlier than we would if we were at home. On Sunday, for our first full day in Koh Samui, we thought it would be a good idea to get up around 6:00 am to watch the sun rise. We enjoyed the sun set from the previous day and hoped the sun rise would at least be half as beautiful. So we found a good spot on some mossy rocks and waited.

After about 30 minutes, we were definitely rewarded.

For the next few hours, we lounged by the beach and pool, ate a nice breakfast, and then went back to the beach chairs. During everything, we were introduced to our neighbor.

For the afternoon, we hopped onto our new scooter and headed out to explore the island. Remembering to drive on the left side of the road, we headed off to the giant Buddha. While getting there was enjoyable, this Buddha did not have the same effect on us as the Buddha we visited in Hong Kong.

After the Buddha, we drove off towards Chaweng Beach. In route, we were side tracked by some commotion and decided to check it out. There was a group of men crammed inside a small, open-air shop watching the Muay Thai fights on TV. Similar to our experience at Lumpinee Stadium, these men were yelling at the TV and betting with each other. It was a blast to join in, yelling "KNEE..KNEE." We did receive a few smiles from the locals.

Next to this shop was a small stand with two grills made from an oil drum that was split in half. For lunch, we dined on a chicken leg and thigh, a sausage, and chicken butts. For desert, we had a grilled banana with coconut milk. Everything was delicious. Who knew the ass-meat of a chicken could be so flavorful.

After this short detour, we arrived at the beach. Chaweng Beach is supposed to be the most popular beach on the island, with soft, white sand and crystal blue water. Our first impression of this area reminded us of the Jersey Shore or Ocean City. Between the line of novelty shops on the main road, and the best that Eastern Europe had to offer sprawled out on the beach, we were not too impressed. However, needing to cool down from the immense heat and humidity, we first jumped in the water for a quick swim and then fired back a cold beer.

While at the beach, Gina noticed something very disturbing. For those of you who know Bill, he is very white and does not mix well with direct sun light. Therefore, during the morning, he stayed under the beach umbrella and just enjoyed his time in the shade. Unfortunately, the sun is very strong in Thailand. It seemed to have reflected off of the surrounding water directly onto Bill's shoulders and turned them bright, bright red.

Therefore, we headed back to the hotel so he could apply (and reapply) soothing lotion to help ease the pain of the sunburn. Bill thought this place might also be helpful and wanted to stop at this place but Gina said no. You must love the name.

Feeling somewhat better, we went to a small restaurant near the hotel called Mamma Moon's. The food here was very fresh and flavorful. The owner was very sweet and agreed to let us cook with her when we return on Wednesday. We are very excited.

Finally, just to be prepared in case we got hungry, we picked up a snack from the 7-11. We opted for the Sweet Basil flavor rather than the Peking Duck, Lobster Hot Pot, or the Nori Seaweed wrap.