November 2015 – Snapping The Globe

Reaping the Rewards

My biggest piece of advice for traveling to Cambodia…accept that you will have to buy a spare bag to bring home your treasures…because there will be many!

As a fight attendant, we are very accustomed to bringing our two pieces of luggage with us at all times when at work. We also are used to bringing our luggage with us when traveling abroad. A flight attendant can absolutely pack for two weeks in a roll-aboard and a tote or backpack. Check a bag? No way!

I had prepared in advance for my shopping in Thailand and Cambodia. Cleaning out my underwear drawer, I brought the old pairs that I didn’t mind leaving. I purchased 3 pair for $1 ankle socks that I could also throw out. My oldest beach hat and two tank tops were going to retire in southeast Asia. Anything that could be left behind would, if space was needed once I had scoured the markets in Thailand and Cambodia.

Thailand was pretty easy. The only things I wanted to purchase were two Thai buddhas and two Pandora charms. The buddhas fit pretty well in my suitcase and the latter two on my arm. I even laughed with my husband about my two travel companions having to purchase duffel bags in Thailand because they had acquired so many things.

After the first night, however, wandering through the Angkor Night Market, I was embarrassed that I had laughed! Impressed with the abundance of things that could be purchased, I quickly accepted that I was going to drop a bundle of cash in its vicinity.

Pants, dresses, flip flops, bowls, Cambodian buddhas, Bose speakers, another Pandora charm, artwork, sunglasses…it all came home with me…and more!

Trying hard not to have to check a bag home, proved fruitless. I had brought with me a small foldable, but not very sturdy, travel bag that I could check. When I began divvying up my newfound possessions between the foldable bag and my big suitcase, however, I began to worry about its ability to travel unscathed from Cambodia to Thailand, back thru Narita and then on to Atlanta and finally, Richmond.

On my last morning, I ventured back to one of the markets and quickly searched for a duffel-style suitcase that I trusted to protect my goods. Making a deal with a local woman for a North Face duffle (which I am sure was not real!) that converted to a backpack (my son has since claimed this for his own), I returned to my hotel and began unpacking and repacking.

Everything fit snugly within my three bags and I am happy to report that everything made it safely home to the United States! Thus, proving to myself that,
YES, it is OKAY to check luggage!

And YES, while in Cambodia, shop til you drop!

Markets to visit in Siem Reap

Old Market (Phsar Chas)
Located near the Siem Reap RIver, the Old Market is the original Khmer market in Siem Reap and has some of everything…souvenirs, silks, silver, jewelry, antiques, clothing, shoes, household items, hardware and fresh food.

Central Market (Phsar Kandal)
Located downtown on Sivatha Boulevard, this market sells, souvenirs, clothing, luggage, gems, silver, paintings and Khmer food.

Phsar Leu
Selling food, clothing, shoes, tools, electronics, housewares and many other goods, this is a huge market where most local people go to buy. Located on Highway No. 6, east of town.

Phsar Samaki
This market is a smaller version of Phsar Leu and is also located on Highway No. 6, but closeer to town.

Night Markets

Angkor Night Market
The oldest night market in Cambodia, this was my favorite. Located next to our hotel, the Cheathata Suites and off of Sivatha Boulevard, it was convenient for popping in for souvenirs, clothing and shoes.

Noon Night Market
The second largest and second oldest night market, located off Sivatha Boulevard, you can find food, clothing, shoes, souvenirs and electronics.

Siem Reap Night Market
Also located on Sivatha Boulevard, this market is the newest and smallest night markets. Offering mostly souvenirs, you can also find some antiques.

Shopping Malls

Angkor Trade Center
The first real shopping center in Siem Reap, the Angkor Trade Center contains a supermarket on the first floor, a Swenson’s Ice Cream, Pizza Company and many other shops. The second floor sells clothes, shoes and electronics. The third floor is reserved for a gaming arcade. The shopping center can be found near the Old Market near the river.

Lucky Mall
The newest shopping center, Lucky Mall, has very few shops, but contains a Lucky Supermarket and a Lucky Burger. It is located on Sivatha Boulevard, south of Highway No. 6.

Yes, Monks Have Laundry Day Too!

Each time I am in Thailand or this time, while visiting Cambodia, I find myself wanting to photograph monks every time I see them. And, I don’t think I am alone as I see other tourists turn their cameras, too.

Where I come from, we don’t see monks often in our every day life. They present a way of life that we may not be familiar with.

A mysteriously simple way of life. A holy life.

When you see these monks out and about, however, they are just living life…running errands, visiting landmarks, talking on their cellphones.

For the most part, they are like everyone else…and yes, monks have laundry day, too.

Seeing Siem Reap

Our last day in Siem Reap was an open day. No tours were scheduled…not one thing on the agenda. A few ideas had been tossed around, but no one had unanimously agreed on any one thing.

After breakfast, my travel companions, decided to have their 2,052nd massage of the trip…ok, well, it wasn’t that many, but they had had a lot. Being more of a fan of seeing and photographing the city, I set off on my own, map in hand.
I headed out towards Pub Street and the river and first encountered Wat Preah Prom Rath. Wat Preah Prom Rath is over 500 years old and just along the river near the Old Market. With a wider than usual collection of icons and a beautiful sculpture of a barge, you can spend a couple of hours wandering the tranquil garden and visiting the temple with the sleeping buddha.

My next stop was the temple of Wat Damnak. I soon encountered a problem, however…I could never figure out the street to get to Wat Damnak because the map I had was not very detailed. After walking back and forth in front of the Arts Market four or five times, I gave up and headed to Wat Bo.
I wish I could say that I had more luck initially, in finding Wat Bo. After finding the monks quarters, I thought that I had stumbled upon the wrong thing and headed back toward the river. Refusing to give up, I walked back in the direction of Wat Bo on a different street and soon came upon its buddha-topped walls. Problem was, the entrance on this road was blocked. Tired, hot and thirsty, I was close to calling off this visit as well, however, I kept at it, determined to find an entrance. Finally, I came across an opening in the wall and skirted right in.

Wat Bo is the oldest known Buddhist monastery in Siem Reap at approximately 400 years old. On the grounds, there is a main pagoda, a school and Buddhist monk sleeping quarters. There are many stupas and beautiful murals in the main pagoda. Not a very large place, you should be able to see everything in about 30 minutes.

After exiting Wat Bo, I was greeted by a tuk tuk driver. Exhausted from the heat, I decided that I would hire him to take me to some other temples. A suggestion was made for Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei, however, I decided that it may be a bit far…deduction made from the not-very-detailed map…and asked him to take me to the Yeay Tep Shrine, thinking that maybe I could visit the shrine and then see the Royal Residence gardens. After a short tuk-tuk ride through the streets of Siem Reap, we arrived at Yeay Tep Shrine. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed as it was very small and not quite what I expected. I also realized that the day before, after our visit to Kompong Pluk, the adjacent gardens were where Vanessa had taken us to for some photographs and to see the oldest hotel in Siem Reap.

With my tail between my legs, I returned to the tuk tuk and made a deal with the driver to take me to Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei and then back to the hotel.
We were quickly on our way.

Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei is a Buddhist monastery located in the east end of town. Taking a very short time to get there, I was a bit surprised when we arrived, as it had such an abandoned feel….none of the color and life of Wat Prom Rath. There were some obviously very old ruins behind the temple, but I first wandered to the rear of the property.

As I walked along, I began hearing a voice…chanting…it was so beautiful, I began glancing around to see where it was coming from. Along the small stream, there was a small hut. I could not see anyone through the open window, but there was no doubt that this was the source of the sound. I stopped for a few minutes to take it in and enjoy the otherwise quiet around me.

After visiting the stupas at the rear of the property, I ventured back to the front of the property. My tuk tuk driver came over to meet me and explained that he had spoken with the head monk. This monk was happy that I had come to visit and agreed to open the main building for me.
The wooden structure contained beautiful murals along the roofline and many flags crisscrossing the ceiling. The monk explained that the building was entirely made of wood and was extremely old…though I did not get an exact age.
The monk then told my tuk tuk driver that he like that way I looked…he said that I looked like a Khmer woman…dark skin and dark eyes. I took this opportunity to ask my driver if the monk would be offended if I asked him to take a picture with me. I was not entirely sure that he would. However, he gladly agreed and it is another picture from my trip that I will always cherish.

Siem Reap is so widely known for tourists visiting Angkor Wat, and being a dream of mine for so long to visit, I am ever so grateful that I was able to at this time. I am, however, grateful that I took the time to see the city of Siem Reap and all that it has to offer.

Check out more pictures of Wat Prom Rath, Wat Bo, Yeay Tep Shrine and Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.

Little Angels

After our Angkor Wat adventure, the day prior, we had stopped at a grocery store on Vanessa’s recommendation. She had planned to take us the next day to an orphanage on our way back from Kompong Pluk and suggested that we bring a gift of rice with us.

30 kg was purchased and presented it to the headmaster upon our arrival at the Little Angels Orphanage. What happened next was a total surprise!

The children, at this orphanage work at creating beautiful and intricate designs from sheets of cowhide, using stencils and small tools.

Before I realized what was happening, the children had abruptly stopped their work and gathered at the back of the workroom around the sack of rice. Although I am sure that most do not speak English, they began singing “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”. This was their thank you to us and although we were not yet into the Christmas season, it was the most heartfelt thank you I could ever imagine!

After posing for pictures with our Cambodian carolers, we wandered around the workroom watching them create their masterpieces. Their works of art were available for sale and I soon found myself buying eight different pieces. As I wandered over to the cash desk to pay for my purchases, I noticed the headmaster checking the back of each piece and writing in a log book. After writing each entry, he called out something. Soon I noticed that I had a crowd of eight young faces gathered around me. Each child held their work and stood waiting to take a picture with me and their work. Certainly a photo to be cherished!

Eventually it was time to move on and we piled into our car. As we began to pull away, I looked over at the orphanage. The headmaster joined by the children, were venturing out of the building, proudly waving the Cambodian flag…and all waving goodbye.

A sight I will never, ever forget.

Please visit the Little Angels Orphanage and Khmer Art Center Facebook page for more information.

Please check out my Facebook page Snapping the Globe for more pictures.

Kompong Pluk

Living on the water is nothing new to me… I grew up in Louisiana and spent many weekends on the bayous and canals. I remember the camps and houses built high on pilings and wharves with boats secured to them, so, It was interesting to me to see how different the Cambodian life on water was from what I knew.

Since Vanessa was such an amazing tour guide, we hired her (and our wonderfully sweet driver, “Blue Eyes”) for our second day and our visit to the floating village of Tonle Sap…only we didn’t visit Tonle Sap. At Vanessa’s suggestion, to avoid the large number of crowds that now visit Tonle Sap, we would drive to another village, Kompong Pluk. She explaied that Kompong Pluk is a prime example of how the real Khmers in this area live…on stilted houses, not floating ones.

The trek to the village was not very long and I was intrigued with the variety of homes along the way…some very basic with thatched walls and roofs and some more elaborate, however, the common feature was that they were all raised in the air, leading me to assume that the entire area is prone to flooding.

Eventually, we arrived at our boarding point. For $20 each, we had hired a boat which would take us to the village.

The day was sunny and warm and the wind from our boat moving along the canal was welcomed. We began our journey with views of the fields and the workers in them. There were a few other boats of tourists that we passed and eventually, we began to see houses and boats with villagers.

Seeing the actual village was a photographers dream. It seemed everywhere I looked, there was a picture. The landscape was colorful and the people going about their everyday business was intriguing. There were boats being paddled by students returning from school. Fisherman wading in the water near their boats. Women mending nets.

Finally, we arrived at a staging area. We were offered the chance to ride in a smaller boat with a local women who take you through the back waters in the jungle for $10 each. These truly are the Housewives of Kompong Pluk! Riding with Vanessa in my boat, we were paddled swiftly through the dark waters by a woman, protected by the harsh sun by a hat and long sleeves. In her lap, she carried a small child who appeared to be about one year old. Sitting behind her and facing Vanessa and I, sat her older daughter. A beautiful child, she appeared to be about three or four years old and was well-behaved, but the mother told Vanessa in her native tongue, that she was giving her trouble that day. Why? The little girl wanted to work! Amazing that a child so young wanted to contribute!

About halfway through our backwater tour, a couple of boats came up to us…the village version of stopping at the local convenience store. The boats were stocked with snacks, chips and drinks. A welcome respite with the hot temperatures!

Soon, we arrived at another dock which contained a resturant and we were able to disembark. We sauntered along a very high walkway built above the water and meandered through the treetops. I am guessing that this walkway is a work in progress, since it ended abruptly with no destination.

Our large boat came once again to join us and we ventured away from the village and into the Tonle Sap lake. The lake, 1,042 square miles is the largest freshwater lake in southeast Asia.

Soon, we turned around and headed back the way we came.

On the way back, I concentrated on watching and photographing the villagers more so than the overall view of the village.
I will forever remember the little boys paddling home from school who hitched a ride by grabbing onto our boat, so that they could outpace the girls nearby who were giving a mighty effort. Or the boatload of mini monks…boy monks who waved and and posed and didn’t mind that I was taking their picture. Or the housewives who waited patiently with their children tucked into their boats…no life vests, mind you…for the chance to proudly show the tourists the beauty that surrounds their village.

These people were amazing to see, working on the water, however, I am sure that although they welcome the business that tourism brings, it must be tiresome to witness the loads of tourists that come to watch them go about their everyday life.
It has been years since I have spent time in the Louisiana waters, but being in Kompong Pluk, brought back those memories vividly and I thank the people of this village for willingly or unwillingly sharing theirs lives and showing how similar we all are, no matter what part of the world we live.

Information for visiting Kompong Pluk:

Tour guide: $35 per day

Car rental: $30 per day

Boat rental: $20 per person

Small boat fee: $10

Please LIKE and check out more pictures on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.

Angkor Wat…Check…

A few months ago, I reached out to a good friend, who had visited Cambodia last year, for travel advice. He gave me a recommendation for a tour guide to Angkor Wat…Hum Choern.

I reached out to Hum Choern and expressed interest in having him act as our tour guide. Since no plans were set for our schedule at that time, I informed him that I would let him know exact dates when we had everything confirmed.

Once our flights had been booked, I reached out to him, once again, however, I was disappointed to find that he was not available on the dates that we would be there…he would be in Phnon Penh. He gave me another tour guide’s name, however, after attempting to reach her, I was still unsuccessful the day before we were to arrive in Siem Reap.

Assuming that I could hire someone once we reached Siem Reap, I wasn’t very worried, however, my main concern, after reading other visitor’s stories, was finding a guide that spoke English well enough to understand.

I decided to contact Hum Choern once more, hoping that he had another recommendation for me. Luckily, he responded immediately with another name, Vannessa Adamas. He contacted her and she immediately sent me a friend request on Facebook, so that we could correspond.

Arrangements were made for Vannessa to meet us at the hotel shortly after our arrival to go over our itinerary.

Bubbly and full of personality, I suspected from our messages the night before, that we would get along, but after meeting her, I was absolutely positive that she was the right fit for me and my companions.

Being that I was there for not only the experience but the photographic opportunities, I had actually checked into taking a photography tour of Angkor Wat on my own. I soon found that Hum Choern had found that she was available and suggested her because of my love of photography.

Vannessa is a very talented photographer. In speaking with her, I found that she spends time at Angkor Wat, on her own, finding the best angles and spots to take the best photographs. The beautiful photos on her iPad confirmed this. This definitely was my girl!

Arrangements were made for Vannessa and our driver to meet us at the hotel at 5:00 am. Our first order of business was sunrise at Angkor Wat.

I never suspected how many people journey to Angkor Wat at this ungodly hour for the sunrise! The lines were amazingly long, however, after posing for a photo for our pass and paying our $20 entrance fee, we were soon headed to the entrance of Angkor Wat.

This was our first encounter…the shadowy spires displaying themselves against the pink glow of the sky. Beautiful beyond words…and so exciting!

We entered the grounds of Angkor Wat and took photo after photo as the morning light slowly invaded the landscape.

I can’t explain how magical it was to stand there and experience the beauty of something that has existed since the 12th century.

After our first encounter with Angkor Wat, Vannessa decided that we would visit Ta Prohm before heading back tour hotel for breakfast, in order to beat the crowds. She was right, there were not very many tourists at this time of morning and we were able to visit and photograph this mysterious place with a minimum of congestion.

With trees growing out of the ruins and the abundance of jungle surrounding the temple, Ta Prohm appears much in the same condition in which it was found.

One of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region, UNESCO listed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992 and it was used as a location in the film Tomb Raider.

After a quick trip back to the hotel and a delicious breakfast, it was on to Angkor Thom.

Our first introduction to Angkor Thom was at the south gate. The gate is on the main road from Angkor Wat and has been fully restored, although some of the statues have been replaced by replicas.

Once at the Bayon temple, it is hard not to be impressed, with the formidable walls, massive moat and the huge stone faces keeping watch at each compass point.

Taking a break for a delicious lunch of coconut curry at a local resturant, it was nice to escape the extreme temperatures of the day and prepare ourselves to return to Angkor Wat.

Venturing back across the bridge, our view of Angkor Wat, in the full light of day, was very different than our early morning visit. We walked across the moat, across the sculpted galleries and climbed the steep stairway to the top of the pyramid tower, which represents one of the peaks of Mount Meru.

A lot of walking was involved, but then, there is much to see within the complex.

After exiting the back of the temple, we were met by our driver and returned to our hotel.

A relaxing dip in our rooftop pool and drinks, followed by a beautiful, full sunset completed our day.

Vannessa Adamas can be reached on her Facebook page.

I would like to thank her for taking so many photos for us with our cameras. Spending the day with Vannessa was like spending the day with our own personal photographer as she posed us in many beautiful spots in the temples and photographed myself and my companions.

Visiting Angkor Wat:

1 day ticket-$20, 3 day pass $40, 7 day pass $60

Tour guide, $35 + $10 for sunrise option

Car rental, $25 + $10 for sunrise option

Tuk tuk, $15 + $10 for sunrise option

For more pictures, please see my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.

All the Way to Cambodia

Before researching whether or not there was direct service from the south of Thailand to Cambodia, I had already decided that some beach time was in order.

Apparently, however, the rainy season is ending at this time of the year on the Andaman Sea side but just beginning on the Gulf side. I wish that someone would have clued me in during the planning stages of my trip…I may have decided to go to Krabi or back to Koh Phi Phi or Phuket.

Sadly, there was hardly any beach time in Koh Samui, due to the rain. And sadly, there is no direct route from the south of Thailand to Cambodia…you must first return to one of Bangkok’s airports to continue onward.

Our tickets were booked on Air Asia from Surat Thani, but first, we had to get from Koh Samui to Surat Thani in time for our 11:45 am flight. Knowing that weather (rough seas), mechanical or even lack of interest in departing on time could affect our ferry departure, I had been a bit anxious about making our flight.

Hoping we could buy ferry tickets in town, as you can do in Koh Phi Phi, I soon found out that this was not possible. Asking around from tour desk to tour desk, I was given various bits information, sometimes each contradicting the other.

I was given wrong departure times, told to go to the ferry terminal (all the way across the island) the day before, told that I could make my flight if I took the fast ferry departing at 8:00. Finally, after discovering that Seatran’s first ferry departed at 5:00 am, not 6:00 am, we decided to try for this one, although it meant departing from our hotel around 3:15 am. Thanks to the agent at Green’s Guest House, whom we’d become very acquainted, we arranged for transportation to the Seatran ferry pier the day before.

Travel to the Seatran pier was not lengthy at this time of morning since traffic was at a minimum. After arriving, we were able to purchase tickets for the ferry and bus service to Surat Thani city and board the ferry shortly thereafter.

The journey was about 1 1/2 hours and we arrived in Surat Thani as the sun was starting to rise. A short walk down the pier to the terminal brought us to the staging area for the buses which would take us to Surat Thani town. I discovered after talking to an Englishman who resides on Koh Phangan, that once we reached Surat Thani city, we would then be able to secure a taxi or tuk tuk which would then take us to the airport.

Finding a taxi or tuk tuk had been a source of my concern, however, there were many waiting. Negotiating a price was the hardest part, as they assumed they could charge more than the going rate. Before long, however, we were on our way in a tuk tuk and arriving at the Surat Thani airport.

Checking in at the Air Asia counter, we hoped that they would extend a little mercy towards our bags after we told them we were crew…and they did! Thank goodness! I was allowed to bring onboard both my rollaboard and my Longchamp bag, only checking my small duffle bag (laden with souvenirs). We were then told to go to Gate 1.

Clearing customs and immigration, we proceeded into the gate area. After a while, realization hit that we were the only ones in the gate area. Panic started to set in…were we in the right area? Finally, an agent identified herself and escorted us outside to the correct gate. It seems that we were the only ones that were connecting to an international destination…everyone else was completing their travel in Bangkok, so, it was necessary for us to clear customs and immigration in Surat Thani.

Once we landed at Don Mueang Airport, we were met in the jet way by an Air Asia representative who escorted us to our check-in counter and then to our gate.

Shortly thereafter, we were on our way…

After arriving in Cambodia, we discovered that applying for the Evisa online was the way to go. Almost all of the passengers from our flight had to go to the counters and fill out the forms for the Visa Upon Arrival. We were allowed to go straight to the customs officials with no wait. I would definitely say it was worth the $37 and filling out the forms online as opposed to $30 for the Visa Upon Arrival.

Once our bags arrived, we exchanged some dollars to riel, although later finding out that while riel is used, dollars are preferred. Even ATM machines dispense US dollars!

A 15 minute cab ride ensued and we were soon ensconced our Cambodian home, The Cheathata Suites Hotel.

The room we were given was massive, containing a double bed, a king bed and a twin (added). There was a sitting area, a refrigerator and coffee area and an enormous bathroom. Our balcony overlooked the Night Market and adjacent bars and restaurants. We truly felt like we were in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, as we watched the flow of revelers enjoying the entertainment and shopping.

Breakfast was included every morning and the staff was welcoming and friendly.

A rooftop pool and bar welcomed us with cool water and drinks as well as a delicious menu.

Sure, there were some extremely luxurious hotels that we could have stayed in, but the location of this hotel was amazing and the price…well…you just couldn’t beat it! $49 a night (after tax)…and that price was split three ways!!!

Seatran Ferry

http://www.seatranferry.com

Air Asia

http://www.airasia.com

Evisa

https://www.evisa.gov.kh

Cheathata Angkor Suites

http://www.ctaangkorhotel.com

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Walking With Elephants

Braving the drizzle, elephant trekking was on the agenda for our final day in Koh Samui.

The adventure was booked through an agency and transportation was provided. Choosing the 1:00pm departure gave us time to walk on the beach and enjoy the sunshine that dared to peek out at us that morning.
A tuk tuk soon arrived to collect us and we were on our way. The route was very familiar as we had been to this area two days prior…Namuang Waterfall is at the same location.
Before climbing on the elephant, I was approached by a photographer to take pictures of me at the end of the trek. He had a professional camera and charged 200 baht ($6) and promised to deliver the pictures to my hotel that evening.
Soon, I was strapped into the seat and ambling off into the jungle. My driver’s name was Dang and he offered me an umbrella to protect me from the steady drizzle that refused to quit until we neared the end of the ride. Our trek was to last for 30 minutes and since my travel companions were on an elephant in front of me, I was able to take pictures of them and they were able to get some of me.

As we neared the end of the pathway, through the river, towards the disembarkment platform, I saw my companions’ driver hop off of their elephant and move them one at a time off of the seat onto the elephant’s head. He proceeded to take many pictures for them with their iphones. My driver asked me if I would like to have pictures and I responded, “Yes.” I am not sure if he misunderstood me, but when we moved to the area where my companions’ pictures had been taken, he prompted our elephant to continue walking. As we walked into the river, I asked him when we were going to take pictures and I was harshly reprimanded that it was too late for him to get off of the elephant. I was taken aback by his rudeness as Thai people are usually quite pleasant. So shocked that I was, I hardly could muster up a smile as the professional photographer approached me for pictures.
Once I was back on land, I was so disappointed that my companions’ experience was so different than mine. I immediately went to the ticket window and asked the women working if all drivers offer to photograph their riders. I explained that I had witnessed many people receiving that courtesy, however, as a customer paying the same amount as them, I should have received it as well. They must have motioned to the manager because he was immediately at my side. He realized how disappointed I was and he quickly ushered me back to the platform and onto another elephant. He spoke to the driver who took me back to the end of the pathway, jumped off and began to take photos for me. The professional photographer spied me and came over to do more photographs as well. I was able to sit on the elephants head and as we were led away, the photographer leaned in to me and said only so I could hear, “These were much better with only you on the elephant. I’m glad you came back.”
Giving the manager a huge hug, I couldn’t express how grateful I was for that act of kindness that he extended to me. It had been a trying day and that event had been the straw that broke the camel’s back. Certainly, I understand that he wanted to keep a customer happy. In this age of Trip Advisor reviews, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and blogs, I am sure that he realizes that a bad experience can travel a long way from the island of Samui. However, it meant more to me than he will ever realize.
And yes, my photographs were delivered as promised…and I looked magnificent…without the driver on my elephant!

Transportation is provided three times a day to the Namuang Waterfall area where the treks are done. The cost is about 700 baht ($20) for 30 minutes and 1000 baht ($30) for 1 hour. We asked for and received a discount since there were three of us booking, 600 baht each ($17) for 30 minutes.

For more pictures, please see my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.

Buddhas, Monks and Kathoeys! Oh My!!!

After breakfast on our third day in Koh Samui, we decided to do some sightseeing on the island. Although there are tours that provide either 4 or 6 hour itineraries, we opted to not be part of a tour group as we wanted to tailor the trip to our tastes. No need for a monkey show! I have seen many primates in my time…some too close for comfort!

Making a deal with a local cabbie was a pretty easy process. There were many to be found along the main street awaiting customers. We agreed on a price of 1300 baht ($36.00) for 4 hours of sightseeing, including the Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha), Wat Plai Laem Temple, Hin Ta and Hin Yai, Wat Khunaram (Mummy Monk) and Namuang Waterfall. Our cab driver did not speak much English, but we weren’t really looking for a tour guide. He was capable of telling me how far to the next destination and that was fine by me!

First on the itinerary was the Big Buddha.

The temple, Wat Phra Yai, sits on a small rocky island, Koh Faan, off of Koh Samui’s northeastern corner. Build in 1972 and one of the island’s most popular attractions, the Buddha stands almost 40 feet high. It can be seen several miles away and by arriving flights into Koh Samui airport.

Colorful dragons lead up to the platform area on which the Buddha sits. There are also two other Buddha images adjacent and many Buddha devotees come daily to make offerings. Entrance is free and donations are accepted. Long shorts or trousers should be worn and shoulders should be covered.

At Koh Phra Yai, we encountered a monk who invited us (for a donation) to receive a blessing. We knelt in front of him and then he allowed us to have a picture taken. He tied a good luck string on our wrists and blessed us with holy water using reeds dipped in the water and patting our wrists. Then, we were sprinkled with the holy water while waving the reeds back and forth. As he was touching our wrists, it sounded as if he were saying, “Good Luck, Good Luck, Good Luck” only it sounded more like, “G’luck, G’luck, G’luck”. He must have sensed that we needed some luck because he chanted it an awful lot!

Next, we visited the Wat Plai Laem Temple, which is very near to the Big Buddha. Located on Koh Samui’s northeast coast, the Buddhist temple features an impressive white 18 arm image of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. Surrounded by a tranquil lake, Wat Plai Laem is a live and active temple where devotees come daily to pay homage to Guanyin and Buddha, who is also depicted in a number of statues and murals around the temple. Entrance is free, however donations are accepted. Conservative dress and behavior is expected.

My friends weren’t really interested in Hin Ta and Hin Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks) however, I talked them into visiting since it was on the way to the Mummy Monk and the waterfall. Five minutes, I told them….jump out see it and jump back in the cab. Well, well, wouldn’t you know who got a kick out of these? I think they took more photographs than most tourists. I really don’t need to describe these, check out the photographs and make of it what you will.

Next was the Mummy Monk at Wat Khunaram. There are many mummy monks throughout Thailand, but Loung Pordang, who died in 1973, is probably one of the most highly revered.

He died in a seated meditative position and has been on display in an upright glass case at the temple ever since. He was very accepting of death and saw it as an opportunity to be reborn into a better place. He was said to have told his followers before his death that if his body were to decompose, that he wanted to be cremated. However, if it did not, he wanted to be put on display as a reminder of Buddha’s teachings. He has been on display ever since at Wat Khunaram.

Lastly, we visited the Namuang waterfall. These falls are not extremely high, only descending for a total of 300 feet between the two parts of the waterfall, Namuang 1 and Namuang 2. Because of the purple shade of the rock faces, these waterfalls were so named, Namtok Na Muang or Purple Waterfalls. There is a small pool at the base and I had previously seen pictures of other tourists taking a dip. We had not brought our suits or towels, so swimming was not on the agenda. Admission is free and there are many souvenir and food shops on the premises.

While in town, we always walked by the Starz Cabaret. Usually, there was music playing through the upstairs open windows and more often than not, an elaborately dressed drag queen standing on the sidewalk handing out flyers for the show.

I had heard about the Kathoey (Lady Boy) shows in Thailand, but had never attended one. So after returning from our tour, and getting a nice dinner, we decided that tonight was our chance!

We weren’t extremely tired and the location was close to the hotel. Entry was free with a required drink purchase. Drinks were not overly expensive…about 250 baht for a beer ($7.00), compared to 50-90 baht ($1.50-$2.50) at most restaurants, so it was as if you were paying a $5 cover charge.

The venue was quite small, so everyone had a pretty good view of the stage.

The performers consisted of four males who were back-up dancers to the 8 main attractions. Lip syncing was the norm, but I have to say, they were quite entertaining! Now, there were some that I could see were males, dressed in drag, however, some, I would have never known were not a woman had I encountered them on the street.

A forty five minute show is performed every night at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 and afterwards, you are invited to take pictures with some of the performers…for a tip…of course!

Check out more pictures on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.

Fisherman’s Village

For our first full day in Koh Samui, we had a little bit of a late start due to the rain and the fact that I stayed out a bit late the night before. Once the rain stopped, we decided to take a cab over to the Fisherman’s Village area.

There are many restaurants and shops to pass away your time and money. Souvenirs such as clothing, carvings and purses (and just about anything else you can think of) can be found in great abundance.

Unlike Chaweng Beach, it seems to be an older crowd and little or none of the nightlife. It also felt less congested than Chaweng.

The beach area looked nice…clean and calm and there were places to rent jet skis and other watercraft. On a clear day, you can see over to Koh Phangan.

There are some tailors to have items of clothing made. A particular dress in the window of Armani Tailors caught my friends’ eye. I think it started out as curiosity, but before long they were picking out fabric and being measured for their custom dress. Jimmy, the owner, instructed them to come back he next evening for a fitting. The dress would be ready on the day after. I can say that they were very pleased with the end result.

You can get to the Fisherman’s Village by cab or by songthaew (tuk tuk). We were quoted 450 baht and wondered if this was a good price. However, it seems that this is a fixed price between Chaweng Beach and this area, as we saw a sign in Fishermans Village stating prices to various areas.

I would recommend coming to this area if not staying nearby for a change of pace.

Coming during the latter part of the afternoon, you could enjoy walking around while temperatures are cooling and then stay for a nice dinner along the waterfront.

And…if the mood strikes, order a new wardrobe.

Check out more pictures on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.