Greetings from California

[AsAw]

Hello all. Pleasure to join Hua Hin Forum. I was referred here by Jim Andrews on his YouTube page.

My name is Scott and I'm currently living and working in Southern California but previously lived 15 years in South Korea and two years in Vietnam and have visited Thailand about a half a dozen times. I'm eager to head back over there when I retire in 10-12 years (or sooner if I just can't hold out). Meanwhile, I plan to take a month off every other year and spend time in different locales starting with Hua Hin in 2019. In fact, my next post here will be a question anyone who is willing to compare a number of different locales in Thailand.

Look forward to getting to know all of you and learning a lot about the Hua Hin area .

[migrant]

Welcome!

I live further down from Hua Hin but lived in Orange County before retiring to Thailand.

Currently am back in Orange County for a couple months before returning.

Good people here with a lot of knowledge so ask away!!

[oakdale160]

May I ask a question Asaw-- I worked in BKK for several years before retiring in HH. When working I went to VN several times and liked the country and the people. As opposed to Thai, I was impressed how from year to year things were making visits there easier--the level of spoken English for example. I am curious why you favour retiring in Thai rather than VN, as you have had some VN experience.

[AsAw]

Thanks for the welcome, Migrant. Question for you: What (if anything) do you miss from California when you are over in Thailand?

Oakdale160, that's a good question. Let me start by saying I'm pretty fond of VN too - it's my plan B and who knows how things may evolve over the next few years. But I have simply always experienced a better vibe in Thailand. The infrastructure is better, the food is better (though a close call), and I feel like it's a little more "international" (re: more expats who have settled and offer things from back home). Wherever I end up, I fully expect to hop around Asia as much as I can.

[migrant]

I miss a good Costco steak. So far have been able to get enough cigars through customs. A good deli. A decent marina that I could moor a boat in. Some ethnic cuisines (note a pattern here??)

You can get most any material item if you have enough baht.

It's actually my wife, who is Thai but was 20+ years in California, that misses more

[AsAw]

Of the things you listed, I could definitely see myself missing a good steak now and then. Guess I'd have to cough up some cash in one of the nicer hotels for now and then.

I imagine there aren't too many decent Mexican restaurants? That would be kind of tough.

[centermid7]

^ I've never come across any Mexican that I thought was worth a damn. Italian either. These cooks here just have no idea as to what it should be and therefore rarely get it right. Now certainly a chef can be taught or ought to be able to cook about anything but trained chefs are rare as opposed to the cooks and once they get trained up it's a good chance that two weeks later that have hit the road for something new.

Not to worry. There will be someone come right behind me to tell us how wrong I am!

Cheers

[huahin4ever]

West 94th. St. Pub in Soi 94 has some good Mexican food. Tacos, Nachos and burrito.

[migrant]

I think Mexican, like many ethnic cuisines, are in the taste of the individual. Here in Southern California we have a huge choice of Mexican foods, often 2-4 per corner (like 7-11's in Thailand) and often the tastes are different. Look at our threads on Indian food, everyone has a different idea. I spent a lot of time in Mexico and Central America so have my own ideas of what I like. In fact off to Puerto Vallarta after tax season!!

We ate ate one of the best reviewed Mexican places in BKK and, the wife and I, agreed that the franchised, fast food places in the states taste better. Quality Ingredients for Mexican food is hard to come by in Thailand but usually we cook our own Mexican in Thailand.

Steak, even those from our Aussie cousins, I think, IMHO, still doesn't measure up to a US steak. I know many won't agree, but it's, again, personal preference. I find steak in Macro, French butcher, HHHAB good, but still.....

[Norseman]

I fully agree with you migrant.
A whole lot of years ago I temporarily lived for 6 months in Rendondo Beach area and had some very good and tender steaks there. Very similar in taste to the Argentinian produced steaks.
IMHO you can't find better steaks anywhere in the world.
Personal preference I know, but North and South America are the really good meat producers in the world.
I won't reject a Aussie or New Zealand Angus steak though but that is because it's the easiest obtainable good meat you'll get here in SE Asia.
Personal preferences yes of course.

[AsAw]

The best steak I ever had was home cooked wagyu beef raised by the Ag department at Washington State University, where I used to work. Perfect marbling. Melt in your mouth tenderness.