Koh Samui, Thailand and absolutely the last buddha (part eight)

While finishing up our wonderings through the island of Koh Samui, it was inevitable that we would arrive at not only the last Buddha of our journey, but the biggest. I've seen so many Buddha statues, drawings, painting, rugs etc.. over the past couple of months, that I could free-hand draw one in my sleep. However, culture and education are the most important aspects of this particular trip, so I will march where I'm led....except up these stairs. Yes, I see you "Big Buddha" way over there with your golden, shiny arms outstretched. You're the biggest on the island and a main draw for many tourists, but this is as far as I go. No more step climbing for me. I learned my lesson with The Great Wall of China.

Big Buddha on Koh Samui, Thailand

You have to give me credit, I've been running around this island all day with a group of energetic and enthusiastic tourists from around the world. Eight of us just exploring every corner and rock on this island. I haven't even blogged about all the many things we've done so far, just a few. These girls were so funny, as they struggled to walk barefoot out into the water to get their photo taken in front of a huge statue.

Thai girls posing for picture in front of statue on Koh Samui, Thailand

This area where the Big Buddha sits is quite nice. There is a small peninsula which comes inwards and gives these homes a bit of protection from the currents.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Given that this area is so popular, it's amazing that they don't pave the rest of this road, which is only feet from the staircase to the Buddha. At the moment of this photo, I have wet hair, wet clothes (from a combination of sweat and rain/flooding) but who can tell what's what at this point. My shoes are now muddy and who can worry about shiny Buddhas when there's a wonderful fruit cart that is just beckoning to me over to the right.

By the Big Buddha on Koh Samui, Thailand  

This kitty cat decided to come and sit at my feet for a moment. So, this is what a Thailand kitty cat looks like in case you were wondering. I want one.

Tropical Kitty on Koh Samui, Thailand

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my 7 other various travel mates. We're all just wondering around and laughing at each other. No one is pretty at this point, and my travel mate is incredibly incensed that the only english language that the local tour guide and his Koh Samui shop friends can muster are the words "Big Buddha", while pointing a finger from Billy to the statue. This coming after a fascinating discovery that there seems to be a similarity between Billy's bald head, over-fed stomach and the largest Buddha statue on the island. They're in hysterics. He's not. He's sooo sensitive (And no I'm not showing you a picture for reference. He reads this). Mmmmm...more fruit carts.

Fruit stand on Koh Samui Thailand

This house sat right across from the waterway. Someone needs to clean up their back yard. I'm such a Virgo that I almost swam across there to do it for them. What?? I was wet already!!

House on Koh Samui, Thailand

Some random Thai dudes just chillin' by the Buddha Thai shops. Such a great combination of "Construction Wheel Barrel and soft cotton, pink T's".

Thailand locals and some comfy chairs

Oh, and a random pink Bicycle, just because it was there (and I had a color scheme going).

Bicycle by the Big Buddah

There are many more posts about Koh Samui on my blog. You can find them with the drop-down menu on the sidebar. There are also more pictures of Koh Samui in my Flick photo album, which you can access HERE.

Koh Samui, Thailand and the technicolor temple (Part Seven)

Okay, no harm meant by the silly title, but when we arrived at these temples, the first thing that came into my mind was...is this for real? It is certainly not unusual to have lavishly decorated and designed temples throughout Asia, but these seemed to be less of a serious buddhist experience than others that I've seen. I am not a Buddhist though, so I may be completely wrong. The type of Buddhism in Thailand has elements of Hinduism in it, as you can tell from the six-armed goddess (Kali) on top of this building. Their religion is very important to them and certainly I give them respect for that. This post is not about trying to explain the religion, so it's best to click here "Theravada" if you'd like to know more.

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

At the risk of sounding (but not meaning to be) inconsiderate, these temple buildings had almost a theme park flare to them. I don't know how much of this type of design is related to the religion itself, or if it's simply the vision of the architect(s) who created it. This location is called "Wat Plai Laem".

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

There were a number of tourists walking around and looking as though they were thinking the same thing that we were. Don't get me wrong, it's a joy to see so much color and such a unique structure that is not a common site for me. I have seen churches in the states that seem overdone for the sake of attracting people, rather than having spiritual significance, so that is why I am questioning this.

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

There was no guide or information posted to explain anything and our own driver couldn't speak enough english to explain either. I saw a monk here and there and this one was seemingly doing some garden care.

Monk on Koh Samui, Thailand

I think the over designed element of this temple area was fun, but I'm not sure that was the intention. As with other temples that I've been to in Asia, there was a table full of roof tiles that you could donate money for, and then write your name on the back of it. This tile will supposedly get placed on the roof of the temple for ever. I decided to donate a little since there was no admission price, but I didn't bother with taking a roof tile. 

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

I did notice a number of local adults and children who were passing through the area. I thought that was strange considering it was off the main road. As usual in Thailand, people were friendly and no one asked for money or tried to sell anything.

I am sorry I can't provide more information about this stop, but it was more of a visual experience for me. However, you can click HERE to find out more about temples on Koh samui.

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand


There are more pictures of Koh Samui, Thailand that can be view HERE in my Flick album.

Koh Samui, Thailand and the wonderful beach (Part Six)

One of the highlights of my visit to this island was when our driver took us to a semi-secluded beach. By this time, we were on the opposite side of the island and have driven off the beaten path a little. Our Australian friends were dying to have a swim and so our Canadian guide had talked our driver into taking us here. I don't have a lot of story for this area, but I have some pictures to share with you.

Beach on Koh Samui, Thailand

We had plenty of time to enjoy the sun and relax. I was absolutely amazed with this place. Granted, the sun is still not out much, and I can't fully explain how beautiful this area was, but trust me, I wanted to stay here for weeks. There was a wonderful quietness with just the sound of the ocean waves.

Beach on Koh Samui, Thailand

It wasn't difficult to find a hotel right on the beach. There were a few small cabanas and hotels that were lined up along the sand. As I explained in my last post, hotels on this island can be had for very little money. Since these would be considered very desirable, some were considered cheap at $60 per night for simple accommodations on the beach and some where expensive, running about $260 per night. This place was a very nice resort with private cabanas.

"Sala Samui" resort on Koh Samui, Thailand

I enjoyed watching the locals walk along the beach, along with the few tourists who happen to be staying here. Everyone seemed extremely relaxed and didn't have a worry in the world. There was a man who was selling silk sheets and beach blankets as he walked in front of the people laying out in the sun, but he never pestered anyone. Usually vendors in Thailand will simply smile gesture politely with their product and nod politely if you're not interested.

Vendor on Koh Samui, Thailand

I tried to capture a good photo of the beach to show it's size and depth and beauty, but I guess I wasn't with it that day. A photo tends to capture everything, including the bits of palm husks on the ground, along with the odd piece of trash that has blown from a nearby guest. However, it was so nice there that I never noticed these things until I looked at the photos.

A beach on Koh Samui, Thailand

Another man was selling corn on the cob and was able to butter it for you right there. People love being able to stay in their comfortable chairs and be served various foods and drinks. I can't imagine why?? Even though the hotel prices are slightly higher here, it is easy to eat by way of vender more very little.

Vendor on Koh Samui, Thailand

We walked up and down that beach several times, just taking in the environment. I  decided to chat a bit with some of the locals who worked there and took some photos of them. Very nice people. This man had an interesting look about him. I find that Thai people don't mind their photo being taken if you politely nod and smile while indicating your camera. Their society is certainly one of consideration for others, so a little kindness goes a long ways here.

Koh Samui, Thailand local

This youngster had decided to take a nap on a hammock. What a tough life!! His family members were working at the beach and were so nice to talk to. The Thai people are generally so kind and just wanted to make sure that we were having a good time.

Taking a nap on the hammock

After a dip in the ocean, the small group of us decided to sit down and have a drink at the restaurant that was open to the ocean breeze. We grabbed a table and ordered. The prices at this nice venue on beach were very reasonable. It was easy to get an entire meal for a few dollars (in Baht). One of my favorite things to do in tropical destinations is to have a fresh coconut cut open and then drink the water inside. It's very good for you and tastes great. It's especially good when you're sweating a lot, since it has a lot of potassium. Even in a nice place, it was only about $1.50, served chilled. They give you a spoon so that you can scoop out the coconut and eat it. These types of coconuts are not like what you see in the grocery store. The ones you drink from are called "Young Coconuts" and are still green on the outside and picked from the trees. The  coconut is easier to eat and doesn't have to be graded or scrapped out like the older brown ones do.

Koh Samui, Thailand locals

Grandmother and baby were happy to be enjoying the beach and the cool breeze. They were part of the family that worked in the open cabana. You can get items for the beach, as well as being able to hire the Jet Ski for an hour or more. Although the weather wasn't perfectly bright and sunny, I thought I'd upload just a small clip of the beach and the waves that day. It's a nice relaxing sound and helps you to imagine what it was like there.

On the beach in Koh Samui, Thailand

Koh Samui, Thailand and the peculiar rock (part five)

The rain stayed in the clouds as we continued our journey. The feeling of "wet" was everywhere, but the fresh air was amazing. We continued to have trouble with our truck as it tried to make hill climb after hill climb. It was easy to laugh it off at this point. I was surprised at how many small "towns" there were on this island. So many hotel signs everywhere, and many of them boasted rates at "$10 per night". They actually didn't look half bad as we drove past them. It's funny that hotels on the same beach can range from $10 per night to hundreds of dollars per night.

Koh Samui, Thailand local

I spied on a few more locals with my camera as we zipped down the street. Seeing their faces on occasion made it obvious that we stuck out like a sore thumb as the non-locals who were crammed into the back of a pickup truck.

Koh Samui, Thailand local at the fruit stand

Our next turnoff lead us down a small, cramped lane. It seemed that only one car could slide by at a time, unless you were will to scrape the side of your vehicle. Well, it seems that people were plenty happy with scrapping their vehicle, so off we went. After cringing at the sound of metal hitting metal, we pulled to the side of the lane and watched as a local parking attendant managed to tell our driver that the lot was full. Our Canadian guide in the front seat, jumped out and informed us that we would have to go at it on our own, while our driver would leave for an hour or so. Everyone seemed trusting to do this, so out we jumped and watched as our ride backed out of the small passage way.

Koh Samui,Thailand narrow road

Crowds of people were swarming everywhere, as this was apparently a popular place. There were shops lining the tiny lane and you could tell that the ocean was just a few minutes walk down the path. I wasn't sure exactly what we were supposed to see here, but I followed as we headed towards the water. It didn't take long to get to our destination and see what the big deal was.

Grandfather and Grandmother rock on Koh Samui, Thailand

I bet about now, you're wondering if you have a dirty mind or not. Well, you're seeing exactly what it is that you're meant to see. This unique rock formation is called "Grandfather and Grandmother Rock". Here we are in the middle of a spectacular view of water, rocks and ocean and yet...this isn't awkward at all. Everyone was smiling and laughing at the oddity (including myself). Clearly this was a proud site for the locals.

Grandfather and Grandmother rock on Koh Samui, Thailand

What's even stranger was when I was wondering why all these guys kept laying down on one of the smooth rock surfaces and then their wives would take pictures of them while laughing. I decided to walk over to the Canadian man who was lying there while his wife was giggling away at each snap shot. Okay, so once you're there in the right visual perspective...then it all makes sense. Remember all those "Leaning Tower of Piza" photos where people look like they're holding it up? Use your imagination for the rest. You can't expect me to photograph this thing and then not talk about it.

Grandfather and Grandmother rock area on Koh Samui, Thailand

I watched people climb around the rocks and enjoying the ocean breeze. I rested on one of the main boulders and took a few more snapshots here and there.

Tourist enjoying the ocean on Koh Samui, Thailand

As usual, the shop owners were so sweet. This lady and her children were fun to talk to, and each owner always had a warm smile. Two of my favorite things was buying the honeyed peanuts and the coconut taffy.

Local shop owner with one of her children making purses

Luckly, after enjoying this beautiful site for an hour, our driver showed back up and took us off to our next adventure.

Tourists enjoying the sites on Koh Samui, Thailand


As always, there are lots more pictures of Koh Samui, Thailand in my Flickr album which can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Koh Samui, Thailand and the torrential temple downpour (Part four)

As we continued on our journey around the island of Koh Samui, we all sat semi-crampped in the back of the truck and watched as the scenery went by. We continued to get to know each other and about our recent journeys. We were glad that at least some breeze was coming in from the side windows, which were originally only covered with tarp. The warm and wet island breeze was acting as a perfect air-conditioning system as we drove along.

Koh Samui Thailand Local

Our truck moved through small patches of town and the occasional glimpse of rural jungle. I tried to read the various signs on shops as we drove past quickly. My camera caught the occasional side street or local person doing what they normally do.

Wat Kuhnaram on Koh Samui, Thailand


I didn't see a lot of tourists, which surprised me. Koh Samui does not have a international airport yet and so it probably sees very few Americans, and mainly Thai locals or Australians. It's funny how Australians seem to pop up in every odd corner of the world. They love to travel and it is almost always that case that you will bump into one when your overseas. 

Koh Samui, Thailand Buddha

We slowed down and turned right into a parking lot. We immediately noticed the temples that sat on this piece of land. It is called "Wat Kuhn Aram" Beautiful architecture and colors were prominent in the stormy light. We jumped out of the back of the truck and began walking around.

Koh Samui, Thailand local praying at Buddhist Temple

You could get blessings by donating money to the temple (I didn't do it but watched as some of my mates did). There were some locals at the temple who were praying and we did our best to give them privacy.

Wat Kuhnaram on Koh Samui, Thailand

Not long after we walked around the small area, the sky began to open up and rain began to fall. We all scattered and ran back towards the pickup. I had to get the camera out of the rain. As I said before, I had worn swimming trunks and a T-Shirt, so I wasn't worried about how wet I was. The rain poured in through the side windows as we laughed and tried to pull down the tarp.

Koh Samui, Thailand Temple

A large puddle of water gathered at the back of our pickup truck. After a few moments, the rain stopped as the sky remained dark and threatening. A few of us jumped back out of the truck and into the puddle. It just didn't matter anymore. We were here to have fun. Our guide of course never said much of anything, as he was mainly just the driver, but that was okay. As long as kept delivering the good stops, then that's all that mattered. If you'd like to find more information and names of various Wats (Temples) on Koh Samui, you can click HERE.

Koh Samui, Thailand 

Koh Samui, Thailand..tiny bananas, tiny elephants and the mothers who love them (Part Three)

After our waterfall experience, we began our journey further around the island. As our faulty-engined truck puttered along quickly, we watched as the scenery passed by. The sky was still grey and overcast with storm clouds. After a short while of driving, we pulled off the small island two-lane road and headed up into the mountains again. The road there was a bit more sturdy than the last one, with the same palm trees and greenery surrounding us.

Koh Samui, Thailand

After a short while up the steep hill, we pulled into an area where there were large and small elephants  looming everywhere. My understanding is that we were headed for another waterfall, but we pulled into the small parking lot. As we got out, a few employees walked over to us and offered a ride to the waterfall, and elephant ride or a Zip line ride down from the mountain. Sounds interesting to me, so we inquired more. Well, the Zip line was $50 U.S. dollars. Hmmmm...no thanks. Going to see the large waterfall was extra also, along with a $20 fee for riding an elephant.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

One of our group mates decided to head up to the Zip Line, so he left with the guide. I became mesmerized with the elephants and wanted to photograph and pet them (as much as one can actually pet an elephant). I still felt guilty about riding them, so I passed on doing that. The elephants looked kind of sad to me and I am too much of an animal lover not to notice.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

I watched a bit as elephant trainers helped passengers onto the elephants from the high platform designed to allowed people to walk up and step out onto the back of the elephant where the chair was. I suppose this made it easier for everyone.



A short video clip of the elephants on Koh Samui, Thailand

This was just a simple video clip. I didn't do much video on this trip, just a few seconds here and there to help people get a sense of what it's like in these places. It was mainly about photography for me.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

Since I decided not to ride one of these beautiful creatures, I thought it might be fun to feed one or two. There was a table where you could buy a bunch bananas (really tiny ones) for about 25 cents (U.S.). It was hard finding some that were ripe enough to feed them, so grabbed what I could.

Elephant and Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

I ran over to the baby one first. I decided to share my bananas with someone standing by, and take a photo while someone else was feeding him first. Once I started feeding him, I couldn't believe how fast he (or she) grabbed them out of my hands. I peeled off one at a time and the baby elephant instantly wrapped them in the trunk and engulfed. I went through a bunch of bananas rather quickly, save one.

Baby Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

Within moments, a very large, huge, elephant (mother) came over to me in that enhanced cinema slow-motion style and I began to get a little nervous. I reached out and handed a tiny banana to this monster- sized beauty as she grabbed it quickly. Mother elephant stared me right in the eyes without waiver and kept walking straight towards me. I couldn't tell if she was trying to push me away from baby and getting a banana in the process, or if she had figured out that walking over a visitor would produce bananas faster. As I was out of bananas now, I had to run to the table and buy another bunch quickly.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

I feed her over and over again as she pushed me back and down the hill. One banana, two banana, three banana...four. Finally as I started to make noise (let's just stick with that), a trainer came over to stop her. I'm sure they thought that was just hysterical (considering the amount of laughing they did). Although I didn't want to get stepped on, I loved feeding her, such an amazing opportunity. Elephants have such a tight grip with their trunks, so I had to pull away hand, quickly. I was hoping that she wasn't going to decide "to hell with the bananas" and have California boy for lunch. There is a hairy, dirty and rough texture to them that feels quick strange. It's nothing like petting a kitten.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

It is amazing how much intelligence is in the eyes of an elephant. Like I said, I felt sorry for them though since they were kind of trapped, having to do this day in and day out.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

The elephant trainers were an interesting mix of people, but friendly. I saw this guy sitting on one of the elephants and having a break. Not sure exactly what he was smoking, but it makes for an interesting photo.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

It was curious seeing the different colors and patterns on the elephants. It was amazing to get this chance to spend some time with these animals. Typically, most people only get to see elephants at the zoo, behind a fence. It is an entirely different experience to be able to walk up to them and to be surrounded by them. You never really realize how massive they are and how much of a presence they have until you are in this situation.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand


To Be Continued....