Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Cruising Asia: Koh Samui and Singapore

Our 14-day cruise was now quickly coming to an end, and Bob and I wanted it to conclude with a nice relaxing day on the beach.  Koh Samui is Thailand's second largest Island and is located of it's east coast in the gulf of Thailand.  Known for it's beautiful beaches, mountainous rain-forest, and luxury hotels, this was the perfect place for relaxation and sunshine. As we tendered to shore, it seemed as if the island were on fire.  We never did get an explanation for the smoke billowing along the shoreline.  We hired a taxi with Bev and Tom and were shown a few sights around the island.



 

But most of the time we just lounged on the fine white sand and splashed in the warm gulf water.   It was valentine's day, and an appropriate gift to each other was a massage on the beach.  Our day in Koh Samui was much too short, and before we knew it, we had to make our way back to port.


The dock was home to a lively fishing village.  We watched the fishermen in action as they gathered and sorted their catch of the day.  The community of fishermen seemed happy and content with their labors.  We, too, were happy and content with our day of rest.  The last of our three formal dinner nights that evening treated us to the favored "surf & turf" valentine's day feast on prime rib and lobster.  Warm chocolate lava cake and a lavish song and dance show brought the day to a satisfying end.


We arrived at the port of Singapore early on the morning of Tuesday, February 16.  This was the end of our Asian cruise.  The kid in me convinced Bob that a day at Universal Studios would be enjoyed more than any additional sight-seeing in a place we've already explored.  Our flight back to Seoul was not until late that night, so we stored our luggage at the port and walked over to catch the short train-ride across the bay to Sentosa Island.  It was a delightful day - not too crowded, nor too hot!



What were my favorite rides and shows?  Surprisingly (because I'm not a big fan of the movies), the best ride was "Transformers"!  It combined the thrill of a roller coaster with virtual reality, much like "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" in Orlando, Florida.  But the dueling Battlestar Galactica coasters were a close second:  the suspended blue "Cylon" track being favored over the red "Human" coaster.  Best show in the park was "Water World", a live-action explosive water-craft and thrilling stunts performance.  Favorite character greeting was "King Julian" from Madagascar of course, with the "Minions" coming in second place.


What can I say - I love amusement parks!  And I love vacations with my valentine!  I went home with a smile on my face and a camera full of wonderful memories of our cruise through Asia.