Monday, October 5, 2009

Thailand: A Retrospective - Day 2

We awoke after our long slumber, free of jet-lag (it helps when you actually gain three hours, which also promises a less-than-enjoyable transition back to home), and ready to tackle the breakfast buffet! In my carnivorously conditioned state, I was innocently expecting there would be at least some kind of unadulterated meat for me to enjoy... The reality: the SAD dream, or should I say nightmare? To be fair, there were 'healthy' options - quite a few salad vegetables were available, as well as an impressive fruit display, all high-sugar like pineapple and grapes. But then there was the wall of baked goods - baskets of danishes, slices of bread, muffins, etc... And the big bowls of a variety of cereals, including chocolate Crispix! The good news? Bacon (albeit shortcut, often with the fat removed, and certainly rindless), and eggs however you wanted them (sunny-side up and runny, please!). So yep, the first week of breakfasts was pretty repetitive...


Returning to our room, we took in the view from our deck...


Under the illusion of privacy (ignoring the hundred-odd rooms facing the pool, one of three pools in the resort), I decided to give my new bikini a spin - hey, no one here knows me! Who cares if they judge my bulges?!


After such a small breakfast, and a morning of swimming in the most beautiful pool, under the most beautiful sun, I was wanting a beautiful seafood lunch. So we headed down to one of the resort's cafe/restaurants, where I ordered the Andaman Seafood Salad. Well, they were certainly generous with the vegetables - a mound of lettuce, topped with a few grilled veggies. And then there was the seafood...


Two prawns, two scallops, two mussels, two squid pieces, and - have a guess - two pieces of mushy fish. Sheesh. For the price, I was expecting something at least marginally satisfying. Instead, I was still hungry, thanks to the lack of fat in the meal. I asked for some butter as a side, and was served a frozen, separated, disgusting little pat in a pack. Yikes. Dairy in Thailand - apparently risky territory.

Then we wandered down to the resort's beach, where we hit up the first of the three massage 'shacks' for a much needed pedicure, which turned into a mani/pedi, for both of us! Mine took longer than his, as mine involved intricate nail painting. So while he waited, he snapped this lovely shot of the view from the shack:


Finally, they were done:


No, my toes aren't really that crooked, they're still dented by the toe separators!

Then it was time for a quick Thai language lesson, where we picked up the correct and polite way to greet Thai people, how to say thank you, and some other vital phrases which we never used.

Despite my stomach growling wildly, we had a massage appointment at the resort spa to attend to before my hunger could be sated with dinner. Luxurious!

Then it was finally time for dinner, huzzah! Whilst on the beach for our mani/pedis, we spied a long series of steps leading up from the beach to a building on the side of a hill. We couldn't tell what was up there originally, so the beau headed up while we waited for my nails to dry and discovered that it was a restaurant! So after the disappointment of breakfast and the debacle that was lunch, we escaped the resort for the main meal.

Best. Decision. Ever.

The view of post-sunset from Little Tiger:


But even better - on every page of the menu, the restaurant assured the customer that if the customer wanted something else, they need only ask! So when I asked for a plate of squid to be served without sauce and fried in butter rather than soya bean oil, the waitress agreed without the slightest hesitation! Delicious! The boy ordered a massaman curry, and after one bite declared it to be the best curry he had ever tasted, and he adores curry. You may be able to conclude then, from this description, why I needed to warn you about the repetitiveness of our eating experiences...


Taken with the iPhone, after sunset - but don't worry, there will be many more of the same dish with better lighting!

After dinner, we returned to the resort spa for a facial (that's right, the beau had a manicure, pedicure, full body massage, and FACIAL, all in the same day!! I checked him thoroughly later - he was still all man). We floated back to our room, collapsed into bed, and - all tuckered out from our day of pampering - soon fell asleep.

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