Its always a bit strange having Christmas in the Sun.The snow and sleigh bells image has to be done away with and the build up is focused on the travel arrangements rather than trimming up.
So, Christmas morning found us sat in the restaurant over looking the beach in all its glory.
The clouds had disappeared and the wind though strong was warm.
Christmas Dinner was provided courtesy of Mr Jack and his wife who have a thriving business providing beach food from two small metal boxes that he carries on a pole over his shoulder.
They are the king pins of the Beach Hawkers and probably the most viable business on the beach.
They arrive about 1030-1100 and start the small charcoal BBQ which they fan with a home made plastic paddle . Then for the rest of the day they cook sweetcorn, basting it in some sort of dressing as it cooks and sprinkling with salt.
These are big fat and very fresh Sweetcorn that haven’t seen a supermarket shelf.
They also sell Pineapple which they trim to take away all the tough bits and at the end of the process they offer you fruit that is beautiful to look at, fresh and juicy and completely sterile as they don’t touch it by hand.
We had a mango and it was amazing to see how much edible flesh they give you and how little waste there is. This might not impress anyone who hasn’t tried to cut a mango from its stone before but it isa work of art.
My Favourite by far is the Coconut water, served from the coconut itself. They attack the top with a small cleaver, cutting the crown away, insert a couple of straws and there you have the best Beach drink in the world.
So our Festive Fare consisted of, BBQ Sweetcorn, Satay Chicken skewers, Mango and coconut Milk. Not a sprout in sight.
There is another lady who sells noodles on the beach from a small BBQ that she too carries on a pole but every time I’ve tried to buy some, she has been sold out.
After a long lazy day on the beach we got ourselves dressed up in ur Christmas best ready for our Photos.
We’d pinched a Yukka plant from the Garden and decorated it with Stars and glittery things, so we had something at least resembling a Christmas Tree, opened a bottle of Bubbly and started shooting.
Our outfits were slightly over the top but well within the etiquette rules for Christmas Samui Style.
We Face Timed home and shared our Christmas day experience with Family and friends before setting off to find some alcohol at the beach bar next door where a few Cocktail hit the spot.
We eventually ended up at The Marine Bar out on the street where the Hostesses are both Lady Boys and dressed as we were we soon made new friends amongst the staff.
It was then a short walk home. Not a late night, not the crazy frantic wild night it might have been but happy and relaxed we definitely were.
Bill and Jaki go Travelling 