Kathie's in Bangkok report live from Bangkok!
Nov 7th, 2006, 09:21 AM
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Kathie - More birthday greetings! Getting ready for a BOD meeting, so not even sure what day it is, but I think it's still your b'day, at least here. I bet you really miss those days! (Much prefer that feeling when we're traveling...) This is a great report, the gtg sounds like a blast. Am adding glasses purchasing to the list for February! Leave some jewelry there for me... This report will be my daily inspiration -- keep it coming! Have a fabulous time! Claire
Nov 7th, 2006, 10:30 AM
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DH and I just returned from having MY birthday dinner in Zurich at a place called Santa Lucia. They make a great pizza, and they have a nice Masi Campfiorin Italian red wine. It was lovely! I hope you enjoyed your birthday as much as I did mine. I shopped along the Bahnhofstrasse (one of my very favorite streets in Europe) and had my hair done. A nice pick-me-up for my last day. I head home tomorrow... back to Chicago. DH heads for BKK and will be there Friday afternoon around 3. Wish I could be headed in that direction as well... maybe next year at this time. Duty calls at home for now.
Carol
Carol
Nov 7th, 2006, 05:59 PM
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Kathie, did you have your amulets 'checked' for export? The one and only time I've ever seen anything confiscated at the airport, it was amulets. Someone in front of me had a small bag full of them in their luggage. Since scanning at the new airport is in-line down in the bowels of the terminal, I don't know what they'll do if they see Buddhas in your checked bags.
Nov 8th, 2006, 12:59 AM
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Thanks everyone! Claire, I do remember my BoD days with great fondness. Invite me to a meeting anytime - except when I'm in Asia.
Michael, I bought two small amulets, one of which is a tiny standing Buddha. I have to admit that it completely slipped my mind to ask for export papers. Have you ever read "Shopping for Buddhas' a book about Nepal? If you have you'll know how I'll feel if I can't take the amulet out of the country... a very zen book.
Dentist appointments at Bumrumgrad this am, pedicaures this afternoon. We are relaxed and on vacation head to toe.
Tomorrow we fly to Penang.
Michael, I bought two small amulets, one of which is a tiny standing Buddha. I have to admit that it completely slipped my mind to ask for export papers. Have you ever read "Shopping for Buddhas' a book about Nepal? If you have you'll know how I'll feel if I can't take the amulet out of the country... a very zen book.
Dentist appointments at Bumrumgrad this am, pedicaures this afternoon. We are relaxed and on vacation head to toe.
Tomorrow we fly to Penang.
Nov 8th, 2006, 05:11 PM
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If it's only a couple, then the surest way to get them out would be to wear them. They would never confiscate amulets you were actually wearing. I doubt there'd be a problem in any case.
BTW, I don't know about Nepal, but in Thailand you never 'buy' amulets (or Buddha images of any kind). The proper term is 'rent' because no matter how long you live, your possesion of these objects is temporary.
BTW, I don't know about Nepal, but in Thailand you never 'buy' amulets (or Buddha images of any kind). The proper term is 'rent' because no matter how long you live, your possesion of these objects is temporary.
Nov 8th, 2006, 05:37 PM
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Michael, yes, do you understand exactly what I am saying about if I couldn't take it out of the country... I will have "held" it for my allotted time.
GPanda, there will be more details about Loy Krathong later, when I do my "real" report. I don't have enough time for details here - I'm in Bangkok!.
We have most of the day here in Bangkok, we have a late check out - 4 pm - then we'll be off to the airport for our flight to Penang.
By the way, the river is very high, sandbags everywhere along the river.
GPanda, there will be more details about Loy Krathong later, when I do my "real" report. I don't have enough time for details here - I'm in Bangkok!.
We have most of the day here in Bangkok, we have a late check out - 4 pm - then we'll be off to the airport for our flight to Penang.
By the way, the river is very high, sandbags everywhere along the river.
Nov 9th, 2006, 10:11 AM
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aloha kathie,
my last trip to thailand, i wore my newest amulet...this was recommended by our local
buddhist monk (he gave me a poloroid of us
at the maui buddhist temple) to show the
immigration authorities if i had difficulty bring any buddhas back.
i have never had problems and i sit at my computer surround by statues and
artwork.
you and michaelbkk are correct in that
we only have temporary possession of these treasures...just one lifetime!
my last trip to thailand, i wore my newest amulet...this was recommended by our local
buddhist monk (he gave me a poloroid of us
at the maui buddhist temple) to show the
immigration authorities if i had difficulty bring any buddhas back.
i have never had problems and i sit at my computer surround by statues and
artwork.
you and michaelbkk are correct in that
we only have temporary possession of these treasures...just one lifetime!
Nov 9th, 2006, 11:14 PM
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Just made reservations for SE Asia for a last minute vacation. Flying into Singapore November 20 and will be flying into Bangkok on the 21st for about 6 nights.
Reservations for the Tower rooms of the ROS although considering the apartments at the Conrad hotel. Perhaps we shall meet!
Reservations for the Tower rooms of the ROS although considering the apartments at the Conrad hotel. Perhaps we shall meet!
Nov 10th, 2006, 03:45 AM
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If you do end up in the Towers, let's meet for a drink in one evening, mjs.
More on Bangkok: our last day, we ate at Mahanaga for lunch. We ate there for the first time last year and had an excellent meal. It bills itself as Thai fusion, but last year the menu was heavy on Thai and light on fusion. This year, it was the reverse. The food was good, but not exceptional. At $50 for the meal, it was rather pricey for Bangkok, so I'm not sure I'd return.
More on the new Airport: It really is stunning. We were flying Silk Class (Business) on Thai to Penang, so were able to check in at the special Thai First and Business class area ... verrry nice. Porters handle all of your luggage, you sit down to check in, special passport control lines to go through (no waiting). It gets an A from me.
We also were able to spend time in the Thai International business class lounge. I was expecting great things, as I knew they were competing with Singapore, Malaysian and Cathay lounges in their home airports. This lounge was a disappointment. Rather utilitanian in design, it was too small for the passengaer load. No wine or champagne in the lounge, and the only food was pastries, some sweet, some savory, but all same same. There is a small area of perhaps a dozen computer terminals with internet access. This was in no way enough for the number of people wanting access. And there was not so much as a suggestion that people should utilize the terminals efficiently and move on. Several people appeared to be permanently camped out there, one with a plateful of pastries half a foot high, another, a businessman playing solitare. Anyway, the lounge gets a "C'" from me.
The airport is beautiful and has lots of shopping, plus nice food outlets. But everywhere you look something is broken. Every restroom we visited had at least one broken fixture. Often there were not paper towels, etc. I expect all of these things will get fixed with time. My grade for the airport: A-
We arrived in Penang and had a butler-assisted transfer to the hotel. What a nice luxury (for under US$30). We checked into our lovely suite at the E&O and have been transported back to a more gracious era. I'll write more about the E&O and Penang later.
More on Bangkok: our last day, we ate at Mahanaga for lunch. We ate there for the first time last year and had an excellent meal. It bills itself as Thai fusion, but last year the menu was heavy on Thai and light on fusion. This year, it was the reverse. The food was good, but not exceptional. At $50 for the meal, it was rather pricey for Bangkok, so I'm not sure I'd return.
More on the new Airport: It really is stunning. We were flying Silk Class (Business) on Thai to Penang, so were able to check in at the special Thai First and Business class area ... verrry nice. Porters handle all of your luggage, you sit down to check in, special passport control lines to go through (no waiting). It gets an A from me.
We also were able to spend time in the Thai International business class lounge. I was expecting great things, as I knew they were competing with Singapore, Malaysian and Cathay lounges in their home airports. This lounge was a disappointment. Rather utilitanian in design, it was too small for the passengaer load. No wine or champagne in the lounge, and the only food was pastries, some sweet, some savory, but all same same. There is a small area of perhaps a dozen computer terminals with internet access. This was in no way enough for the number of people wanting access. And there was not so much as a suggestion that people should utilize the terminals efficiently and move on. Several people appeared to be permanently camped out there, one with a plateful of pastries half a foot high, another, a businessman playing solitare. Anyway, the lounge gets a "C'" from me.
The airport is beautiful and has lots of shopping, plus nice food outlets. But everywhere you look something is broken. Every restroom we visited had at least one broken fixture. Often there were not paper towels, etc. I expect all of these things will get fixed with time. My grade for the airport: A-
We arrived in Penang and had a butler-assisted transfer to the hotel. What a nice luxury (for under US$30). We checked into our lovely suite at the E&O and have been transported back to a more gracious era. I'll write more about the E&O and Penang later.
Nov 11th, 2006, 11:59 AM
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It would be good to meet for drinks at the ROS. I told my wife that I do not recall buying anything when I was last in Bangkok as a traveling student but she does not seem to believe me and is looking forward to shopping. She mentions rubies and saphires. As I believe nothing good ever comes from going into a jewlery store I am in hope you can discourage her.
I do have one question about the ROS if you do not mind. We are a family of two adults and two teenagers and were thinking of one Tower deluxe room or two tower deluxe rooms or one tower deluxe room and one Tower jr suite or one Tower suite. Can you shed some light on these different rooms? One executive suite seems to work but these suites are not in the Tower.
I do have one question about the ROS if you do not mind. We are a family of two adults and two teenagers and were thinking of one Tower deluxe room or two tower deluxe rooms or one tower deluxe room and one Tower jr suite or one Tower suite. Can you shed some light on these different rooms? One executive suite seems to work but these suites are not in the Tower.
