Back in Bangkok!
 

Hello, or should I say sawadee kah! I'm back in Bangkok. I arrived late last night/this morning and am severely jetlagged.

Even in first class, one doesn't necessarily "sleep" in the true sense. That was true for me, anyway.

I like the Adelphi Suites. The location is really quite nice. It is a short walk down to the Nana skytrain station, and it just happens to be the one entry that has the escalator going UP to the skytrain!! Those of you who have been here before know that not all entrances UP to the skytrain are on escalators. Nice to have one here.

Weather is what I might call "cool" at 10 in the morning. We (DH and I) went for a short walk in the neighborhood this morning after eating the breakfast buffet here. They do a nice breakfast at Adelphi and it is included in the price.

We walked just a little further into soi 8, beyond Adelphi, to take a look at the new restaurant that friends recommended, called Kinneree. It looks a lot like Face from the street. Very Thai looking, set back behind a gate, looks "upscale"... There is no spa at Kinaree. I forget who asked me to find out about that. We plan to do dinner there one night so I shall see what the food does for me. It is a Thai restaurant.

The pool on the 16th floor here is not large but the area is nice. There is also a gym on that floor, with a number of machines, if that interests anyone. The pool is salt water. There are only 4 chaise lounges poolside, and just one small table with four chairs to sit at. We shall see if it is a busy place or not. I can see spending quiet time by the pool!! The air was quite nice and fresh.

Time to go get a new SIM card in my Thailand/Europe phone at MBK. I bought a 500 baht skytrain ticket so I can ride and ride and ride!!

I'll be in touch. So far, so good.

Carol

Thanks for checking in with us. I look forward to your report on Kinneree (There's a place here in Seattle called Kinnaree). Have a wonderful time and let us know about all of your new discoveries!

have a great trip....i rule out the pool already....haha

but lucky you with the escalator!!

Have a great trip, carol

DH and I just got back from a trip on the skytrain. We went to MBK to get a new SIM card for my phone, and then went from National Stadium down to Taksin pier and took the shuttle to the Oriental. We are booked for the rice boat dinner cruise on Saturday night!! Gloria, we sat in the lobby and had a cup of coffee. Things were pretty quiet there today.

guenmai, if you are lurking, I saw the Teena Page bags. I've seen them before and just didn't recall the designer's name. They are really unique! I may have to get one before going home.

Chinese New Year is really big here right now. It's the year of the rat and the rat is a leader, so not a bad sign, even though we don't like rats.

Via Vai, which is right across the street from Adelphi, doesn't look like much from the outside, but DH and I are both pizza connoiseurs (sp) and if DH says it's good, then it's good! I'm anxious to try it.

Bob and Karen, there is a once-a year sale at a Thai craft market someplace down by China Town... but it is one day only and I'm too pooped to try to get there today. The sale is over in 35 minutes... maybe NEXT year. A Thai lady we met on the Oriental shuttle boat told us about the sale. She sounded very enthused about it. Oh well...

I have taken photos of the apartment and will try to figure out a place to post them. It may not be right away, but I'll do my best to get them out there as quickly as I can.

Time for a little nap.

Carol

Hi Carol! Lucky you in bangkok! and how nice that DH is along this time!

Are the Adelphi suites on the same side as Landmark hotel, or across? I was very happy with that location the time I stayed at Landmark.

Have fun and keep us updated,

Lucy

Carol-glad you made it. Hope you and DH have a great time. Good thinking about the pool description. That will prevent Bob from ruining the Adelphi Suites.

It's after 5am and I'm up. Thought I'd get on line and post a bit.

DH and I had dinner with two friends from Illinois last night. We ate at a German restaurant on soi 1, just behind Bumrungrad. It was a nice restaurant, pleasant enough, food was so-so. I'm just not a big fan of German food.

Disaster at home... we had email from DS that there was a blizzard and thunder-lightning storm going on, and computers and phones are down. UGH... just what we need. We had big losses last August from a straight-line 95mph wind that took off our roof. Here we go again... although there is no physical damage THIS TIME! Thank goodness. It'll just take some time to get computers and phones back up. I'm glad we're in BKK and not Illinois!!haha Let DS and BIL and others deal with this situation.

I wanted to report a little more about the Adelphi Suites. Internet is not wireless. We have a LAN connection, which is rather spotty as far as staying connected. If I try to post anything lengthy, it cuts off. Might be time-limited?? I'm not sure. If it is idle, while I'm typing, then it cuts off.

Anyway, there are two free computers in the lobby and we have our laptop here in the apartment. So we manage to stay connected most of the time.

Each time I log on, there is a warning about the hotel's web site not being "secure" and so I don't think I would consider trying to buy anything, or put in banking info that someone "lurking" out there might be able to get hands on. But just posting emails to home, and posting here on fodors is not a "security" risk... I hope.

Anyway, posts will be in segments rather than long diatribes. (andy, how do you like that word)

The apartment has two floor to ceiling windows. One is in the livingroom and one is in the bedroom. I like having that lovely daylight coming in! Our view is of soi 6, which is a back street, with a new Sofitel Grand Sukhumvit Hotel in plain view. Looks nice. Bob, the pool is on about the 6th floor and looks very tropical from our point of view.

The walk to the skytrain escalator is only a couple of minutes, yes, lcuy... same side of the street as the Landmark. I can see the top of the Landmark out the window. This location is really handy.

I love the rainbath shower head we have. We also have a great soaking tub in the bathroom. One sink (the raised design) with a good amount of counter space on either side. There is a toilet hose (this is a classy place, after all) which DH likes to use.

There are no pots for cooking. We have dishes and silverware, and we have a hotpot and instant coffee packets to we're good to go. The fridge is a nice size. We have space for our snacks, plus there are some mini-bar type items in there too. Cupboard space is adequate, as is closet space in the bedroom and bath.

All in all, a good choice. I think I would stay here again.

The buffet breakfast is good. There are fresh fruit selections, a couple of cereals, you can get eggs cooked to order (omelets are good) and also breads and such.

The breakfast place is really a Spanish restaurant. DH says it's a good place. Nice atmosphere. You can dine inside or outside. Weather has been nice enough to consider dining outside!!

More later. DH is wanting me to do something.

Thanks for the report, Carol. Sorry we'll be missing you. Can't wait - just 9 days til we leave.

Thanks for the report Carol, especially the details on the Adelphi Suites!

I think it will be just fine for us.

Thanks again,
Liz

no energy for a one day sale????? what's wrong with you??? get out there and get bargains!!!!

Don't forget V9 at the top of the Sofitel Silom and try Aldo's at the Ascot on Sathorn for lunch. Also, if you see Mack, walk down a block or two and check out Siam@Siam.

Its still snowing here. You aren't missing a thing.

Glad you arrived safely, Carol and are having a great time. Happy Travels!

Sawadee kah, friends.

I'm still jetlagged so I'm up reading fodors before 6 am here in Bangkok.

Yesterday (wednesday) I made my way to the Central Chitlom department store. They are having huge sales, and have even set up some of their best sale items in their "events center" on the 3rd floor. I think I might just have to buy a Michel Angelo handbag that I saw there. It's calling my name...

Dinner last night was pizza at Via Vai, right across the street from the Adelhi Suites. The pizza was really quite good! There were at least three tables of real Italians dining out on the verandah near us. Must be good if Italians eat there....

I met my dear friend, Maeng, who I have mentioned many times here. She no longer has her Little Kitchen restaurant. There were some problems with the landlord... but she is very happy being back at the Pickled Liver just off soi 11. So life for Maeng seems pretty good right now.

Maeng and I will go today to the "secret market" which I think just about everyone now knows about...lol Perhaps a stop off in Pratunam area as well. I've not been there yet.

There are some really excellent sales going on right now in Bangkok. Bob, I'm sorry I couldn't make the one-day sale at the Thai Center. We were actually on our way back to the Adelphi and did not have the time to make the sale that day.

Be ware of girls in red outfits. DH seems to think that the Thai lady who told us about that craft sale works for the government and tries to get tourists to go to government shopping places. She tried to tell us that she was a nurse; she had seen us having coffee at the Oriental... maybe she assumed we were staying there... (think lots of $$$)

DH has a physical at Bumrungrad this morning. Hope everything goes well.

More later...

Carol

Carol,

At the moment if you use your American Express card at Central on the weekend and holidays you will get an additional 5% off(3% on other days) and on top of the sales price too. Also I recommend that you apply for "the one card" at Central and start accumulating points and they have many other benefits as well.

Carol,
Its nice reading your updates and seeing you are back in BKK. Now please go get a chicken with cashews so that those of us who can't really get a good one can know at least someone is having a terrific Thai meal.
Have fun.

yea...chicken and cashews....

We are in Bangkok now too - we are just spending our last night of three at the Peninsula - our splurge! We got a Suite Deal for 2 nights and although I then paid for a smaller room for our final night we were offered to keep the suite if we paid a bit extra and so thats what we have done. We have been to Bangkok many times but its out first stay at the Peninsula celebrating a big birthday and Chinese New Year (there was a great lion dance here this morning).

Just to pick up on what you said about the lady and the craft sale. I read what you wrote and then scoured the Bangkok Post for What is Happening Today and still couldn't see the craft fair. I think you are right - that person was a tout or scammer - when you come off the bat at Saphan Taksin a number of smartly dresse. qute well spoken individuals try to get you in conversation - they aren't just being friendly and clearly have it in mnd to take you somewhere or get something. I mentioned this to my husband this morning - I saw the couple who were on the boat across with us stopped by a woman and as I was walking ahead of my husband a smartly dressed man started to ask where I was going. Most Thai people wouldn't dream of approaching someone like that, as neither would we approach someone and ask that in London, unless asked for help. Each day when we have crossed the river these same people are there just waiting to be helpful!

Carol-
Thanks for the update on Adelphi, as I've booked there as well for April.
In previous posts I had read about your friend Maeng and had hoped to try her restaurant,oh well. What's the Pickled Liver? And, not being in the know, what's the secret market? I promise I can keep a secret, ha, ha!
Any other restaurant picks I can add to my list? Thanks for any advice.

Carol...As I sit here watching it snow I am SO ENVIOUS! Even a "small" pool and sun sounds great. Let us know what you think of Pratuman market. I bought a lot of shoes there. I have a small foot, so lot of bargins to be had. Have fun.

Carol..I just looked at Kinneree. Looks very nice, reasonably priced. You need to try it. You found Face,now you may be on to another real find. karen

If you're using the hotel's computer for email, change your password every time & change it as soon as you get home.

Spyware programs can log keystrokes to steal passwords. Do not do any financial transactions on a public computer.

Security at Fidelity Investments told me this... they said the fraud in Thailand is so bad that their website is blocked from Thai servers.

Sawadee kah, friends,

I slept in to 6am this morning, so jetlag is improving. Yippeee!

Jane, I think your description is just right, about those nicely dressed people who approach you by the Saphan Taksin BTS station shuttle boats. We don't have to deal with that on soi 8. It's a very nice quiet soi. I love it here. (The Pen is nice too, I've stayed there a couple of times)

Yesterday I shopped the secret market. It was a madhouse!! Yikes!! It was the official day of Chinese New Year, and this market is in/near China Town so it was absolutely packed. We didn't see any long dragons, but there was a "temple" sort of place, with music, and people burning insence and giving gifts to the dead. I didn't take any photos (didn't want to seem rude) but it was very interesting.

I also went to Pratunam. Karen, there are still shoes galore. The shop with beaded bags that I used to love is no longer there... (frown). I'll have to scout out a new source. Today I will go to MBK and have a look. MBK prices are too high (imagine anyone saying THAT) but at least I can see what new styles are out there...

susancrg... maybe we'll be at Adelphi the same time in April. I'll be back in BKK at that time, arriving sometime around the 18th. I hope to stay here again, but have not asked yet at the front desk. This place is an interesting mix of a few Americans, a number of Europeans, and also Asians. It's really busy here, surprising for a new place to become this popular so quickly!! I'm glad I discovered the Adelphi when I did...

The Pickled Liver is a British Pub. Maeng is a partner in this one. It is financed by a Brit, but he cannot own a 50% share so he must have a Thai person who owns a bigger share of the business. Maeng is that Thai person. She has been involved in the Pickled Liver since it opened, but there were some problems with the threesome that started it. Now it is a twosome, much better for Maeng! This place is located in a back alley along soi 11, close to the Ambassador Hotel and the Grand President apartment hotel. Maeng does do some cooking. I know that we will have her prepare something for us before we head home.

Tonight is the Oriental rice boat dinner cruise. If they have chicken and cashews (I'm sure they will) that's what I'll be having! I'll report back on how good it was.

We plan to do Kinaree, maybe tomorrow night. There are just too many good and new places here in BKK. Makes it hard to pick which ones to try!!! But this one is a no-brainer. It's so similar to Face (but no spa) that it must be on our must-do list.

DH has appts for teeth, dermatologist, and "whatever" at Bumrungrad today so I'm on my own for shopping once again. I'm heading down to Thai Watana (printing company) with a couple of boxes of chocolates for friends there. That's at Wave Place, which is right down the street from Central Chitlom, where I might have to take out the AmEx card and buy that Thai designer handbag that's on sale...haha

More later. Looks like we could get yet another shower today. There is no longer a "dry" season, so say the Thais here. It can rain in BKK anytime.

Carol

Forgot to tell you where we ate last night... another NEW place. It is called the Wine Loft. It's on soi 31, deep into the soi. It has a terrific (reasonably priced) wine selection plus you can buy finger foods. You can also order pizza from a place just down the soi, and we did. It was good, but not as good as Via Vai. You can also order Thai food from a place next door called Chapter 13. Our friend order it. It looked good. We didn't try any of it.

This new place just opened in December. It's written up in the February issue of Bangkok 101 magazine. That's why we decided to look for it. It has an upstairs room for smoking cigars (brad you will like that). You can get wine by the taste or by the glass. You can also buy it by the bottle. We bought a couple of bottles of Italian. It was good.

Carol

Thanks Carol-
We won't be at Adelphi on the 18th, we'll be diving off Burma by that time! So where exactly is the "secret market" in Chinatown?

Does Maeng cook Thai food for the Pickled Liver or is it strictly Brit? Worth going?

Hey Carol, glad you're having a good time in BKK. Keep checking in. Since I can't be there, I'm living vicariously through your reports.

I just typed, and LOST, a long reply. Ugh... I forgot that I should report in segments as the internet times out while I'm typing, if I'm typing too long.

I'll try to recap, in a few shorter posts, what I had tried to report.

We did the Maeyanang rice boat dinner cruise last night. This boat is affiliated with the Oriental so of course service was fabulous, but not cheap. We paid 3900baht for the two of us. We also bought a bottle of red wine, which was about 3 times the price we pay for the same thing at home.

We had the best seat in the house, right at the front of the boat. Our view was the full 180 rather than one side going up river, and the other side while returning. The weather was fabulous, with a nice breeze, temps must have been about 80 and not a cloud in the sky.

I wish I could have kept the menu from the dinner cruise, because I know that I won't remember everything we ate. Trust me, it was all prepared very tastefully and done in a beautiful presentation.

When we arrived at the Oriental, instead of waiting by the dock, the people taking the dinner boat are escorted into the hotel and given a cocktail. It had lemon grass so I could drink it, but DH said it was very tasty. Vodka, rum, not sure what all...

We had expected to eat a buffet style dinner, which we prefer, because DH doesn't much care for fish, and I have food allegries. We were, however, NOT disappointed with the 5-course set menu that was served. We had a "noodle" (not sure what you call it) stuffed with chicken. There was a shrimp and squid spicy salad, pork curry, chicken soup, a steamed fish dish, fruit selection, sticky rice with mango, and I'm sure I've forgotten some other things we ate. It was all delicious. I can recommend this dinner boat for a truly lovely Thai meal and a great view along the river at night.

susncrg
Maeng showed DH the menu from the Pickled Liver and she also showed him the menu from her former Little Kitchen. She says she will cook us anything we want! So, yes, she will cook Thai food. I'll have to see her Pickled Liver menu to let you know what it has on it.

Hi Laurie... good to know that you are following along as I live day to day in Bangkok.

I wanted to tell you about a hair salon (Tub Tim) that is almost next door to the Adelphi. Maeng's friend, Yah, washed my hair yesterday and did a very nice job. The price was only 150 baht! At the current exchange rate (just below 33) that's about $5 for a shampoo and blow dry. Much cheaper than at home.

Today we hope to "meet" the new baby girl, born to our friends whose Thai/Danish wedding party we enjoyed so much just two years ago. I'm excited about seeing their new addition.

Chinese New Year festivities are still going on in Bangkok, even though the official start was a couple of days ago. There have been stages set up for music and dance, plus lots of special markets are in the malls, selling all sorts of Chinese goods. It's a great time to be in Bangkok!

More later... have a great day, where ever you are.

Carol

Hello Carol,

I am not an Asia Board "regular" but I am reading and enjoying your reports from Bangkok. Thanks for sharing your travels. It is fun to listen in on your day to day activities, and of course I feel like I am getting some great tips in preparation for my November visit.

Enjoy the warm weather (even with the rain). It beats the heck out of the MINUS 30 DEGREE wind chill we are expecting here in Madison on Saturday night.

Wow Carol good to hear that you and the DH are having fun in BKK. Linda and I won't be back there till probably '09 so we have to live vicariously through your reports! At least its not snowing :)

Have you taken DH to SJ yet? ;)

I hope he and you can make it to HI

Aloha!

Hello again. A quick report on the rest of my day in Bangkok today.

I opted for a quick lunch, outside on the verandah, at the restaurant on the lobby level here at Adelphi. Rojo is really a great choice! I was very happy with my lunch. I had a salad that was very delicious: variety lettuce, cherry tomatos, goat cheese, and avocado, with a vinaigrette dressing. I know some of you shy away from eating salads, but I feel it is safe to do so at a good quality place, and so far so good. No tummy problems!

I had a dessert that was delicious as well. It was deep fried banana (banana slice, wrapped in pastry, and fried) and served with chocolate "soup" for dipping. It was really too big a serving, with 3 banana slices. Two would have been quite adequate, but I did my best to eat as much as I could.

I recommend Rojo restaurant. The menu includes soups, salads, mains, desserts; Thai items, South American bbq items, pasta, sandwiches, a really nice variety.

My lunch of salad, dessert, cappucino, and bottled water was just over 500 baht, so not too expensive.

I really thought we would try either Kinaree or Maeng's Pickled Liver for dinner, but ended up dining at our Thai/Danish friends' apartment. (The new baby is really beautiful)

Another Danish friend, whom I've met before, was visiting. The two Danish guys are both exceptional cooks. I tell them they should open a restaurant together... they would be very successful at it, I'm sure. Anyway, we had a shrimp dish and then salmon sandwiches. Yum!!! Kinaree and Maeng's food will have to wait for another day. My visit in Bangkok is soon coming to a close so I hope we find the time to sample all the new and old places!!

More tomorrow...

Carol

Carol-- Glad you're having such a good time.

Re: Teen Page bags. I have two of them and LOVE them. And it's something I have never seen anywhere else which is hard to find these days. They also wear well although I certainly don't use them as every day bags.

Gloria
I assume you got your Teena Page at OP? I have not yet looked in that shop, only having seen them at the Paragon mall. I want to go to OP to have a look. Teena Page bags are really unique!

I also like the Michel Angelo bags. I see them in most major department stores, so they are much easier to find. They are also quite unique, and are not seen in the US as far as I know.

My Danish friend reminded me where I might have seen the jazz singer from the Oriental Bamboo Bar. We think she might have been performing at Sky Bar, on the top of State Tower. I think he might be right. The singer did seem to be very familiar to me, someone I had heard before. She's excellent, in any case.

No special plans today so maybe I will have time to hop on down to OP! Hope I can find a Teena Page bag that is just perfect for me.

More later...

Hi, Carol!

Sawadee kah! Really enjoying your wonderful real time TR from Bangkok!

Sounds like you are having a wonderful time and enjoying the great weather, despite the occasional rain shower!

How's Mr. Carol's BH experiences? Does he taxi over or just take the skytrain?

That German restaurant on soi 1 - I know that restaurant! Used to walk by it almost every day on the way out of soi 1 to the skytrain! Wondered about the food and glad to know that it was "so-so"! Not trying the restaurant was a 'good thing' - LOL!

More please! Really living vicariously through your reports!

Sawasdee kah, easytraveler! I assume you had a safe and uneventful trip back home last week. Sorry we couldn't meet up in BKK.

DH's trips to BH were on foot. Walking to soi 3 is often (usually) faster than taxi because of the traffic on Sukhumvit. His reports were good, so I think BH has seen enough of him.

Looks like heavy rain moving in this morning. I may wait to go to OP on a sunny day instead.

I'm seriously thinking of getting a haircut. Those of you who know me know that I'm trying to deal with naturally curly hair (which I have only just gotten about 4 years ago) and am scared to death to get it cut very short, worrying about the results. It is pretty kinky. It's shoulder length now, plus an inch or so. It's easy to go to a salon and have it shampooed, and blown dry into a pageboy type of hairdo. It is also easy to just pull it back into a ponytail or in a clip.

Problem is, it is not currently a wash and wear type hairdo. When I just shampoo and go curly, the look of it just do anything for me. It's just droopy... so droopy. I'm torn... DH says he does not care if I get my hair cut. My mother always liked it pulled back. I think I didn't get it cut just because of her... well now that she is gone, I do not have that excuse anymore.

A rainy day in BKK would be a great opportunity to "try out" a new haircut that is wash and wear, don't you think?

Carol

Yes, Carol. I got my Teena Page bag at OP when the store first opened. As you know, I'm not much of a big mall person (most of them give me an instant headache) so if it ain't at OP I tend not to see it.:-) Which is a good thing since I really don't have the money to do much buying. :-)
Although I must admit that I do plan on returning to Siam Paragon for its thai floors. Is Golden Triangle still there? That used to be my favorite store years ago when it was in River City.

As for hair-- I've had very naturally curly hair my whole life and finally got it cut short and now don't even own a hairdryer. it is drip dry and weather proof -- the most liberating thing I have ever done!