Zico’s Brazilian Bar and Grill, Koh Samui Thailand

Look for the sign

I first ate at Zico’s Brazilian Grill & Bar three years ago.  By happenstance, we wandered in for a drink from the Centara Hotel across the street in Chaweng Beach.  Zico’s is known for its substantial buffet, priced now at 750 baht.  Aside from its good selection of salads, the hit of the evening is the large skewers of meat that the waiters parade by your table, seemingly non-stop.  The meats are barbeque style and Zico’s does an excellent job cooking the meats.  All cuts were succulent and tasty.

We found ourselves at Chaweng Beach last week and I convinced my friends to give Zico’s a  try.

We were met at the entrance and escorted to a large table for the seven of us.  The professional staff explained the menu and the “all you can eat concept” and away we went over to the salad bar.

The salad bar offers numerous choices from pasta salad to couscous to half a dozen or so other prepared salads.   Or you can elect to prepare a do-it-yourself green salad with freshly made salad dressings.  They also offer you a good selection of side orders before the main event.

And as we began to finish our salads, the staff began bringing over large skewers of meat.  First the chorizo sausage came and then the beef and on and on.  Until we cried out “no mas” (no more).

Below are two menus from their website.  (Apparently they rotate the menus.)   As you can see,  the menu is quite extensive and can satisfy anyone’s appetite.  Both times I have been there, they offered Menu Two.  I sampled all the meats and found myself asking for more chorizo (sausage), the beef and pork neck.  Because the selection is wide, your friends can eat something completely different, like barracuda, prawns and chicken.

Bon appetit!

Menu one

• Beef top side
• Beef tenderloin
• Lamb leg
• Lamb sausage
• Pork neck
• Smoked bacon
• Pork spare ribs
• Chicken drum stick
• Duck breast
• Black Bass filet
• Pork loin
• Salmon
• Barracuda
• Mackerel
• Tiger prawns

• French Fries
• Jacket potato
• Balsamic baked tomato
• Steamed rice
• Curry green peas couscous
• Grilled vegetable
• Vegetable Ratatouille
• Potato croquet

Menu two

• Beef strip loin
• Beef tenderloin
• Lamb leg
• Chorizo sausage
• Veal sausage
• Pork loin
• Pork neck
• Smoked ham
• Chicken breast
• Mince lamb
• Duck breast
• Black tiger prawns
• Tasmanian salmon
• Barracuda
• Shark

• French Fries
• Potatoes au gratin
• Stir fried vegetables
• Steamed rice
• Black beans corn fried rice
• Grilled vegetables
• Broccoli butter casserole
• Mashed potatoes

750 Baht
Only Salad Bar 340 Baht

Crumpler messenger bag “Western Lawn” as camera bag

Western lawn

Sometimes when you go out to take photos you want to go the minimalist route when it’s necessary to carry a camera bag.  Sometimes that means a bag that’s lightweight without any padding or padded dividers.  I found that the “Western Lawn” makes for a very good camera bag.  It’s lightweight with one cavernous main compartment and five smaller divider pockets, two of which can hold an extra body or lenses.  The main compartment easily holds a DSLR with a 70-200 zoom.   The other three pockets are also large although they are not large enough for most DSLR lenses. But they easily hold your wallet, small books, keys etc.

Exterior in several colors

The “Western Lawn” can be slung over your shoulder or rotated to the front to allow access to your equipment. And the shoulder strap is comfortable although I would recommend that you buy the optional shoulder pad.

If you’re really concerned about padding, there is an optional padded camera “bucket” that fits in the main compartment.

Two cameras with lens and accessories

The only downside is the lack of a fastex buckle to secure the flap.  There are two velcro patches (and in typical Crumpler fashion, they are noisy when you open the flap).

Finally since the “Western Lawn” doesn’t scream out camera bag, it is not conspicious.  I like it.

One large compartment, two medium pockets and three others

Found. More women’s boot photos from Tokyo

I was consolidating my photographs for transfer to an auxiliary hard drive for achiving 2008 photos when I ran across a few more photos of Japanese women wearing boots, this time at Garden Place near the Ebisu JR train station.  These photos were taken in late October of this year.

Two are better than one

Older and wiser

Very fine spike heels

Demi-boot

Casual with mukluks

Lowe Pro SlingShot 200 AW camera backpack

Rear view

First of all, Lowe Pro makes some very good gear.  I’ve had a number of different bags of all configerations over the years.  Currently, I frequently use their fanny pack quasi-shoulder bag, the Inverse 200 AW.  This particular bag is a toploader and is great to shoot out of.  From my shoulder, I can move the bag from my back or side to a front position where I can use its broad mouth to change lenses without the worry of dropping the lens or worse, the camera.

On the other hand, the SlingShot 200 AW is a single strap shoulder/backpack.  There is also a smaller secondary strap that you fasten across your chest to secure the pack squarely on your back.  This part works, but requires that you always keep this smaller strap fastened.  It is somewhat comfortable.

The main compartment is a side loader, that is, it unzips the side and the back in a u-shaped pattern that if fully opened, opens 1/2 of the pack.  There is also a smaller compartment on top that is suitable for your wallet, camera accessories and odds/ends.  the third pocket is an organizer that is on the outside of the main compartment.

The pack can hold two DSLR bodies and two lenses, possibly three.  This is shown in the photo below.  It easily swallows three Leica M-bodies and five lenses with room to spare.  And don’t forget the smaller upper compartment.  More gear can be stashed there.

Front straps

I’ve had this pack for several months and used it regularly.  Sad to say, this bag doesn’t work for me.

First of all, without the second strap fastened across your chest, that is, just carrying the pack on your shoulder, the pack is not balanced.  It tends to hang away from your body so it is not comfortable to carry.

Second, the side entry main compartment is just a disaster waiting for happen.  The pack is easy to slide to your front sideways and open the compartment to access your camera.  You can shoot from the bag with little difficulty.  The problem lies in the lack of security this side entry provides your gear.  If you forget to completely zip the pack after use, the camera can fall out.  In the heat of street use,  some of the contents may fall out.  Instead of “focusing” on the shot itself, you have to devote some brainpower to remembering to zip up the bag.

Be careful

Before buying this bag, I recommend that you try it out in the store.  My gear needs more of an idiot-free design and I’m afraid that this design does not work for me.   I would always worry about my gear ending up in the street, ot worse, in some river after falling out of my bag.

Wide open

Baan Chaweng Beach Resort – Koh Samui

Reception

Over the years I’ve stayed at a half dozen different hotels on Chaweng Beach.  Except for the Centara Hotel at Chaweng Beach, all the hotels have some flaws that I couldn’t see past so that I never went back.  The Centara is a very nice hotel however the large structure lacks the lush tropical feel.

This time I stayed at the Baan Chaweng Beach Resort and Spa.  I’d never stayed here before and the reservation was made based on a walk-through a couple of years ago.  Since then, they’ve added more rooms to their lush tropical grounds.

Let me say that there was nothing negative about my five day stay at this hotel.  The room, which was described as a “beachfront villa”, was near the beach and somewhat beachfront but I overlooked this hyperbole since the room was newly constructly and large.  The room was very comfortable.

Beachfront Villa

The interior

Although not shown here, the bathroom was immense probably, somewhere around 4 by 4 meters.  You didn’t have to worry about bumping into anything in that bathroom.

Very green

The vegetation was lush.  And the grounds  were impeccable.  Although the tropical feel is made to look somewhat wild, the beautiful grounds bore the signs of exceptional care.  It’s beauty made staying here even more enjoyable.

The pool area was somewhat small but you never felt like the pool was crowded.  Most of the guests migrated to the chaise lounge chairs on the beach and did not spend any time around the pool.

End to end

The beachfront was impeccable with very fine sand and clear water.  The water is shallow for quite a ways, even at high tide so it is quite safe for children.

All in a row

The restaurant

The only criticism I have of this resort is the service in the restaurant.  Some of the staff was very professional but too many of them was somewhat unfamiliar with the term “customer service”.  Sometimes breakfast was one steady attempt at getting their attention for more coffee or tea.  They just didn’t pay attention.  But that being said, overall this resort is highly recommended.

Pure sand and sun

Roaming Samui – Via Vai – great Italian food on Chaweng Beach

Don't miss this restaurant

I had the pleasure of eating at the Via Vai Italian restaurant a few days ago while spending a few well-earned days of stress reducing rest.  For starters, we almost passed this restaurant without a second look if not for one of my friends spotting the bricklined pizza oven.  The next night we were at a quandry as to where to eat and he suggested the Via Vai.

This turned out to be a great find.  We ordered two pizzas, the ham and cheese and the mushroom and cheese.  Both turned out to be some of the best pizza I’ve ever eaten.  The key was the crust which was thin and “crusty” with the slightly firm chewiness that makes for great pizza.  We also ordered the seafood spaghetti which was raved about by those that tasted it.  The stereotypical mozzarella and tomato salad was good but fairly average.   To top it off, the prices are quite reasonable, that is, it won’t make a dent in your wallet.

Via Vai is located on Chaweng Beach and is easy to find.  The address is 167/43 Chaweng Beach Road,  the telephone number is 077-413431.  There is also a Via Vai in Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 8.

More photos of Koh Nangyuan, a tropical paradise

 

Dropping off tourists

It’s Christmas Eve and I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  It’s been a great half year for my blog.  If you want information on Koh Nangyuan, please check out my other posting just a couple of days ago.  Happy Holidays!

 

A thin ribbon of sand

A place to pass time

Very clear water

Child's play

 

Eranda Spa on Koh Samui

Sign leads the way

I’ve been coming to Eranda Spa on Koh Samui for three years. The first time I came here was due to a very well-known spa being fully booked, so Eranda, a spa that I had never heard of became the choice.

Eranda is located just a few kilometers from Chaweng Beach and their van will pick you up free of charge and transport you to their spa. And, of course, back to your hotel.

Once you arrive, you will notice that the spa is built on a hillside with lush foliage surrounding the massage bungalows.  You are immediately escorted to reception where you are offered a menu of services. While making the decision, you are served a cup of herbal tea that begins your process of renewal.  With the quiet ambiance and the tea,  your stress begins to drain away.  And you haven’t even started your treatment yet.

Reception

You are then taken to your “bungalow” where the masseuses are awaiting.  The bungalow is private.  The one that we had was comprised of two rooms, the massage room itself with two massage beds and another room that had a sunken bath for two, a steam room and of course a shower.  The “bath” room has an open air view of the lush vegetation. There was a view of the sea but this was somewhat obscured by the beautiful tropical foliage.  In the background very quiet new age music Thai style is being played.

Very soothing

The package we purchased included 90 minutes of aromatherapy, preceded by 30 minutes in any combination of steam room and bath to your heart’s content.

I did miss their outdoor cold water pool which was closed for renovation.   I loved being able to spend time in the sauna room and then jumping in the cold bracing water.  To me that was sheer heaven.  They expect the renovation to finish soon.  Can’t wait.

Looking up

I asked for a “medium” pressure massage and it was delivered as ordered.  They used tangerine scented oil which I had selected at reception.   Just the scent was enough to make me sleepy.  I ended up sleeping almost the entire massage.

I recommend the Eranda Spa without any hesitation.  I have been there twice and both times, it has lived up to its reputation.  Although there are many spas to select from on Samui and I have visited around ten,  this is the one I select for sheer pleasure.

Reception

Leaving

Roaming Thailand – Koh Nangyuan – one of the world’s most beautiful islands

Welcome to paradise

Koh Nangyuan is a jewel of an island that is between 1-2 hours from Koh Samui depending on the type of boat you use to travel there.  There is some development in the form of a very small number of  bungalows and a restaurant.  It is also a base for some scuba schools.  The water  is as clear as it gets and is home to many species of fish.  Although you mostly see small black and yellow striped fish in the shallow waters, many other fish are visible in the deeper water.  In addition to staying at Nangyuan, you can also make it a day trip from Koh Samui, or stay at nearby Koh Tao or Koh Phangan.

I would recommend Koh Tao as it is very close to Nangyuan and all services are available there.   There are many resorts on Koh Tao.  Charm Churree Villa is my recommendation as a place to stay.

If you do want to get away from it all.  You can stay at Nangyuan.  But it is very quiet when all the day visitors have gone.  If seclusion is your cup of tea, have at it.  The other option is a day trip from Samui but this can be a rushed trip with little time to really spend at Nangyuan.

Umbrella marks the spot

Dive school

Snorkel central

After lunch

Roaming Samui – holiday for a few days

Dawn for the fisherman

I’m down in Koh Samui for a  little rest and recreation.  It’s been a hectic month that included getting stranded in Singapore when the Suvannabhumi International Airport in Bangkok was closed due to its takeover by protesters.  This led to a 2000 km road trip from Singapore to Bangkok.

I’ve been coming to Samui for 13 years and I always find my way to Chaweng Beach.  Although Chaweng is heavily developed, I still find it one of the more interesting destinations on Samui.  It is still possible to find beachfront hotels in every price range.   And there are enough conveniences to make it a low impact destination.   The “strip” is wall to wall restaurants, stores, fastfood restaurants, retail shops and souvenir shops. But to me, this is ok.  It’s a lot of fun to walk the strip and people watch.

In the next week, I will report on restaurants that I visited and information about the hotel where I stayed.

Chaweng Beach

The other way

Next door