Cori and John's Jan. Thailand Trip Report
Feb 28th, 2006, 10:48 AM
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Cori and John's Jan. Thailand Trip Report
Finally, here are the first few days. I will keep adding over the next week or two. Sorry it has taken so long. I don't want to disappoint.
Day 0 (travel)
Departing from SeaTac 12:00 AM’ish to Bangkok via Taipei on China Air (booked through Delta) Jan 31st.
When do we arrive? 40 minutes prior to our flights departure (not boarding time). The desk had only one agent left, their sign was flipped over and lights were off. But, miraculously, we were checked in and we weren’t even reprimanded. We weren’t home free yet though. Security, which we thought would be a cinch, was the longest wait either of us had experienced in over 2 or even 3 years. It was horrendous. As soon as we clear security we throw our bags over our backs and run. We would pick landmarks to run to, and then walk to get our heart rate down, then pick another end point and book. To my dismay we passed several groups of passengers leisurely strolling in the direction of our gate. By god, we weren’t the last ones there.
We are seated in the middle four. My husband, 6’6, gets the aisle, me, I am sandwiched between him and young girl, maybe 6 years old, who is accompanied by her mother. Fortunately, I was armed with Ambien, as my young companion who I believe was autistic didn’t sleep a wink and was very physical. With my blindfold on, ear plugs in, hoody pulled over my head and drugs consumed I slept for a solid 4 hour stretch followed by another 3 hours. Yes, I looked a bit crazy, but the solid sleep was worth it, sleep glorious sleep. John read, listened to episodes of “This American Life” on his ipod and watched “Wedding Crashers” on his personal tv. He isn’t so strong on vertical naps.
All in all we were pleased with China Air. Just wish we weren’t in the cheap seats.
Day 1 (maybe)
We missed the New Year, just flying ahead of the whole way to Taipei. We arrived at the airport early morning, 6ish, before much was open. In a low blood sugar daze we wondered the terminal trying to find food but all we could find at first was luxury duty-free. The desire for a shower, intenet access and food was strong so I checked on cost of a day pass at United’s lounge on, if I recall it was $25 per person. We decided we didn’t need showers that bad, so we wondered down to our gate. On that corridor there was duty-free shop that sold specialty Chinese food, so we picked up some juices. Next to it was a French bakery kiosk that opened at 7:30, only another 40 mins to wait. While I waited for it to open I took advantage of the free laptops with internet access located behind the shop we bought juice from, what a nice touch.
By the way, Taipei, has the cleanest airport ever.
The next flight was on time and totally uneventful. We arrived early in Bangkok, 12pm. One and a half hours after we landed we were at the Marriott Riverside eating lunch.
We were fortunate enough to have the classic taxi driver experience right off the bat. Even with the slip of paper in hand form the taxi “organizer’.
Taxi driver: “only x baht to hotel, good price! You have reservation cause I know nice hotel, good deal” “Marriott is expensive, this place good and cheap, nice.”
Us: “Meter only, meter only, no not x baht, meter. I know it is a long way, we will pay meter. Just the Marriott no stops, please I am so tired and hungry”
Taxi driver: “you hungry I know a good place, it is on the way”
Us: “No, only the hotel. Please, please. Just the hotel, now please.”
The ride was 450 Baht with tolls, tip and airport fee
The room wasn’t ready, so we went down and ate lunch at Numero Uno. It was good—probably tasted better than it was since we were so hungry. John had Pad Thai with Singha and I had a beef salad with iced tea,
After eating our late lunch our room was ready. It was supposedly a riverview room, river-peek view, and that was only if you were standing on the balcony. I wouldn’t suggest paying the extra for the “view”, unless you can guarantee an actual view from the room. The hotel was totally sold out, so not surprising the room condition wasn’t great. It was left pretty dirty after housekeeping (toothpaste in the sink, garbage in the cans still, too many hairs around the bath). The bones of the rooms are lovely, so I can imagine it on a good day.
I have to be careful what I write about the Marriott for fear of being banned or ostracized by a certain other Fodorite. So please consider that the hotel was at max occupancy. Almost all hotels start faltering during such periods. Overall the hotel served us well. The big pluses are the beautiful pool facilities, amazing breakfast, gracious staff (minus the woman who worked the business center) and the riverside location. During our 4 days there our disappointments included, the outrageous internet fees, the river shuttle was only running every ½ hour which was a huge inconvenience and the disappointing condition of the room. These things are not big deals, just hassles, especially having to walk 15mins for cheap internet and the logistics of scheduling departures and arrivals on the river shuttles limited schedule.
We actually had prepaid reservations at the Marriott at the end or our stay also, so you will hear more upon our return…..
So let me get back to our activities. So after eating, taking a tour of the hotel and freshening up we hopped on the shuttle to the Oriental where we had New Year’s dinner reservations at Sala Rim Naam. Besides the fact that we almost fell asleep in our food half way through our meal, it was incredible. In fact, it remained one of our top 2 meals of the entire 19 day trip. Beef salad, Tham Kha Gai soup (the best), Pineapple fried rice (perfect), Tofu with holy basil, Green Curry with beef (balanced to perfection), 2 beers, tea and an intricately carved plate of fruit.
After dinner we observed the dancing, took a gander at the spa (which I tried to get an apt. at repeatedly but couldn’t b/c it was closed during that period to non-guests) and then hopped the river shuttle home.
Sleep
Day 2 (first full day in BKK) January 2nd
Woke up early, 6:15 (that is way early for us 9am’rs). Quick workout in the gym and cool down in the pool. A rushed breakfast followed: handcrafted pancakes, an array of tropical fruits, eggs as we liked and fresh juices. We had to meet Nick, Ratts’ husband at 8 am. First stop the Grand Palace. We wondered through, a bit aimlessly. Being the New Year it was packed with people making merit, which was fascinating to observe. We watched the changing of the guards. Then we viewed the emerald Buddha in his cool weather outfit. We felt like plankton being moved by currents as we were shoved through the Wat. John being 6’6 made it very easy not to get separate as he stuck out like a sore, sore thumb.
Next time we visit the palace we will hire a guide that can educate us more on the palace and Wat Phra Keo. Nick introduced us to Jackie on the way in, who is a guide. We will try and hire her next time. We spent about 2 hours at the palace
Next stop was Wat Po. We guzzled some cool water and washed the grime off with icy towels provided by Nick.
We pushed our way around the reclining Buddha and we were hypnotized by the tinning of coins being dropped in the 108 begging bowls. After a once around we wondered the grounds and considered waiting for a Wat Po massage, but decided to move on. I had to use what Nick referred to the “Happy Room” which was the first of many awkward and disastrous pees. I am sorry if this is too much info, but it was very much an “experience” for me. We spent about 1 hour at the Wat Po complex.
Hungry. You will probably notice through my report that food is very, very important to us. I eat a ton and adore food. My husband can really pack it in too. So it was Jim Thompson’s for a tour and lunch.
Jim Thompson’s was an oasis. What a lovely place to have lunch, recoup and enjoy the beauty of thai craft.
For lunch: Big rice noodles, beef salad, pah thai, tom kha gai (John tried this soup almost everywhere) iced coffee, brownie Sunday, ice cream and H2O.
As we waited for our tour we wondered and I took pics. I brought both my 35mm and my digital. I used the digital for experience pics and the 35 mm for aesthetic pics. I used slide film and finished 15 rolls fo 36 by the end. I think I have over a 1000 digital pics from the trip.
Our guide was so incredibly sweet and quite funny. She was a pleasure to listen to. You could tell how proud she was of Jim Thompson and what he contributed to the Thai people. I love architecture and design, so I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We spent just under 2 hours there.
John wanted to get some dress clothing tailored, so Nick took us to Fashion Galleria at River City. Ben helped us there. We picked out a sport coat style in a book, chose a fabric that he had to order in, then we decided on material for a dress shirt and pants. Measurements were taken, with lots of laughter as Ben had to stand on a step stool. John was to return the next day for his first fitting.
Yes, this is still our first full day in Thailand.
After the tailoring, which was exciting, first time ever, we went to JT outlet. No purchases were made. Then onto Erawan shrine. It was hopping. Two men stood in the center of the shrine putting out incense fires and clearing gifts to make room for more. Dancers were passing time reading the paper and fixing each others hair waiting for the next request to be made.
Our final stop of the day was the main JT store. I was hungry again, so I had a cobb salad and John had moo larb and tom kah gai again. The highlight was drooling over the fabrics on the 4th floor. Stunning.
Nick was very sweet. We were impressed. We wish he spoke a bit better English, but we could also do better on our Thai. Our evening finished it walking down the street to cheap internet and hooking up with John’s brother, Ben (not the tailor).
Ben came to see us from Hanoi where he is currently living. Ben taught English in the JET program in Yamagata, Japan for 2 years and is now gallivanting around Aisa. We went to an Indian restaurant on Charoen Krung (new Rd), Himali Cha Cha. It was pretty disappointing. Service was poor, they only had Chang beer left, rice was dry and the food lacked any excitement. It was worse that most Thai food I have eaten in Seattle, NYC or LA.
Yes this is still the same day. We wanted to finish the evening by digesting our food while walking around the flower market. This turned into quite an ordeal, as our Thai-English totally failed us and the taxi driver took us all the way out to the weekend market. After amusing some other taxi drivers who were standing around the train station there they got us another driver who by talking to the hotel got us to the market. It was a good laugh. Learning our way…
We spent an hour at the market. I learned at the end of the trip that it was running at about ½ capacity b/c of the holiday. It was also b/c it was the holiday that allowed us to zip around BKK in Nick’s car with relative ease. We wouldn’t learn until our return 2 weeks later, what traffic really was like. There was a concert being held down a soi, we stopped and observed the locals sitting on blankets drinking beer and whiskey. I was offered a few swigs, but declined politely for a number of reasons. A) I hate brown liquor B) it was served on ice so I was a bit nervous, so I mimicked that I was already drunk and they laughed and cheered. I was also offered some fried beetles, worms and crickets, but fortunately I was still stuffed from a very unsatisfying dinner, so I mimicked that I was full.
We grabbed a cab back to our hotel and Ben grabbed a tuk tuk back to backpacker row where he was staying. Getting back to the Marriott wasn’t always easy. By the end of our trip I could say enough Thai to describe it, but early on the taxi driver would have to call the hotel for directions, always a bit of a hassle, but not insurmountable. Wish we had a sim card compatible phone.
To sleep, per chance to dream.
Day 3 January 3rd.
A day of learning……. (more to come)
Day 0 (travel)
Departing from SeaTac 12:00 AM’ish to Bangkok via Taipei on China Air (booked through Delta) Jan 31st.
When do we arrive? 40 minutes prior to our flights departure (not boarding time). The desk had only one agent left, their sign was flipped over and lights were off. But, miraculously, we were checked in and we weren’t even reprimanded. We weren’t home free yet though. Security, which we thought would be a cinch, was the longest wait either of us had experienced in over 2 or even 3 years. It was horrendous. As soon as we clear security we throw our bags over our backs and run. We would pick landmarks to run to, and then walk to get our heart rate down, then pick another end point and book. To my dismay we passed several groups of passengers leisurely strolling in the direction of our gate. By god, we weren’t the last ones there.
We are seated in the middle four. My husband, 6’6, gets the aisle, me, I am sandwiched between him and young girl, maybe 6 years old, who is accompanied by her mother. Fortunately, I was armed with Ambien, as my young companion who I believe was autistic didn’t sleep a wink and was very physical. With my blindfold on, ear plugs in, hoody pulled over my head and drugs consumed I slept for a solid 4 hour stretch followed by another 3 hours. Yes, I looked a bit crazy, but the solid sleep was worth it, sleep glorious sleep. John read, listened to episodes of “This American Life” on his ipod and watched “Wedding Crashers” on his personal tv. He isn’t so strong on vertical naps.
All in all we were pleased with China Air. Just wish we weren’t in the cheap seats.
Day 1 (maybe)
We missed the New Year, just flying ahead of the whole way to Taipei. We arrived at the airport early morning, 6ish, before much was open. In a low blood sugar daze we wondered the terminal trying to find food but all we could find at first was luxury duty-free. The desire for a shower, intenet access and food was strong so I checked on cost of a day pass at United’s lounge on, if I recall it was $25 per person. We decided we didn’t need showers that bad, so we wondered down to our gate. On that corridor there was duty-free shop that sold specialty Chinese food, so we picked up some juices. Next to it was a French bakery kiosk that opened at 7:30, only another 40 mins to wait. While I waited for it to open I took advantage of the free laptops with internet access located behind the shop we bought juice from, what a nice touch.
By the way, Taipei, has the cleanest airport ever.
The next flight was on time and totally uneventful. We arrived early in Bangkok, 12pm. One and a half hours after we landed we were at the Marriott Riverside eating lunch.
We were fortunate enough to have the classic taxi driver experience right off the bat. Even with the slip of paper in hand form the taxi “organizer’.
Taxi driver: “only x baht to hotel, good price! You have reservation cause I know nice hotel, good deal” “Marriott is expensive, this place good and cheap, nice.”
Us: “Meter only, meter only, no not x baht, meter. I know it is a long way, we will pay meter. Just the Marriott no stops, please I am so tired and hungry”
Taxi driver: “you hungry I know a good place, it is on the way”
Us: “No, only the hotel. Please, please. Just the hotel, now please.”
The ride was 450 Baht with tolls, tip and airport fee
The room wasn’t ready, so we went down and ate lunch at Numero Uno. It was good—probably tasted better than it was since we were so hungry. John had Pad Thai with Singha and I had a beef salad with iced tea,
After eating our late lunch our room was ready. It was supposedly a riverview room, river-peek view, and that was only if you were standing on the balcony. I wouldn’t suggest paying the extra for the “view”, unless you can guarantee an actual view from the room. The hotel was totally sold out, so not surprising the room condition wasn’t great. It was left pretty dirty after housekeeping (toothpaste in the sink, garbage in the cans still, too many hairs around the bath). The bones of the rooms are lovely, so I can imagine it on a good day.
I have to be careful what I write about the Marriott for fear of being banned or ostracized by a certain other Fodorite. So please consider that the hotel was at max occupancy. Almost all hotels start faltering during such periods. Overall the hotel served us well. The big pluses are the beautiful pool facilities, amazing breakfast, gracious staff (minus the woman who worked the business center) and the riverside location. During our 4 days there our disappointments included, the outrageous internet fees, the river shuttle was only running every ½ hour which was a huge inconvenience and the disappointing condition of the room. These things are not big deals, just hassles, especially having to walk 15mins for cheap internet and the logistics of scheduling departures and arrivals on the river shuttles limited schedule.
We actually had prepaid reservations at the Marriott at the end or our stay also, so you will hear more upon our return…..
So let me get back to our activities. So after eating, taking a tour of the hotel and freshening up we hopped on the shuttle to the Oriental where we had New Year’s dinner reservations at Sala Rim Naam. Besides the fact that we almost fell asleep in our food half way through our meal, it was incredible. In fact, it remained one of our top 2 meals of the entire 19 day trip. Beef salad, Tham Kha Gai soup (the best), Pineapple fried rice (perfect), Tofu with holy basil, Green Curry with beef (balanced to perfection), 2 beers, tea and an intricately carved plate of fruit.
After dinner we observed the dancing, took a gander at the spa (which I tried to get an apt. at repeatedly but couldn’t b/c it was closed during that period to non-guests) and then hopped the river shuttle home.
Sleep
Day 2 (first full day in BKK) January 2nd
Woke up early, 6:15 (that is way early for us 9am’rs). Quick workout in the gym and cool down in the pool. A rushed breakfast followed: handcrafted pancakes, an array of tropical fruits, eggs as we liked and fresh juices. We had to meet Nick, Ratts’ husband at 8 am. First stop the Grand Palace. We wondered through, a bit aimlessly. Being the New Year it was packed with people making merit, which was fascinating to observe. We watched the changing of the guards. Then we viewed the emerald Buddha in his cool weather outfit. We felt like plankton being moved by currents as we were shoved through the Wat. John being 6’6 made it very easy not to get separate as he stuck out like a sore, sore thumb.
Next time we visit the palace we will hire a guide that can educate us more on the palace and Wat Phra Keo. Nick introduced us to Jackie on the way in, who is a guide. We will try and hire her next time. We spent about 2 hours at the palace
Next stop was Wat Po. We guzzled some cool water and washed the grime off with icy towels provided by Nick.
We pushed our way around the reclining Buddha and we were hypnotized by the tinning of coins being dropped in the 108 begging bowls. After a once around we wondered the grounds and considered waiting for a Wat Po massage, but decided to move on. I had to use what Nick referred to the “Happy Room” which was the first of many awkward and disastrous pees. I am sorry if this is too much info, but it was very much an “experience” for me. We spent about 1 hour at the Wat Po complex.
Hungry. You will probably notice through my report that food is very, very important to us. I eat a ton and adore food. My husband can really pack it in too. So it was Jim Thompson’s for a tour and lunch.
Jim Thompson’s was an oasis. What a lovely place to have lunch, recoup and enjoy the beauty of thai craft.
For lunch: Big rice noodles, beef salad, pah thai, tom kha gai (John tried this soup almost everywhere) iced coffee, brownie Sunday, ice cream and H2O.
As we waited for our tour we wondered and I took pics. I brought both my 35mm and my digital. I used the digital for experience pics and the 35 mm for aesthetic pics. I used slide film and finished 15 rolls fo 36 by the end. I think I have over a 1000 digital pics from the trip.
Our guide was so incredibly sweet and quite funny. She was a pleasure to listen to. You could tell how proud she was of Jim Thompson and what he contributed to the Thai people. I love architecture and design, so I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We spent just under 2 hours there.
John wanted to get some dress clothing tailored, so Nick took us to Fashion Galleria at River City. Ben helped us there. We picked out a sport coat style in a book, chose a fabric that he had to order in, then we decided on material for a dress shirt and pants. Measurements were taken, with lots of laughter as Ben had to stand on a step stool. John was to return the next day for his first fitting.
Yes, this is still our first full day in Thailand.
After the tailoring, which was exciting, first time ever, we went to JT outlet. No purchases were made. Then onto Erawan shrine. It was hopping. Two men stood in the center of the shrine putting out incense fires and clearing gifts to make room for more. Dancers were passing time reading the paper and fixing each others hair waiting for the next request to be made.
Our final stop of the day was the main JT store. I was hungry again, so I had a cobb salad and John had moo larb and tom kah gai again. The highlight was drooling over the fabrics on the 4th floor. Stunning.
Nick was very sweet. We were impressed. We wish he spoke a bit better English, but we could also do better on our Thai. Our evening finished it walking down the street to cheap internet and hooking up with John’s brother, Ben (not the tailor).
Ben came to see us from Hanoi where he is currently living. Ben taught English in the JET program in Yamagata, Japan for 2 years and is now gallivanting around Aisa. We went to an Indian restaurant on Charoen Krung (new Rd), Himali Cha Cha. It was pretty disappointing. Service was poor, they only had Chang beer left, rice was dry and the food lacked any excitement. It was worse that most Thai food I have eaten in Seattle, NYC or LA.
Yes this is still the same day. We wanted to finish the evening by digesting our food while walking around the flower market. This turned into quite an ordeal, as our Thai-English totally failed us and the taxi driver took us all the way out to the weekend market. After amusing some other taxi drivers who were standing around the train station there they got us another driver who by talking to the hotel got us to the market. It was a good laugh. Learning our way…
We spent an hour at the market. I learned at the end of the trip that it was running at about ½ capacity b/c of the holiday. It was also b/c it was the holiday that allowed us to zip around BKK in Nick’s car with relative ease. We wouldn’t learn until our return 2 weeks later, what traffic really was like. There was a concert being held down a soi, we stopped and observed the locals sitting on blankets drinking beer and whiskey. I was offered a few swigs, but declined politely for a number of reasons. A) I hate brown liquor B) it was served on ice so I was a bit nervous, so I mimicked that I was already drunk and they laughed and cheered. I was also offered some fried beetles, worms and crickets, but fortunately I was still stuffed from a very unsatisfying dinner, so I mimicked that I was full.
We grabbed a cab back to our hotel and Ben grabbed a tuk tuk back to backpacker row where he was staying. Getting back to the Marriott wasn’t always easy. By the end of our trip I could say enough Thai to describe it, but early on the taxi driver would have to call the hotel for directions, always a bit of a hassle, but not insurmountable. Wish we had a sim card compatible phone.
To sleep, per chance to dream.
Day 3 January 3rd.
A day of learning……. (more to come)
Feb 28th, 2006, 02:08 PM
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Thanks so much for all the details, can't wait to hear more. Especially details of the kayak trip you mentioned on another thread. We are headed to BKK, Phuket and Phi Phi in March - and are thinking about a kayak trip with just a guide - not a large group event so am eager to hear how you liked the outfit you kayaked with.
Feb 28th, 2006, 03:05 PM
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Hi Cori
I was wondering when we would be reading your report (which is GREAT, by the way)... after our chance meeting at the Bamboo Bar at the Oriental (with Gloria).
Looking forward to more...
Carol
I was wondering when we would be reading your report (which is GREAT, by the way)... after our chance meeting at the Bamboo Bar at the Oriental (with Gloria).
Looking forward to more...
Carol
Feb 28th, 2006, 06:00 PM
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ok now you are in the dog house!!!
not for marriott comments but for being late to the airport!!! what's that all about?
i would have not accepted a dirty room....i would have asked for it to be recleaned....so i blame you for this quite honestly....no hotel if fun when it is full that is for sure...
internet a 15 minute walk....where did you have to go to.,...the place i use is 5 or less minutes to the right as you leave the hotel on same side of street....the business office is a pain i agree....the computers are not fast and the price last i checked was 195 B for 15 minutes in comparison with 25 B for one hour up the street with fast computers...
what was the boat problem? one must have been down for repair??
so sorry about himili cha cha....it is one of our favorites and has always been excellent for us...again must be a new years problem....harmonique and tongue thai are both in the same area...such a shame...
in any case i could not resist pulling your leg and i hope i will hear more positive things about marriott at the end of your trip but if not c'est la vie...
anxiously awaiting the next installment
bob aka marriott diva
not for marriott comments but for being late to the airport!!! what's that all about?
i would have not accepted a dirty room....i would have asked for it to be recleaned....so i blame you for this quite honestly....no hotel if fun when it is full that is for sure...
internet a 15 minute walk....where did you have to go to.,...the place i use is 5 or less minutes to the right as you leave the hotel on same side of street....the business office is a pain i agree....the computers are not fast and the price last i checked was 195 B for 15 minutes in comparison with 25 B for one hour up the street with fast computers...
what was the boat problem? one must have been down for repair??
so sorry about himili cha cha....it is one of our favorites and has always been excellent for us...again must be a new years problem....harmonique and tongue thai are both in the same area...such a shame...
in any case i could not resist pulling your leg and i hope i will hear more positive things about marriott at the end of your trip but if not c'est la vie...
anxiously awaiting the next installment
bob aka marriott diva
Feb 28th, 2006, 07:29 PM
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I know being late is pitiful. We were having dinner with John's boss (we live in MT, but John's company is in Seattle) who had been in Thailand just a few months b/f and we lost track of time.
The hotel was so busy I felt bad complaining, so I just sucked it up. I didn't want to start my vacation as a winy American.
RE: Himali Cha Cha.
The good news about the food was that almost every other meal in Thailand was amazing. In Bangkok we had Indian and Thai at Face and we did eat at both at Tongue Thai and Harmonique. We also enjoyed "to go" food from the street stalls. So don't fret too much. Those food reports will come later.
Ok maybe the walk was only 10 mins to internet. We always went at the end of the day when we were exhausted and moving slow, so it felt much longer. You schedule is so much more relaxed, so having to leave the premise to check a few quick emails seemed like a bigger deal being on a schedule.
Yes one of the boats was down for 4 days. I wish they would have hailed water taxis or came up w/an alternative solution for guests. The boat guys weren't really that regular about handing out water and towels either. I think they were all worn out.
But seriously, we really enjoyed our stay there. It always felt good to step into the beautiful lobby at the end of the day and wake up knowing we would eat like kings and queens.
The hotel was so busy I felt bad complaining, so I just sucked it up. I didn't want to start my vacation as a winy American.
RE: Himali Cha Cha.
The good news about the food was that almost every other meal in Thailand was amazing. In Bangkok we had Indian and Thai at Face and we did eat at both at Tongue Thai and Harmonique. We also enjoyed "to go" food from the street stalls. So don't fret too much. Those food reports will come later.
Ok maybe the walk was only 10 mins to internet. We always went at the end of the day when we were exhausted and moving slow, so it felt much longer. You schedule is so much more relaxed, so having to leave the premise to check a few quick emails seemed like a bigger deal being on a schedule.
Yes one of the boats was down for 4 days. I wish they would have hailed water taxis or came up w/an alternative solution for guests. The boat guys weren't really that regular about handing out water and towels either. I think they were all worn out.
But seriously, we really enjoyed our stay there. It always felt good to step into the beautiful lobby at the end of the day and wake up knowing we would eat like kings and queens.
Mar 1st, 2006, 02:32 AM
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hi cori,
i stayed at the marriott at the same time as you, over new years, and maybe it was the strain of being at full occupancy, but our stay was less than ideal. it's funny though, we seem to have opposite complaints. our room was nice and clean, and we liked the people in the buisness center (though i did walk outside the hotel and down the block to the use the internet because of the expensive fees). our main complaint was the breakfast and the pool. both were very overcrowded; people were actually reserving all the pool chairs by 9 a.m.
if you weren't there on new years eve, it was very funny. the marriott staff cleared out the pool to build a stage for some musical performance, and they placed all the lounge chairs in the garden. it was the strangest thing.
maybe if we had come at a less crowded time of year we might have had a better overall experience.
new years may be a tough night for every hotel. we met a sweet couple from san francisco, and they were quite disappointed with their experience at the anantara, golden triangle, and usually i hear such great things.
thanks for an excellent report.
i stayed at the marriott at the same time as you, over new years, and maybe it was the strain of being at full occupancy, but our stay was less than ideal. it's funny though, we seem to have opposite complaints. our room was nice and clean, and we liked the people in the buisness center (though i did walk outside the hotel and down the block to the use the internet because of the expensive fees). our main complaint was the breakfast and the pool. both were very overcrowded; people were actually reserving all the pool chairs by 9 a.m.
if you weren't there on new years eve, it was very funny. the marriott staff cleared out the pool to build a stage for some musical performance, and they placed all the lounge chairs in the garden. it was the strangest thing.
maybe if we had come at a less crowded time of year we might have had a better overall experience.
new years may be a tough night for every hotel. we met a sweet couple from san francisco, and they were quite disappointed with their experience at the anantara, golden triangle, and usually i hear such great things.
thanks for an excellent report.
Mar 1st, 2006, 05:32 AM
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Two items:
First, the computation of the Deliquency penalty awaits the completion of your report. Your exquisite detail and sense of humor may result in a reduction. Keep it coming.
Second, I'm sorry about the Marriott. I suspect that Bob is at fault. Perhaps they grew tired of his endless obsequious pandering and are trying to rid themselves of anyone associated with him.
First, the computation of the Deliquency penalty awaits the completion of your report. Your exquisite detail and sense of humor may result in a reduction. Keep it coming.
Second, I'm sorry about the Marriott. I suspect that Bob is at fault. Perhaps they grew tired of his endless obsequious pandering and are trying to rid themselves of anyone associated with him.
Mar 1st, 2006, 10:41 AM
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Day 3: January 3rd.
A day of learning¡K¡K.
No working out this morning. A bit over zealous the first day. We were eating a bit later so the crowds at the buffet were crazy. As it turns out elaborate breakfast buffets don¡¦t bring out the best in people, it is amazing how oblivious some people are. In fact it was actually getting hostile around the pancake station, quite humorous. Food wise it was another lovely breakfast we were learning how to navigate the buffet more efficiently and figuring out what the most pleasing order to eat the various ¡§genres¡¨ of food in.
Cotton House was the first stop. We took the river shuttle to the Pier and the Oriental boat to drop us off right around Oriental Palace. I really had no idea what I wanted to have made so I paged through books that they had laying around. John took off to River City to get his first fitting.
Never will I go to Thailand again with out my favorite pants and jackets to be replicated. I had the hardest time making up my mind. I think I spent a good two hours there picking out styles, fabrics and getting measured. They were very patient with me.
John returned from River City, a bit haggard. Turns out he unintentionally took a detour. He started walking to the tailors. Then realized he walked further than it should be, going diagonally away from River City. So he caught his first tuk tuk. Who also took a detour stopping at some shop, where John protested ¡§River City¡¨ and wouldn¡¦t budge.
The driver then got him to his destination. Unfortunately John didn¡¦t have enough change and the tuk tuk driver pretended not to have enough Bahts to make change so he earned himself a bit extra.
Finally, at River City. John learns that his clothes aren¡¦t ready. So he turns around and makes the 10min. walk back to meet me. He would return at the end of the day.
We decide on Harmonique for lunch, but when we arrive it is closed for the Holidays (until Jan 5th). So Tongue Thai it was.
We thoroughly enjoyed lunch. TT was so peaceful, bright and fresh feeling. It was a bit early for lunch so it was only us and a business drinking tea. We ordered spring rolls, pineapple fried rice, panang curry, green curry and iced Chinese tea. Oh, I am dying for it now. It is almost painful reminiscing.
Next we met Ben and were planning to go on a Khlong tour. We intended to go the Oriental¡¦s boatman to have him hail us a longtail, but Ben looked more like a backpacker so the doorman wasn¡¦t so keen on letting him through. Plan B, we walked down the soi to the men selling khlong tours. We didn¡¦t understand the complexity of the long tail organizational structure. There is the ¡§boat man¡¨, ¡§boat owner¡¨ and ¡§boat driver¡¨. They tell you ¡§I am the boat man I take you. You go where you like.¡¨ ¡§Good boat, speak good English¡¨¡K..¡¨We were hoping to have one that spoke a little English and he promised¡¨. So we went with it. We had already spent 30 mins wondering around, asking prices and figuring it all out.
Basically, we were handed from one man to the next and ended up walking around the bowels of the Oriental hotel to floating piece of plywood or ¡§dock¡¨. The man asked for all the money upfront and hustled us into the boat with a man who spoke no English.
It was all so confusing and it just didn¡¦t feel right so we backed out and decided to do the Khlong tour tomorrow now that we understood the system and could have a bit more control of the process. We only wanted to travel down the khlongs and make stops at Wat Arun and royal barges. The faux floating market and snake farm were of no interest.
The adventure continues. We go back to Central Pier on water taxi. We see more boatmen and so we decide to negotiate a price and details for a khlong tour tomorrow with a bit more friendly boat man sitting at a card table under the skytrain. So that was good, tomorrow was in order.
We were figuring out to do with the rest of our day. We decided Ben would go to Vietnam embassy to get his Visa renewed. John needed to go back to River City for his fitting, and then we wanted to spend the evening at the night bazaar and attend Joe Louis puppet show.
So as we walked Ben to the skytrain so he could get to the embassy we were approached by a French woman. She told us the most elaborate story about her husband who was getting cash out at a machine early in the am in Pattaya b/c they wanted to leave b/c they didn¡¦t like it. They were going to go to some island. They never planned to stay in Pattaya, but she got sick and they had to b/f going to this island. As he got out his money 2 guys on a moped stole his suitcase and wallet. He ran after them and pulled the friend on the moped off the bike who hurt his head (but was alive and ok she informed us) while the friend took off with their items, leaving her with nothing (don¡¦t keep all your eggs in one basket or your husbands basket I guess). The injured man reported her husband to the authorities, there were no witnesses. He was taken to jail and she needed money to bride the police. She had been to the consulate. They couldn¡¦t help, she only had 24 hours to pay the bribe or else he would go to court. Consulate wouldn¡¦t help. She wanted advice and SURPRISE, money from us. We asked why she didn¡¦t call her family (she was in her late 30¡¦s or early 40¡¦) in France and ask for help. She said they were sick and for other reasons she didn¡¦t want to bother them. Tons of excuses for all our ideas. This story and discussion lasted about 40 mins, when we finally said sorry, we are really sorry and left. I am sorry to say we must look scammable.
So Ben was off and we would meet up later at the bazaar. We went to River City. John¡¦s clothes were taking shape. His dress shirt was done and looked incredible. The quality (buttons, stitching, fit, material) were that of $250 dress shirt. Just gorgeous, he looked good even with his dorky travel pants and sandals on.
Next we cabbed it to FACE where we made spa and dinner reservations for when we returned to BKK in 2.5 weeks. The valets hailed us a cab to the bazaar, where we grabbed a quick bite for $2 across from Joe Louis theatre b/f heading in for the production. The puppets were beautiful. I actually am going to have one made.
(this is taken from another websiteļ )The choreography and co-ordination of the puppeteers as they move around the stage is mesmerizing. Each puppet is controlled by 3 puppeteers visible on stage who work together in perfect unison to produce the incredibly lifelike human movements of each puppet. They puppet show is small excerpts from the Ramakien
The puppeteers are classically trained dancers who imitate the movements of the puppets to literally bring them to life, capturing gestures and nuances. At the end of the performance they interact with the crowd and it is quite entertaining. Hanuman the white monkey king mischievously moves among the audience, while the female puppet cleverly charms the men.
We met up with Ben who was wondering the market and joined him for a stroll. I picked up wood carved bowl and slew of different pods and seeds to fill it with (gave it to my mom and it is gorgeous on the table), a photo of a lotus blossom, a lamp made of a porous stone and few other small home accessory items. Oh yes and a bright orange hard suitcase. Before we leaving we each had a tall Singha and relaxed.
At the end of our trip we returned to the market again for just a short time and realized that it was running at 50% during our first visit. I definitely need to spend more time there on the next visit.
Taxi back and straight to bed
Day 4: January 4th
Our plan for the day was to take care of some logistics, meet up with John¡¦s brother, Ben and do the Khlong tour.
Before breakfast I had to check email at the business center and make some phone call which took longer than expected. We were leaving for Chiang Mai that night so we also had to check out and store luggage. They didn¡¦t want to store my luggage (purchases), but I mentioned that a friend stayed here often and informed me that they would hold my items since I was staying at the hotel for a few more days at the end of our trip. That worked. Since we didn¡¦t have a phone we kept running up to the room to touch base with Ben to figure out if he should come over for breakfast or meet us at the central pier. We had some miscommunication and with the limited river shuttle service Ben sat at the pier for over an hour while we ate and got ourselves organized. Thank goodness he is about as laid back as the come. I would travel with Ben any time.
We met up with Ben around 10ish. Found our boatman and paid our 1900 Baht for a 4 hour khlong tour, with 2 stops and finishing at River City so John could have another fitting. The tour was definitely a highlight. We were able to have quality time chatting with Ben. It was breezing, mellow and visually exciting.
Watching the life on the khlongs was incredible: people on their boats grilling food and selling to people working along the khlong; bathing and washing clothes in the murky waters of the Chao Phraya; lying around their homes on the bank. Some of the homes were colorful and well maintained, some had fences and landscaping, but many were hovels. In the same river I have seen a dead dog floating and child ¡§squatting¡¨ with the help of a grandmother and boys swimming and diving in the water, truly unbelievable. (In Chiang Mai we purchased a beautiful piece of art from La Luna gallery done by an artist that collects aluminum and scraps from the areas around the khlongs and paints images of life on them¡XI absolutely love it)
We stopped at the Royal Barges, just 10mins. I would love to be in BKK this summer to see the royal procession in honor of the king¡¦s reign. We bought our driver a coke.
Then we went to Wat Arun, which turned out to be my favorite wat on this trip. We climbed the steps, took lots of photos, and enjoyed the grounds. A highlight was watching Ben get an ice cream sandwich. I was a literal ice cream sandwich. Ice cream b/t two pieces of bread, topped with sauces and nuts. The vendor would throw the ice cream up and catch it in the bread, the finale or what we thought was the finale was him throwing the ice cream 15ft up and catching it in the tiny scoop. Applause and laughter all around. I think he even took a bow. The piece de resistance was the vendor lobbing the entire sandwich, with no warning to Ben, who caught it sauce side down in his hands. Bravo.
Let me also make a side comment John aren¡¦t religious, spiritual to some sense, yes, religious no. So I am very sensitive about how I interact in religious sites if I am not a follower or believer. I respect but don¡¦t feel comfortable partaking if I don¡¦t believe, so we didn¡¦t make merits, we just observed and kept a distance so that those there for prayer or to honor the Buddha had their space. I don¡¦t want this to lead to some religious discussion; I just want it be clear how I interact in such spaces.
It turns out we lost track of time and spent longer than 15mins, which I didn¡¦t hear, but was what the boat driver told us when we got off the boat. We had no idea we were so bound to the schedule, we actually had extra time, but he had it in his mind that we were only allowed 15mins at the stops. He was furious at us and we felt awful, we were 15mins late. The behavior seemed unlike any other we witnessed throughout our entire trip. In fact, Ben who has spent a couple months in Thailand was shocked.
The driver fumed all the way to the River City where he dropped us off. We tipped him well and mimicked apology as much as possible.
I understand now that the boat driver is very much controlled by the boat man or boat owner. The way the boatman spoke to our driver or rather ordered him should have been the first clue, but we really got it when we saw how upset he was at the idea of being late to return to the pier. It seems as if those that work and live on the river are very poor, yet they love their life on the Chayo Phraya, the vein of Bangkok. Fascinating. I think I will travel the khlongs every time I visit and I will be sure to tell the boatman how much time I want at a stop so he can tell the boat driver.
We were starving so we went to a restaurant Ben liked, it was ok. Then back to the Marriott for happy hour (making the beer almost reasonable) and a swim. We had an 8pm flight to Chiang Mai. Good bye to Ben.
Arrive at Chiang Mai late. Quickly we learn that taxis are more in Chiang Mai, not much, but a bit different (the airport fee is higher). We are only there for one night so we stay at Galare house. The next day we plan to go to Mae Hong Son via the road.
That night, even though it was late we walk to the night bazaar stopping at the pseudo bazaar on the way to eat dinner and watch fake thai boxing.
Tired we go to bed.
It is funny. Typing this out it feels like we had a bunch of mishaps, but it didn¡¦t feel that way while traveling, just felt like part of it. First time, there is bound to be a learning curve. In BKK hiring a driver sure makes things smoother though¡Xsaves the negotiating of time and money, especially when you are on a schedule and have list of ¡§want¡¨ to see. We recommended Ratts service to people we met throughout our travels b/c we were able to see more and be more comfortable. In BKK if things are around the skytrain it is worth taking it.
A day of learning¡K¡K.
No working out this morning. A bit over zealous the first day. We were eating a bit later so the crowds at the buffet were crazy. As it turns out elaborate breakfast buffets don¡¦t bring out the best in people, it is amazing how oblivious some people are. In fact it was actually getting hostile around the pancake station, quite humorous. Food wise it was another lovely breakfast we were learning how to navigate the buffet more efficiently and figuring out what the most pleasing order to eat the various ¡§genres¡¨ of food in.
Cotton House was the first stop. We took the river shuttle to the Pier and the Oriental boat to drop us off right around Oriental Palace. I really had no idea what I wanted to have made so I paged through books that they had laying around. John took off to River City to get his first fitting.
Never will I go to Thailand again with out my favorite pants and jackets to be replicated. I had the hardest time making up my mind. I think I spent a good two hours there picking out styles, fabrics and getting measured. They were very patient with me.
John returned from River City, a bit haggard. Turns out he unintentionally took a detour. He started walking to the tailors. Then realized he walked further than it should be, going diagonally away from River City. So he caught his first tuk tuk. Who also took a detour stopping at some shop, where John protested ¡§River City¡¨ and wouldn¡¦t budge.
The driver then got him to his destination. Unfortunately John didn¡¦t have enough change and the tuk tuk driver pretended not to have enough Bahts to make change so he earned himself a bit extra.
Finally, at River City. John learns that his clothes aren¡¦t ready. So he turns around and makes the 10min. walk back to meet me. He would return at the end of the day.
We decide on Harmonique for lunch, but when we arrive it is closed for the Holidays (until Jan 5th). So Tongue Thai it was.
We thoroughly enjoyed lunch. TT was so peaceful, bright and fresh feeling. It was a bit early for lunch so it was only us and a business drinking tea. We ordered spring rolls, pineapple fried rice, panang curry, green curry and iced Chinese tea. Oh, I am dying for it now. It is almost painful reminiscing.
Next we met Ben and were planning to go on a Khlong tour. We intended to go the Oriental¡¦s boatman to have him hail us a longtail, but Ben looked more like a backpacker so the doorman wasn¡¦t so keen on letting him through. Plan B, we walked down the soi to the men selling khlong tours. We didn¡¦t understand the complexity of the long tail organizational structure. There is the ¡§boat man¡¨, ¡§boat owner¡¨ and ¡§boat driver¡¨. They tell you ¡§I am the boat man I take you. You go where you like.¡¨ ¡§Good boat, speak good English¡¨¡K..¡¨We were hoping to have one that spoke a little English and he promised¡¨. So we went with it. We had already spent 30 mins wondering around, asking prices and figuring it all out.
Basically, we were handed from one man to the next and ended up walking around the bowels of the Oriental hotel to floating piece of plywood or ¡§dock¡¨. The man asked for all the money upfront and hustled us into the boat with a man who spoke no English.
It was all so confusing and it just didn¡¦t feel right so we backed out and decided to do the Khlong tour tomorrow now that we understood the system and could have a bit more control of the process. We only wanted to travel down the khlongs and make stops at Wat Arun and royal barges. The faux floating market and snake farm were of no interest.
The adventure continues. We go back to Central Pier on water taxi. We see more boatmen and so we decide to negotiate a price and details for a khlong tour tomorrow with a bit more friendly boat man sitting at a card table under the skytrain. So that was good, tomorrow was in order.
We were figuring out to do with the rest of our day. We decided Ben would go to Vietnam embassy to get his Visa renewed. John needed to go back to River City for his fitting, and then we wanted to spend the evening at the night bazaar and attend Joe Louis puppet show.
So as we walked Ben to the skytrain so he could get to the embassy we were approached by a French woman. She told us the most elaborate story about her husband who was getting cash out at a machine early in the am in Pattaya b/c they wanted to leave b/c they didn¡¦t like it. They were going to go to some island. They never planned to stay in Pattaya, but she got sick and they had to b/f going to this island. As he got out his money 2 guys on a moped stole his suitcase and wallet. He ran after them and pulled the friend on the moped off the bike who hurt his head (but was alive and ok she informed us) while the friend took off with their items, leaving her with nothing (don¡¦t keep all your eggs in one basket or your husbands basket I guess). The injured man reported her husband to the authorities, there were no witnesses. He was taken to jail and she needed money to bride the police. She had been to the consulate. They couldn¡¦t help, she only had 24 hours to pay the bribe or else he would go to court. Consulate wouldn¡¦t help. She wanted advice and SURPRISE, money from us. We asked why she didn¡¦t call her family (she was in her late 30¡¦s or early 40¡¦) in France and ask for help. She said they were sick and for other reasons she didn¡¦t want to bother them. Tons of excuses for all our ideas. This story and discussion lasted about 40 mins, when we finally said sorry, we are really sorry and left. I am sorry to say we must look scammable.
So Ben was off and we would meet up later at the bazaar. We went to River City. John¡¦s clothes were taking shape. His dress shirt was done and looked incredible. The quality (buttons, stitching, fit, material) were that of $250 dress shirt. Just gorgeous, he looked good even with his dorky travel pants and sandals on.
Next we cabbed it to FACE where we made spa and dinner reservations for when we returned to BKK in 2.5 weeks. The valets hailed us a cab to the bazaar, where we grabbed a quick bite for $2 across from Joe Louis theatre b/f heading in for the production. The puppets were beautiful. I actually am going to have one made.
(this is taken from another websiteļ )The choreography and co-ordination of the puppeteers as they move around the stage is mesmerizing. Each puppet is controlled by 3 puppeteers visible on stage who work together in perfect unison to produce the incredibly lifelike human movements of each puppet. They puppet show is small excerpts from the Ramakien
The puppeteers are classically trained dancers who imitate the movements of the puppets to literally bring them to life, capturing gestures and nuances. At the end of the performance they interact with the crowd and it is quite entertaining. Hanuman the white monkey king mischievously moves among the audience, while the female puppet cleverly charms the men.
We met up with Ben who was wondering the market and joined him for a stroll. I picked up wood carved bowl and slew of different pods and seeds to fill it with (gave it to my mom and it is gorgeous on the table), a photo of a lotus blossom, a lamp made of a porous stone and few other small home accessory items. Oh yes and a bright orange hard suitcase. Before we leaving we each had a tall Singha and relaxed.
At the end of our trip we returned to the market again for just a short time and realized that it was running at 50% during our first visit. I definitely need to spend more time there on the next visit.
Taxi back and straight to bed
Day 4: January 4th
Our plan for the day was to take care of some logistics, meet up with John¡¦s brother, Ben and do the Khlong tour.
Before breakfast I had to check email at the business center and make some phone call which took longer than expected. We were leaving for Chiang Mai that night so we also had to check out and store luggage. They didn¡¦t want to store my luggage (purchases), but I mentioned that a friend stayed here often and informed me that they would hold my items since I was staying at the hotel for a few more days at the end of our trip. That worked. Since we didn¡¦t have a phone we kept running up to the room to touch base with Ben to figure out if he should come over for breakfast or meet us at the central pier. We had some miscommunication and with the limited river shuttle service Ben sat at the pier for over an hour while we ate and got ourselves organized. Thank goodness he is about as laid back as the come. I would travel with Ben any time.
We met up with Ben around 10ish. Found our boatman and paid our 1900 Baht for a 4 hour khlong tour, with 2 stops and finishing at River City so John could have another fitting. The tour was definitely a highlight. We were able to have quality time chatting with Ben. It was breezing, mellow and visually exciting.
Watching the life on the khlongs was incredible: people on their boats grilling food and selling to people working along the khlong; bathing and washing clothes in the murky waters of the Chao Phraya; lying around their homes on the bank. Some of the homes were colorful and well maintained, some had fences and landscaping, but many were hovels. In the same river I have seen a dead dog floating and child ¡§squatting¡¨ with the help of a grandmother and boys swimming and diving in the water, truly unbelievable. (In Chiang Mai we purchased a beautiful piece of art from La Luna gallery done by an artist that collects aluminum and scraps from the areas around the khlongs and paints images of life on them¡XI absolutely love it)
We stopped at the Royal Barges, just 10mins. I would love to be in BKK this summer to see the royal procession in honor of the king¡¦s reign. We bought our driver a coke.
Then we went to Wat Arun, which turned out to be my favorite wat on this trip. We climbed the steps, took lots of photos, and enjoyed the grounds. A highlight was watching Ben get an ice cream sandwich. I was a literal ice cream sandwich. Ice cream b/t two pieces of bread, topped with sauces and nuts. The vendor would throw the ice cream up and catch it in the bread, the finale or what we thought was the finale was him throwing the ice cream 15ft up and catching it in the tiny scoop. Applause and laughter all around. I think he even took a bow. The piece de resistance was the vendor lobbing the entire sandwich, with no warning to Ben, who caught it sauce side down in his hands. Bravo.
Let me also make a side comment John aren¡¦t religious, spiritual to some sense, yes, religious no. So I am very sensitive about how I interact in religious sites if I am not a follower or believer. I respect but don¡¦t feel comfortable partaking if I don¡¦t believe, so we didn¡¦t make merits, we just observed and kept a distance so that those there for prayer or to honor the Buddha had their space. I don¡¦t want this to lead to some religious discussion; I just want it be clear how I interact in such spaces.
It turns out we lost track of time and spent longer than 15mins, which I didn¡¦t hear, but was what the boat driver told us when we got off the boat. We had no idea we were so bound to the schedule, we actually had extra time, but he had it in his mind that we were only allowed 15mins at the stops. He was furious at us and we felt awful, we were 15mins late. The behavior seemed unlike any other we witnessed throughout our entire trip. In fact, Ben who has spent a couple months in Thailand was shocked.
The driver fumed all the way to the River City where he dropped us off. We tipped him well and mimicked apology as much as possible.
I understand now that the boat driver is very much controlled by the boat man or boat owner. The way the boatman spoke to our driver or rather ordered him should have been the first clue, but we really got it when we saw how upset he was at the idea of being late to return to the pier. It seems as if those that work and live on the river are very poor, yet they love their life on the Chayo Phraya, the vein of Bangkok. Fascinating. I think I will travel the khlongs every time I visit and I will be sure to tell the boatman how much time I want at a stop so he can tell the boat driver.
We were starving so we went to a restaurant Ben liked, it was ok. Then back to the Marriott for happy hour (making the beer almost reasonable) and a swim. We had an 8pm flight to Chiang Mai. Good bye to Ben.
Arrive at Chiang Mai late. Quickly we learn that taxis are more in Chiang Mai, not much, but a bit different (the airport fee is higher). We are only there for one night so we stay at Galare house. The next day we plan to go to Mae Hong Son via the road.
That night, even though it was late we walk to the night bazaar stopping at the pseudo bazaar on the way to eat dinner and watch fake thai boxing.
Tired we go to bed.
It is funny. Typing this out it feels like we had a bunch of mishaps, but it didn¡¦t feel that way while traveling, just felt like part of it. First time, there is bound to be a learning curve. In BKK hiring a driver sure makes things smoother though¡Xsaves the negotiating of time and money, especially when you are on a schedule and have list of ¡§want¡¨ to see. We recommended Ratts service to people we met throughout our travels b/c we were able to see more and be more comfortable. In BKK if things are around the skytrain it is worth taking it.
Mar 9th, 2006, 10:00 AM
#20
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Okay I am back, sorry I was detained. I didn't really proof this so sorry....
Day 5: January 5th
I forgot to mention that the receptionist at the Galare was very sweet. Since my husband is so tall she was concerned that the room they had reserved for us wasn’t big enough. So she gave us the choice. We were fine with the room they had designated—very simple, a bit dark but fine. The outside of Galare is charming. Good location.
We awake early after a pretty dodgy sleep. Dogs in the ally stirred each other up and were barking and fighting most of the night. It was very loud. I had to get out the earplugs, which just muted them. Oh ya, I was attacked by some weird bugs and woke up with dozens and dozens of irritating little bites. My parents stayed at Galare for several days this time last year (a bit sleepier then) and really enjoyed there stay at, they were surprised at our report.
I waited too long to get a guide/driver for the 4 day trip around the north we had intended to do, so there weren’t a lot of options. All of the Galare’s normal guides were taken, but they did hook us up with a fellow who had a van. We originally were going to go from Mae Hong Son to Mae Salong, but since we couldn’t find a driver that spoke English for multi-days we revised and decided just to spend time around Mae Hong Son.
I think we left Galare after breakfast around 9am. Breakfast was good there—served riverside, fresh and very inexpensive. One mistake (in addition to not arranging a driver in enough time, I tried 2 weeks b/f but during the high season that isn’t enough) I made regarding the drive to Mae Hong Son was not telling the man who organized the driver which way along the loop we wanted to start. I also didn’t know enough of the places I wanted to stop on the way to request it from him, the caves, waterfalls, coffee villages, villages, etc..
So we drove through Pai to get there, I wish we had done it in reverse. The only stops we made, the driver understandably had to drive back to Chiang Mai that night and was on a schedule, was Pai and a few overlooks on the way. I was sad to see so many interesting sites go by as we drove. I tried my best not to stress about it too much b/c we would be back for sure. Mae Hong Son proved to be the highlight of our trip. Gloria’s advice on this was “money”.
Lunch at Pai was great. I had read about Belle Villa in a guidebook and directed our driver there so we could eat lunch there. We tried to have him eat with us, out treat, but he wouldn’t. The food at Belle Villa was amazing. The best food we ate in the North: northern style pork curry, fish/coconut soup, minced pork salad, veggies and dips. The setting was gorgeous as well. I would stay in their huts any day. http://www.bellevillaresort.com/pai/index.html
After lunch we wondered the hippy town of Pai. It is charming, but I am glad we chose Mae Hong Son as our base.
More driving, car sickness. Lots of construction from the fall’s floods and subsequent landslides. The scenery around every bend was gorgeous. Our driver said ‘beautiful’ very well and often. He was very proud.
At a view point on top of a pass we used the ‘holes’ and I bought a small bag to hold my digital camera from an elderly woman. Of course she was full of toothless smiles. We snapped some pictures and were back in the car. I think our driver bought a bag of galangal root from one of the road side stands.
After an entire day of driving curves at 5-10 mph, we were ready to be in Mae Hong Song, 6+ hours of driving to go a few hundred kilometers. By the way it cost us 3000 baht for the one-way drive (roundtrip for him and serious wear and tear on the van).
Driving into the Mae Hong Son Valley was breathtaking I was thrilled to be there. The Fern Resort just a few kilometers from town and near a national park was perfect. I think it was our favorite accommodations. Everyone staying there loved it too. Set on rice fields surrounded by beautiful landscaping, trees and mountains. We had a lovely hut with a large porch over a gurgling creek. It was idyllic. I seriously could have stayed for weeks. The staff was amazing. http://www.fernresort.info/index.asp
Upon arrival we got settled in our room, brought our laundry up to have washed and headed to the Sunset bar—an open air hut perfectly oriented to watch the field turn orange as the sun faded. We drank Singha’s till we had a sufficient buzz, ate fresh peanuts and read. Oh, how I long for those days.
After a little down time, we went up to the restaurant to eat and plan our outing for tomorrow. Fern Resort is part of CBT, community based tourism in the valley. In fact, the manager’s boyfriend runs the program.
Here is info on the resort from a website:
To tell you a little bit about Fern Resort, these are the principal facts and concept upon which the resort is based.
• The Fern Resort is a project the was conceived under investment from funds of the government under its policy of stretching out development to the rural areas.
• It was built under the idea of Eco-Tourism in order to preserve the nature and the environment for both tourists and the local people. It is an example project that helps the environment and the public.
• We would like our resort to be the forest home for the naturalist who is looking for a peaceful place. Thus, we provide only simple rooms without any luxurious facilities Our rooms do not have TV. or telephone to allow you to be as close to nature as possible.
• Around the resort, you can see selectively planted trees, which are deliberately chosen to the food source for birds and other animals. Thus you have a round year window to view the rich fauna and flora of Northern Thailand.
• Behind the resort is the National Park where you can take a nature trail trip for even more abundance of nature or climb up to the view point on the mountain for the sun rise/sun set.
• In order to help the local people and preserve the culture, Fern Resort has a policy of employing these people to work in our resort. Their warm naturally friendly natures are a further source of interest for you. We hope that they will make your stay with us even more memorable.
Community Based Tourism is a type of tourism which
• contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural resources
• contributes to local economic development
• requires a high level of local participation by community members
• provides a socially and environmentally responsible product to visitors
What is the objective of Community Based Tourism?
The aim is to provide a means for forest-dependent communities in Mae Hong Son to pursue sustainable development on their own terms. The specific objectives of the program are for example to support the communities’ efforts in forest conservation, to strengthen community organizations by building their skills in tourism management and to assist communities to preserve their culture on their own terms.
So back to the rest of our evening: We were told by staff that a wedding was taking place at a village up the road (again dirt, curving, rough mtn. road), Ban Huai Hee tribe (White Karen) and it was be wonderful to see. Note: most of the staff were Karen and came to town to work. We planned on a day of that, along with a hike to the top of Mt. Doi Pui.
For dinner we ate Lemongrass chicken, chicken covered in shredded lemongrass (like $50 worth in Missoula) and lightly fried, yum! Fried rice, vegetable dish and a curry for the rest.
During dinner we spoke to a lovely 16 year old boy who was visiting from England with his father. His story was quiet interesting. The short of it is that his mom retired from her nursing job a few years ago and came to Thailand for a vacation to celebrate. Her husband and son couldn’t come at that time. She fell in love with it and decided to teach English in Chiang Mai for a year. So she has been living in Chiang Mai. Her son, has come to visit 3 times now. He was on school holiday and so they were traveling around the north. The first time he came it was during summer break and even he taught English in Eastern Thailand, after a 4 week training course in BKK. Although he misses his mum, he was proud of her and very glad to visit Thailand so frequently. Pretty mature 16 year old.
We went to bed early considering the lousy sleep the night before. We had to meet Ball our driver at 8:30am.
Day 5: January 5th
I forgot to mention that the receptionist at the Galare was very sweet. Since my husband is so tall she was concerned that the room they had reserved for us wasn’t big enough. So she gave us the choice. We were fine with the room they had designated—very simple, a bit dark but fine. The outside of Galare is charming. Good location.
We awake early after a pretty dodgy sleep. Dogs in the ally stirred each other up and were barking and fighting most of the night. It was very loud. I had to get out the earplugs, which just muted them. Oh ya, I was attacked by some weird bugs and woke up with dozens and dozens of irritating little bites. My parents stayed at Galare for several days this time last year (a bit sleepier then) and really enjoyed there stay at, they were surprised at our report.
I waited too long to get a guide/driver for the 4 day trip around the north we had intended to do, so there weren’t a lot of options. All of the Galare’s normal guides were taken, but they did hook us up with a fellow who had a van. We originally were going to go from Mae Hong Son to Mae Salong, but since we couldn’t find a driver that spoke English for multi-days we revised and decided just to spend time around Mae Hong Son.
I think we left Galare after breakfast around 9am. Breakfast was good there—served riverside, fresh and very inexpensive. One mistake (in addition to not arranging a driver in enough time, I tried 2 weeks b/f but during the high season that isn’t enough) I made regarding the drive to Mae Hong Son was not telling the man who organized the driver which way along the loop we wanted to start. I also didn’t know enough of the places I wanted to stop on the way to request it from him, the caves, waterfalls, coffee villages, villages, etc..
So we drove through Pai to get there, I wish we had done it in reverse. The only stops we made, the driver understandably had to drive back to Chiang Mai that night and was on a schedule, was Pai and a few overlooks on the way. I was sad to see so many interesting sites go by as we drove. I tried my best not to stress about it too much b/c we would be back for sure. Mae Hong Son proved to be the highlight of our trip. Gloria’s advice on this was “money”.
Lunch at Pai was great. I had read about Belle Villa in a guidebook and directed our driver there so we could eat lunch there. We tried to have him eat with us, out treat, but he wouldn’t. The food at Belle Villa was amazing. The best food we ate in the North: northern style pork curry, fish/coconut soup, minced pork salad, veggies and dips. The setting was gorgeous as well. I would stay in their huts any day. http://www.bellevillaresort.com/pai/index.html
After lunch we wondered the hippy town of Pai. It is charming, but I am glad we chose Mae Hong Son as our base.
More driving, car sickness. Lots of construction from the fall’s floods and subsequent landslides. The scenery around every bend was gorgeous. Our driver said ‘beautiful’ very well and often. He was very proud.
At a view point on top of a pass we used the ‘holes’ and I bought a small bag to hold my digital camera from an elderly woman. Of course she was full of toothless smiles. We snapped some pictures and were back in the car. I think our driver bought a bag of galangal root from one of the road side stands.
After an entire day of driving curves at 5-10 mph, we were ready to be in Mae Hong Song, 6+ hours of driving to go a few hundred kilometers. By the way it cost us 3000 baht for the one-way drive (roundtrip for him and serious wear and tear on the van).
Driving into the Mae Hong Son Valley was breathtaking I was thrilled to be there. The Fern Resort just a few kilometers from town and near a national park was perfect. I think it was our favorite accommodations. Everyone staying there loved it too. Set on rice fields surrounded by beautiful landscaping, trees and mountains. We had a lovely hut with a large porch over a gurgling creek. It was idyllic. I seriously could have stayed for weeks. The staff was amazing. http://www.fernresort.info/index.asp
Upon arrival we got settled in our room, brought our laundry up to have washed and headed to the Sunset bar—an open air hut perfectly oriented to watch the field turn orange as the sun faded. We drank Singha’s till we had a sufficient buzz, ate fresh peanuts and read. Oh, how I long for those days.
After a little down time, we went up to the restaurant to eat and plan our outing for tomorrow. Fern Resort is part of CBT, community based tourism in the valley. In fact, the manager’s boyfriend runs the program.
Here is info on the resort from a website:
To tell you a little bit about Fern Resort, these are the principal facts and concept upon which the resort is based.
• The Fern Resort is a project the was conceived under investment from funds of the government under its policy of stretching out development to the rural areas.
• It was built under the idea of Eco-Tourism in order to preserve the nature and the environment for both tourists and the local people. It is an example project that helps the environment and the public.
• We would like our resort to be the forest home for the naturalist who is looking for a peaceful place. Thus, we provide only simple rooms without any luxurious facilities Our rooms do not have TV. or telephone to allow you to be as close to nature as possible.
• Around the resort, you can see selectively planted trees, which are deliberately chosen to the food source for birds and other animals. Thus you have a round year window to view the rich fauna and flora of Northern Thailand.
• Behind the resort is the National Park where you can take a nature trail trip for even more abundance of nature or climb up to the view point on the mountain for the sun rise/sun set.
• In order to help the local people and preserve the culture, Fern Resort has a policy of employing these people to work in our resort. Their warm naturally friendly natures are a further source of interest for you. We hope that they will make your stay with us even more memorable.
Community Based Tourism is a type of tourism which
• contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural resources
• contributes to local economic development
• requires a high level of local participation by community members
• provides a socially and environmentally responsible product to visitors
What is the objective of Community Based Tourism?
The aim is to provide a means for forest-dependent communities in Mae Hong Son to pursue sustainable development on their own terms. The specific objectives of the program are for example to support the communities’ efforts in forest conservation, to strengthen community organizations by building their skills in tourism management and to assist communities to preserve their culture on their own terms.
So back to the rest of our evening: We were told by staff that a wedding was taking place at a village up the road (again dirt, curving, rough mtn. road), Ban Huai Hee tribe (White Karen) and it was be wonderful to see. Note: most of the staff were Karen and came to town to work. We planned on a day of that, along with a hike to the top of Mt. Doi Pui.
For dinner we ate Lemongrass chicken, chicken covered in shredded lemongrass (like $50 worth in Missoula) and lightly fried, yum! Fried rice, vegetable dish and a curry for the rest.
During dinner we spoke to a lovely 16 year old boy who was visiting from England with his father. His story was quiet interesting. The short of it is that his mom retired from her nursing job a few years ago and came to Thailand for a vacation to celebrate. Her husband and son couldn’t come at that time. She fell in love with it and decided to teach English in Chiang Mai for a year. So she has been living in Chiang Mai. Her son, has come to visit 3 times now. He was on school holiday and so they were traveling around the north. The first time he came it was during summer break and even he taught English in Eastern Thailand, after a 4 week training course in BKK. Although he misses his mum, he was proud of her and very glad to visit Thailand so frequently. Pretty mature 16 year old.
We went to bed early considering the lousy sleep the night before. We had to meet Ball our driver at 8:30am.
