Back "home" to Bangkok

welcome home... ain't it great... how were the hors' tonight...??

see you wed. nite about 7ish

Kathie
Do enjoy your time in BKK! Yes, it feels like "home" each time I return there. Stop by and meet Maeng if you have the time and are wandering around Sukhumvit. The Pickled Liver is on soi 11, behind "Cheap Charlies", and right near the entrance to the Suk 11 hotel. Be sure to tell Maeng you are Carol's friend from the internet. She's usually there by about 5pm. She loves meeting my friends, and cooking Thai food for them.

Welcome back Kathie!

Cruise past your hotel this evening several time as we were on a Thai navy dining boat. See you soon!

Home sweet home - Bangkok is as much a state of mind as it is a place...

Enjoy Bangkok, Kathie!

Thanks, everyone. Indeed, Craig, Bangkok is a state of mind.

Carol, I'm not sure we'll make it to the Pickled Liver, but I will certainly tell Maeng we know you if we get there.

Pook, We saw those boat cruising by and wondered what they were.

Bob, the canapes were excellent. The chef likes to come through and see how people like what he made each night.

We have so much on our agenda here, I wish we had more time. Cheryl ordered glasses yesterday. Pedicures are the first item on the agenda today - walking barefoot through temple ruins is hazardous to your polish. Then we have more shopping plans.

It's quite cool today so enjoy yourselves!

I'm in Bangkok too. Cool is correct - my pool was down right frigid!

The weather is wonderfully cool here. Nice of you to order it for us, Hanuman, knowing how hot it was in Rangoon.

We ate at Baan Khanita on Suk 23. Very nice place, in an old Thai house. Both the fod and the service were excellent.

Degas, I'm glad to hear you are in town. I assume you are joining us for the gtg on Wednesday evening at Kinnaree.

Kathie, I wish I could, but have to leave in the morning. Enjoy your trip. I tried an interesting new restaurant - Spring/Summer on Soi 49.

Did I just read a comment about freezing cold swimming pools in Bangkok?

Kathie-welcome back to the ROS. I feel like a traitor going to the Marriott. Can't wait to hear about Burma. See you on Wednesday night.

burma is a must on the schedule for wed....

sorry degas will miss GTG... I think we will be 14

degas, I'm sorry you are leaving today as I'd love to meet you. Maybe next time.

Andy, you don't just feel like a traitor - you ARE a traitor.

The weather has warmed up today. The friends we know at our hotel deemed the pool water just fine, but felt cold getting out of the water the last two days. It was really nice to have such cool weather for those of us who like to walk.

Traffic seems much worse than usual in Bangkok. The skytrain cars are just crammed full of people and there are many streets that just seem to be at a stand-still.

There are so many little things I see that remind me how much I love Bangkok. This morning on the skytrain, I saw a couple of women wai the Erawan shine as we passed.

We decided to go to Chote Chitr for lunch, but when we got there, a sign said they will reopen on Tuesday. Rats!

imo, you did not miss much at CC.... give coconut palm a try... we loved it our 2nd time too...

Bob, we've eaten at Chote Chitr several times and we've had great food there.

There have been a couple of posts here in the last 9 months or so about Thai ATMs charging for use. Both Cheryl ans I withdrew cash, from the machines of two different banks, and both ATMs said they charge 150 baht ($4.52 at today's exchange rate) per withdrawal. That's the kind of rate many US banks charge. Anyway, I checked my account and my bank refunded the ATM fee. The terms and conditions of the account say they will only refund fees on domestic ATMs, but they refunded our fees last year as well.

Did some shopping today. HT, tell Linda I bought a new handbag from JT.

While it has been a bit warmer today and yesterday, the weather in Bangkok has been great. We've done a lot of walking, even more than usual because of the good weather.

We're looking forward to getting together with firensd both new and old tomorrow night at Kinnaree.

Yangon was was downright cool yesterday and today, I was sad to leave.

It is so nice to be in Bangkok though. My bank in NYC has refunded all ATM fees so far, am really looking forward to meeting everyone tomorrow.

Kathie, Glad to hear you are having a good time.
Linda says she wants to read all about your shopping adventures in your tr with special regards to the JT and SJ purchases,lol

Aloha!

Fanny, I'm so glad to hear it cooled down in Rangoon. There was a walking tour we wanted to do, but in that heat, no way.

Peter, tell Linda I haven't even made it to SJ... I should call Lily and say hello. This trip has been light on shopping.

talk about cool, i saw in the thai newspaper yesterday, a photo of ice crystals on flowers in chiang mai.

ken--doubtful

i have been charged 150B for each w/d... my bank changed its w/d parameters and would not allow mw morw than 3000 B per transaction... they will be paying the fees!!
i got that changed yesterday thankfully

It's quite cold, for Thailand, in the North and Northeast of the country. In Chiang Mai and Ubon it was in the low teens last night but by midday it was around 28C.

Bob I hope the weather stay this way for a few more days so you can finally experience what the Thai cool spell feel like. It's a good time to eat outside and smoke cigars, that is if Andy is better.

Have fun at Kinnaree!

A fine gtg last night! It was great to finally met both Fanny and Lori in person, as well as to see old friends.

Today is our last day in Bangkok, so we're off to the spa.

You're the first one to report on the GTG. Glad it went well. Enjoy your last spa visit.

Carol

Wonderful GTG and it was so nice to meet old and new friends! Bob made the reservation for 16 people but Mango & kw did not show up but our group did have a great time.

yes, it was a great time last night, as i got to meet lori, fanny, maureen, michael, and tong, and seeing old friends again. i brought my stun gun for nothing.

special thanks to hanuman for the delicious prosecco. i think the gang at hanumans end of the table drank most of it. lol.

Pictures! Pictures!! We want pictures. I want proof that you all had a good time (haha).

It was a great evening. All absent friends and others were toasted in the most generous of contributions, Prosecco provided by Hanuman.

Both Hanuman and MichaelBKK deserve a special thanks for selecting the delicious food, and of course as always Bob and Andy for coming up with the idea.

It was indeed very special to meet the faces, behind the names.

Kathie: Great to see you're back in Bangkok and having a good time with other Asia Fodorites!

Have a safe trip home!

A few last notes on Bangkok: It seems every time we come to Bangkok the optins for Skytrain passes are differnt. This time we purchased passes good for 20 trips in 30 days for 440 baht (22 baht/trip). We're here 6 days this trip, and we'll use exactly all 20. Ther are passes for more trips within 30 days that work out to 20 baht per trip. Ther is a 30 baht charge for issuing the card.

We decided to try a new spa this trip, so went to Healthland Spa on Sathorn. It's a large spa, very clean. Not much ambiance to speak of (though there are orchids in the treatment rooms) but good, competent treatments at bargain prices. I had a 60 minute body polish and a 90 minute aromatherapy massage for a total of 1600 baht (about $50). Cheryl had a 90 minutes aromatherapy massage and a 60 minute facial for 2250 baht.

It's been great to be in Bangkok, as always. Tomorrow AAC will pick us up about 4 am to head back to cold and rainy Seattle.

It's been great following along on your adventure. Parting is always such sweet sorrow--especially when it's from BKK.

I look forward with very eager anticipation to reading all the details (and seeing Cheryl's fantastic pics)!

Safe travels back home!

I am obliged to insert some reality here. Bangkok is a nightmare that never gets better. No matter how many new tall buildings there are, new 5 star hotels, new malls, it is noisy, dirty, traffic is standing still probably in the same place when I was there 2 years ago, nearly impossible to walk in many places and now overpriced for what is sold/offered, and the only Thais who speak to farangs have a gimmick. The higher income tourists are almost entirely shoppers and the lower income are mainly trash. One trip to Bkk is enough.

we have a reality check

you obviously have been to a different bangkok then the rest of us.

thanks for the two cents no one asked for.

"One trip to Bkk is enough'

I've got 25+ under my belt and still finding fun stuff to do and interesting people to meet.

>>>It's been great to be in Bangkok, as always.<<<

(Centre of the Known Universe, indeed.)


Great writing Kathie! It has it all, save for Singapore Air. (And, 'btw', any chance you stayed on floor 25 at the Royal Orchid Sheraton? A rather special 'good karma' Bangkok business trip locale for me.

Hope you return soon to the Land of Smiles; two days for me, and looking forward to that SIA arrival from SIN. (Not 'your' hotel, this trip.) (And also 'real' Thai food, cool pools and yes, accommodating masseuses.)

Thanks again, have fun in the great northwest and do research SQ -- thank you.

macintosh (robert)


... gente hostess, in your sarong ,,,

LOL, we all have our own take on reality, don't we?

Posting from Narita, after a fine flight in the new Biz seats. Unfortunately, we found out that the info we'd been given about the new biz seats on our next flight is wrong (even though the new seating plan appeared on the United website as I was choosing seats for the flight). Another reminder of the ever-changing face of reality.

Of course we're already talking about next year. I guess I'd better do the Burma trip report before I get caught up in the planning for next November.

PS, AO, you'll be pleased to know that if the plans we are considering now come to fruition there will be at least one flight on your favorite airline.

...yes, different reality for different folks...
I'm making my 19th trip (or is it 20) to BKK in a few weeks. I can't get enough of BKK. I know about all the traffic (ride the skytrain or subway). There are still many bargains to be found... take it from me!

Kathie, hope the NRT-SEA trip was comfortable. Are you saying you didn't have the flat bed configuration??? Shame.

Carol (now in Zurich)

good...stay away and you are one less person on the crowded streets, all of which we love....

Carol, the NRT to SEA trip was ok, though neither of us slept on the old seats. Those new seats really make a difference... I await next year when we can perhaps sleep a bit on the way home. Alas, Bob, we won't be back to Bangkok until next November.

merckxxx I have just returned from Jakarta and Yogyakarta and if you think Bangkok has got worse you should go there. It is chaotic, edgy, noisy , polluted and full of madness. May just suit you. As everyone says you must be seeing a different Bangkok to us.Carol , I will be back in Bangkok late January and for 24 hours over the Xmas break on my way to Hong Kong.
rhkkmk, I seem to be following you around today.

kathie--- that was not directed at you