Hi Bob & Karen. So sorry to have been so absent on this thread. I am home from Switzerland, a few days early, as health issues took me to the ER in Lausanne twice. I finally said I needed to be home, got a dr letter saying I could fly, and so we left Lausanne 5am Sunday morning for our ZRH departure. Ohare was a snowy mess when we landed. Yuk! It was a slippery drive from there to home, but we made it. I am feeling better today after sleeping for nearly 24 hours!

Happy 50th! What a milestone! We celebrated our 50th in 2015. Few couples make it this far nowadays. Enjoy your vaca.

I need the relaxation at Hua Hin! I am planning on getting on that plane to Bangkok next week. Crossing fingers everything will be good to go. Need to see my chemo dr for her ok.

Carol

Carol, keep on trekking...

Karen was sick last night so we are just laying low today. She has been asleep on our deck for a couple of hours now.

Sorry to hear that Karen isn't feeling well. Take care of yourself, Karen!

Feel better soon, Karen. I am remembering some particularly nasty bouts of food poisoning and ear infections in Lanzhou, China, and Penang, Malaysia. It is so demoralizing and hard to be so sick on your travels even when you have lots of experience. No fun for your partner either. Hoping to hear that recovery is swift. Thinking of you...

Karen is feeling much better, not 100%, but almost back to normal.

We conclude our time in Hua Hin this morning. A driver will come for us about noon. The next four nights will be at The Peninsula, including our actual anniversary on Sunday.

We have enjoyed our time in HH. The new Marriott is lovely and located on perhaps the best stretch of the beach. The hotel is designed to accommodate families with plenty of kid friendly venues. It can be loud at times, but there is a large adults only pool which is tranquil.

One mall is almost across the street and the brand new blu mall is a bit further down the road. We visited it yesterday and were surprised at how lovely it is, with tons of restaurants too.

Taxi fares seem to be 120 (tuck tuk) or 150 (normal unmetered) taxi locally. Much more than Bkk.

It can be quite busy here in HH--traffic. HH is a lovely mini city however.

Hi

Congratulations for your anniversary.

Have a great trip, and Happy New Year to both of you.

Enjoy your anniversary celebration in Bangkok!

Bob - what is the name of the driver you used through castle and king? I have someone interested in using their services, but want to be assured that they get a good driver who speaks good English. Thanks. Glad Karen is recovering. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

June, his name is krushna

Fantastic Indian meal at one of our favs-- Himali Cha Cha... soi 47/1 New Rd, near the river... sort of in back of the Oriental--- Fab...

The dinner cruise boats are all passing by just now. Some are subdued, but others have plenty of sparkling lights.

The Penn lobby is resplendent with Christmas decors. There is an 8' live decorated tree by elevators that smells so nice. In the large lobby room there is a huge "perfect" tree all decorated. It is so festive here.

Just as I remembered, this hotel is a huge cut above the others, plus it offers from every room perfect views of the river.

Tomorrow AM we will attend the thai craft organizations Christmas sale. They offer these craft sales about once per month.. check: www.thaicraft.org

We always find great fair traded items there.

Following that it is a stop at the jeweler????

I can't wait to stay at the new Hua Hin Marriott in a couple of weeks! I really apprecuate your favorable comments. Feeling pretty good now, but a ways to go before flying yo BKK on Wednesday. An overnight in the hospital was called for...at least I got a more accurate diagnosis. So glad that Karen is feeling better too! Jewelry shopping should help... :)

Enjoy your anniversary celebration at the Pen, Bob and Karen.

We have not yet eaten at Himali Cha Cha, but it's on our list for 2017!

Carol, I hope you are feeling better and are able to fly off to Bangkok on Wednesday.

I agree with Carol jewelry shopping is the cure. BIG jewelry at SJ or Thai Stone. Look for a ruby with my name on it while you are at it please. Send me a pic. Happy happy!

Aloha!

Bob, which type of room are you staying in at the Penn -- deluxe, balcony or something else? Any thoughts about value for money? I am looking at just rooms, not suites. Thanks for any thoughts or reccos.

We are in a grand deluxe suite. Several rooms, 1.5 baths. Think 21000. Value for $$--- for us yes to help us celebrate, but for a normal stay no. We have always found level 2 --grand deluxe to be perfect. Hey, it's the penn!!!
We still love Anantara riverside best.
We find club rooms, corner suites, at about 5000 to be the best value for $$, but you have to have club privledges to make it work---Renaissance on Plenochit

The suite sounds lovely for such a special trip. Enjoy! We will be downmarket of that in a basic room, but, as you say, it's the Penn so it is all good.

Another question whose answer other BKK devoteess may find interesting. In summer 2014, we went back to the riverside Marriott reborn as Anantara and spent a delightful evening poking around and hanging out in the Italian restaurant with the chef and staff since it was a very quiet night. The building expansion project was going on out back and we heard stories about the banquet trade that was anticipated to follow. Curious about what it is like now. Is it in fact much bigger and has that changed the tone on the property?

We loved going there with our family twice when it was still a Marriottt and we also loved the Anantara in Chiang Rai. Curious about whether the expansion was managed well.

Snowy here in New England with temperatures headed back down to the teens. Good time to be away.

The property is much the same, except now there is a tall building on the street side.
They run the operations totally separately.

We still prefer the riverside location and the low rise of the Anantara.

So we have had a very productive couple of days, but also restful.

The thai craft fair was fun. We picked up a few gifts and I bought K a Karen hilltribe handmade silver and enameled long necklace for her Xmas present. The fair is sort of one stop shopping, and we are always glad that one is scheduled during our Bkk stays.

The visit to our jeweler was also productive. K will now have a 5 stone diamond guard ring to add to an already full finger..... diamonds=50 years?

Last night we returned to the Face restaurant for Thai food--they have separate thai and Indian restaurants in one lovely all wooden facility just full of rustic charm and decor. We always love it there. A kathie favorite. The food was superb, as always. Soi 38, Sukhumvit--- worth the ride and then some...

Today is a very lazy AM. Our actual anniversary. We did face time with our kids and are just sitting around enjoying the sunshine as it floods our suite.
We have skipped breakfast as we are meeting Pook et al (hanuman) for brunch at 12:30 at the St Regis Hotel, where we will eat more than our share I am sure.

We may be looking at room service for a snack this evening??

Tomorrow K has a fitting for some items she is having made at JS Thai silk in river city. I think we also will make a run at Platinum Fashion Mall. K always finds tons of cheap shoes there--- think $6-20, usually about $10 on average. We may buy another small suitcase too. One benefit of the Middle East airlines (emerites, Qatar, etc) is that they allow two suitcases in coach class.

It has been a wonderful, relaxing, short trip. We always love, love our time spent in Thailand, especially in Bangkok. There is no other place like it in this world.

The perfect way to celebrate your anniversary! And of course, your descriptions make me yearn for Bangkok.

You are going to brunch at the St. Regis rather than the place we ate at last year? Please report back with all of the details!

We have had a few spa treatments this week and will fit in another 1 or 2.

Looks like we might have a white Christmas upon our return home. We welcome that. We plan to be around Dover for the holiday weekend and then go down to NYC for a couple of days on the 28th to join some visiting Fodorites (Craig and Smeagol).


While I know many of you do not agree, I have to say how THRILLED Karen and I are with the shaping of our new government and we wish them, and us all, the very best for 2017 and beyond.