50th Anniversary trip

Old Dec 5th, 2016, 05:37 AM
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50th Anniversary trip

Off to Bangkok this PM for 2 weeks via JFK. Giving Qatar Air a first try---fantastic 2 for 1 offer.

Week before last we spent in Panama with our family in a fantastic rental house (mansion). All 11 of us were very comfortable. The pool hardly found a minute with no waves as the teens kept it really busy. We were on a large piece of property so the kids could make as much noise as they wanted to, and they did. Some golfed, others rode horses on the beach, the teen boys rented a wave runner, the women and some husbands went to the spa at the nearby JW Marriott. Our cook kept us well fed with panama foods, and lots of vodka, rum and wines were enjoyed. This was the family celebration.

Now Karen and I will enjoy a more sedate celebration in Bangkok first, then Hua Hin (at the new Marriott) and finally back in Bangkok for several days at the Peninsula for our actual anniversary on Dec. 18.

We awoke to our first snow of the year today, but don't expect that it will present any problem--a few inches at best.

We have no schedule planned for the trip so it should be totally relaxing. We return home on Dec. 20th just in time for some Christmas cheer.

Speaking of which we offer all of our Fodors friends a most Merry Christmas and/or other year end holidays celebrated, and a most HAPPY NEW YEAR.

There will be no trip report, just some ramblings here from time to time, mostly about food and any new discoveries.

Bob
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 06:30 AM
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Have fun Bob and Karen! And keep the 50th anniversary celebration going. Happy, happy, as you would say. Looking forward to seeing you both in NYC between Christmas and New Years.
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 06:41 AM
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Congratulations on the anniversary.

Have a great trip, and Happy New Year to both of you.
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 06:55 AM
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Many congratulations to you both. Have a great time in Bangkok.
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 08:46 AM
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Congrats to you and Karen! I'm glad the Panama house worked out so well.

We also awoke to snow this morning - a rarity in Seattle. The snow is gone now, but we may see some on and off all day.

Enjoy your anniversary celebration in Bangkok!
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 09:44 AM
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Congrats! MC & HNY!
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 04:30 PM
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Great to "see" you here again and know you are happy to be back in Thailand. The Panama trip sounds perfect for celebrating your 50th. Happy Anniversary!

I hope you will post lots of ramblings and new and revisited discoveries. Your posts help me visualize being in the country I love!
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 07:25 AM
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Happy 50th!!!

Seasons Greetings to you and Karen. Sounds like a relaxing time which is what you two need after this fun filled last month actually the whole year lol.

We are used to your ramblings Bob so please ramble on here for your loyal fodor followers. I await your every crumb thrown our way

BTW Linda says tell to Karen " make sure you get a lot of spa time in haha".

Have fun you guys and give our love to Pook, Dang and Mony.

Aloha!
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 10:51 AM
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Fifty years--what milestone!! Congratulations, M.r and Mrs. Rhkkmk.
How nice that you had your multigenerational trip and now have "couples"time back where it all began...just the two of you.
No doubt "lots of vodka, rum and wine" in Panama kept you in a rambling there. May you happily ramble on through your next trip!
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 11:34 AM
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Happy 50th anniversary, Bob and Karen! Have a wonderful time in Thailand. I know you'll find some new interesting places to visit while you're there.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 12:08 PM
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Happy 50th anniversary Karen & Bob. What a wonderful way to celebrate this milestone. Wishing you both many more happy years together.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 12:33 PM
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Interested to hear about your thoughts on Qutar Airlines. And, of course, Happy 50th.
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Old Dec 6th, 2016, 05:23 PM
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Oh, joy -- I have just happily rejoined Fodor's forum after a three year hiatus (marked by too much work and not enough fun, etc.) and what could be better than finding these trip plans and a thread from so many of the people who taught us how to travel in Asia.

Warm congratulations, Bob and Karen. May your celebration of your 50th be everything that you are hoping it will be. I hope that you post more than you suggest you will. Please "ramble" so that we may ramble along with you.

In the summer of 2014, we spent an idyllic week at the Bangkok Penn (with value rates not to be matched in high season). Lovely to start the day with that fabulous breakfast on the terrace over 3 newspapers.

Planning to go back to BKK in January for my husband's landmark birthday and our round-number wedding anniversary (less impressive than your 50 years though) so we will be following you and Karen from Logan. We are looking at the Penn and wondering whether to return or try something new. The MO is too pricey and I seem to remember that Kathie soured on the ROS after a good long run. Wondering about the S'la (Krungthep?) or back to the Penn or what.

Best wishes for wonderful travels. I need to start catching up on everyone's TRs and comments. Wow, Fodorites never stand still -- especially you two.

Happy Anniversary!

Maryalice (Marya_ beginning in 2004 but I had to re-register in a new name in order to update my email address appropriately)
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 02:46 AM
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Happy anniversary to both of you! 50 years! Wow! And how wonderful that you are both doing what you love to do, both with your family in Panama and with each other! Enjoy your "sedate" anniversary trip to BKK!
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 05:34 AM
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MA?.. lots of new bkk hotels in the last few years. Anantara riverside remains our fav along with the penn... sh-la is just toooo big.

So we tried Qatar and I think we liked it quite well. Best airline dinner I have ever had--a few small pieces of chicken in an intense tomato sauce with rice, raisins, etc.

Their Doha airport is weird.... I would guess it is a work in progress-- we were parked at a bus gate---annoying. Airlines really doesn't compare to Emerites, but then generally the fares are cheaper. Excellent young staff, multi-national.

35 minutes from airplane door to our taxi... little or no traffic into city.

Renaissance Hotel, with all the Marriott platinum upgrades. 3 nights here then a move to Hua Hin.

The city seems a bit somber and less lit up. Lots of billboards written in black commentating the King's passing, as well as memorial pics of him.

Great to be back in Bkk.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 06:56 AM
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Bob, I'm interested in your observations of Bangkok in mourning for the King.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 08:06 AM
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While waiting for Bob to weigh in on mourning customs and rituals in observable Bangkok and Hua Hin, a minor note on the surprising US-Thai connection the King represented.

Tribute flowers continue to be left at the King Bhimibol Aduljadeh Square here in Cambridge, Massachusetts, located close to his birthplace. Does everyone know that the King was born here in Cambridge at Mt. Auburn Hospital? The monument is a pilgrimage site.

So, to put it a bit whimsically, the world's longest reigning monarch was born here at the site of the American Revolution.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 05:38 PM
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MaryAlice, Mt.Auburn Hospital, who ever would have guessed that!
Congratulations Karen and Bob on your Golden Anniversary.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 11:14 PM
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Fitful night's sleep. Great breakfast in the club.

Taxi to river city shopping car which continues to be much improved. K had a full oil massage for an hour and I had a leg and shoulder message... both fantastic.
We visited with our friend Penny at JS Thai silk across from the massage place but ordered nothing.

The ride at 10 AM was a breeze. It was almost like a holiday, no traffic. The city seems a bit somber and bleak. Lots of black and white clothing still in existence as a tribute to the late king. No longer a requirement however. We saw a farang tour at river city and their bright clothes looked oddly out of place. Kathie, the people still seems sad and are perhaps apprehensive about the future.

We took another taxi to sukhumvit soi 93 to the Jim Thompson outlet. Tomorrow their warehouse sale starts at BITEC so the offerings at the outlet were slim. We had a nice lunch in their cafe and K bought two lengths of cotton cloth to have pj pants made. A couple of small gifts for Xmas were also bought. We are going out to the warehouse sale tomorrow--- perhaps just out of curiosity.

We did experience the usual heavy traffic from soi 93 back to our hotel-- about 45 minutes--- 145 B-- about $4.

No plans for the rest of the day.
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 07:03 AM
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I hope you find plenty of things to buy at the JT warehouse sale.

Are there more shops open in River city? It felt like a ghost town a year ago.
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