Good morning. What a gorgeous day it is in Bangkok today. DH was just saying how much he has enjoyed the weather this visit. This is the BEST time of the year to be here. No quesiton.

Today is the GTG at the Intercontinental Hotel at 5. Bob, I hope you make it on time... LOL I'm so looking forward to meeting some more fodorites. Isismonroe, I note that you are safe and sound back in BKK. Are you at Patumwan House again? We'll see you very soon.

The boys were unsuccessful at winning the big pool tournament yesterday, but there is always another time (today!).

I have last minute shopping to do, a few simple requests from friends at home. I think I'm going to probably fill two suitcases plus a wheel-aboard carry-on. Lucky for me, if I need to, I can check 3 70-lb suitcases with my premier executive United Star Alliance gold card!! I needed that much weight coming home from Switzerland in December... that's a whole 'nother story!!

Bob, I'll try to get those Majestic Grande photos taken and posted today. I've added a few photos at cjscollection already, a couple of the Dalaabaa Restaurant in CM as well as my gorgeous suite at the Sheraton CM, and photos of Patumwan House too.

Happy Chinese New Year to all. I think today might be quite exciting in Bangkok! Some places will be closed, but I think most will be open and ready to do business as usual.

Carol

looking forward to your results from today...bob

Carol

Would love to hear about Chinese NY

Also, re: CM beaded bags -- I'm curious if these are the small round/heart shaped or rectangular bags I found.

Hello everyone. When I was out and about today, there were a number of places with the Chinese dragon costumed people dancing to drums and such. We are waiting for fireworks which we might see from our balcony (30th floor) which faces the main part of the city and China Town. We're not sure if they are tonight, but if they are, we're ready!!

Bob, I got the royal treatment at the Majestic Grande today. The guest services lady showed me three room types and the pool, spa, gym, and their restaurants too. It was a great tour. And she didn't mind at all that I took photos (cjscollection is where they will be posted shortly). Room rates run from 3200bt for a basic room to 18,000 bt for the biggest suite in the place (it was booked so I did not get to see it..). A nice room on one of the executive floors will run you 3500bt and includes breakfast. The rooms are not large. I only saw one style room that had a balcony, and the price was 6800bt for a grand exec suite. I'm used to having the space in a one bedroom apartment so I think it would be difficult for me to go back to a hotel room!! Call me spoiled...

Bob the pool area was nice, but not large. The spa was nice, as was the gym, all on the 7th floor. There is an international buffet on the 7th floor (dine@7 is the name, I think). This is where breakfast is served. I do think breakfast is standard with any type of room.

There is a great Italian restaurant on the ground floor (Sacz). Great meal here, if you like Italian food. They serve a marvelous foie gras.

It was a pleasure meeting Isismonroe and Russ today. Michaelbkk, we missed you. We sat for about 1 1/2 hours in the lobby bar at Intercontinental. Isis brought me a lovely basket of flowers!! It was a thank you for telling them about Patumwan House. They are very happy staying there and are pleased with the money they saved over the 4 and 5 star hotels. We had a wonderful time talking about travel and so on. I hope to see Isis and Russ at a GTG in Honolulu this summer!!

I got to see the jewelry girl today. She has some very nice designs of her own, as well as stuff from her village in the north. I bought quite a number of pieces!! She was happy and so was I. I think I will not have much left to put on my web site after going to a trade show in a few weeks. I'm sure I will buy more from her.

You folks like recommendations for good dining options in Bangkok. Well, I've got a new one for you. We ate tonight at Gaysorn Plaza, basement level, at the restaurant called Mistral. There is a sister restaurant in Seattle. It was a marvelous dinner. Four of us dined (with one bottle of wine) for 14,000 bt plus tip. Every dish was very tasty, well presented, and enough to fill my tummy. They offer a 7-course set menu for 3900bt (Brad had that!!). The menu is not Thai. It is more of a La Normandie type menu with emphasis on French dishes, and no coat and tie are required.

A friend had recommended this restaurant to us so we decided to give it a try. We were the only ones in the place, I think. We had our own private diningroom. The table could seat probably 8 people (maybe a fodorite GTG size???). There are three private diningrooms as well as the bigger more open restaurant. The place stays open late, even though it is located in the mall. It has a late night exit into a parking garage where you can catch a taxi.

I ate Alaska scallops appetizer and mahi mahi entree. Others tried the lamb and artichoke soup and the frog legs and monkfish. Everyone was very happy with what they ordered. The 7 course meal included appetizer, soup, entree, sorbet, sashimi starter, dessert, cheese plate, I forget what all was eaten (and I thought I was taking good notes). I may put a photo or two on my web site at cjscollection.

Tomorrow is my last day in BKK. The time has just flown... I knew it would. There will be packing to do, as well as last minute gifts to buy. We will go to someplace special for dinner, maybe Bed, maybe Sacz, or maybe Face. It's my choice. I'll decide tomorrow. Right now I'm too full to think about eating again.

Enjoy your day, where ever you are spending it.

Carol

I posted a few photos of Majestic Grande and also one of the diningroom at Mistral at cjscollection. Just click on the photo gallery link on the left side of the page, and then chose the Asia album. These new photos are at the very end right now, until I have time to place them in the album in a more neat order... ha ha ha.

Today is my last day in BKK. I'm really hoping to get to the new Platinum Fashion Mall (that's the new competition for Pratunam Center). It's located almost next to Pantip and on the same side of the (busy) street as Pantip. I can almost see it from my balcony. Wish I could fly like a bird... I'd be there right now!!! LOL

Do put Mistral on your list of eating places in BKK for a special dinner. It was very nice! Tonight we will go to either Face or Bed or Sacz. It's my choice, since it's my last day in BKK for this trip. Hoping to return in 3 to 4 months. I'd really love to be here in June when the King rides on the royal barges down the river, but it's such a busy time for me at home that I don't think it's possible. Darn!

Carol

Made it to Platinum Fashion Mall at last. Located very close to Pantip, it was easy to find. It has been open for about two months. Well organized, it is five floors of stalls, similar to a night bazaar, but air conditioned. The floors I explored (in a short tour) had clothing and accessories. I didn't see much in the way of Thai souvenirs. There were very few stalls not occupied yet, even for such a new location. I will go back here when I have more time to explore.

Dinner my last night night in BKK was with groom and family/friends as well as Thai friends from the Brunswick. We ate at Sacz. This is really a very nice restaurant!! I recommend it very highly, if you like Italian food the way I do. It is located at the Majestic Grande hotel lobby level, on soi 2 Sukhumvit.

Time to finish last minute packing before heading to the airport. These 6:40am flights are toooo early! I wish UA would get better scheduling when the new BKK airport opens (when ever THAT is).

Carol

Carol:
We are on the same UA flt to Narita at 6:40 when we leave....I have Sacz on our list of places to eat when we get there in 3 weeks.
Aloha!

i have gotten around the late nite arrivals and the early morning bkk departures by flying air france...check it out...

Thai Air and Cathay Pacific also have good timing in terms of arrival and departure.

Home again, home again, ziggety zig..

I'm back home in my small midwest town, which has had some dramatic changes during my absence. Two of our older more historic buildings burned to the ground a week ago. Such a shame!!

I got home around 4pm and sat down in my favorite comfy chair. The "lights went out" and I woke up again about an hour ago. It's going to be tough to get back into central time!

I'm planning my NEXT trip to BKK. I hope all of you have a great time on your adventures to Thailand, or where ever else they might take you.

Carol

carol....i saw you posted that you were going back to bkk in may, but elsewhere i thought i had read that you could not see the barge procession in june....is this true??

bob

Yes, Bob, it's true. I can maybe squeeze out a couple of weeks in May but there is no way I can go in June. Too many prior commitments. I really wish I could see those barges. I've been to the barge museum and they are really quite a sight to see. I think it would be awesome to see some 50 of them going down the river (from a room at the Penn).
Carol

ttt for interest person in majestic grande hotel

FYI
I've added some Majestic Grande photos to my web site photo gallery at cjscollection. Click on the left side of the page, the photo gallery link, and then click on Asia album.
Carol