Unfortunately, it appears that the pandas will not be going to BKK in November. While it would be great to meet up with Gloria, Kathie and Smeagol, we don't seem to be able to make it happen. The plan is for RhkKmk to spend November in Antarctica.

Ahh Andy i had told Muffin we were all meeting up in November... he was going to practise his tennis swing and everything.....

I'm a rugby player, not a tennis bum.

Andy - Rugby player: "Doctor, doctor, every morning when I get up and look in the mirror - I feel like throwing up. What's wrong with me?" Doctor: "I don't know, but your eyesight is perfect."

yes i know but i was refering to the Navratilova story!!!!!

I still tell that story. It's one of the great ones.

So do i , its one of my very favourites.... (not to be discussed on here though!!!)

kristina, i have something for you from tong...send me your mailing address at: [email protected] and i will mail it to you...you will like it...

we got home about 11 tonight....i have several segments to add in the next day or so and some final thoughts...then i will get busy on the restaurant review update...

how can any of you stand united???
they are just horrible....the plane was old and the crew older and not the least bit friendly....one woman just kept throwing things at everyone...

ANA, on the other hand, was fantastic...i would use my united miles there for sure!!! as good as if not better than thai....

LOL, Bob, I stand United by flying in Biz.

We have to put up with UA here in HI

Did Jack finish that XXXXXL hula skirt?

Welcome home Bob and Karen!

Aloha!

The return of the POB. This calls for a parade. In Bangkok. Sort of a liberation day.

June 26, 2008, actually 25th (asian calendar for farangs)



Did internet after breakfast for about 45 minutes…. At 11AM we were picked up by our friend “Pat” from 5th Element, the manufacturer of stainless steel items for lux hotels and upscale shops….unlike many of the shops in bkk, his steel is from germany, not from china, assuring the highest quality and longevity….

We went with one item in mind and came away with about $500 worth of stuff: Christmas gifts, house gifts, thank you gifts, etc…..the largest item is a round bowl which is about 16 inches across and 7.5 “ tall….he discouraged us from shipping it this time so we are having it packed and sent to the hotel tonight….we will then access if we think we can check it as luggage or if we need to call DHL/FEDEX….

His son drove us to taskin skytrain station….we took it to siam paragon, where we had a mac attack quickly and then took a taxi to Platinum Fashion Mall… it is almost next to Pantip…..we find it a better place in every way to shop than is MBK…..more selection, more room to walk around, maybe even slightly better quality….K hit on shoes immediately….the first shop had 99B ($3) shoes….she bought several…then more shoes, then more….bought some T shirts for the grandchildren….the boys will like these especially: airplanes, etc….

Took a taxi back to the hotel as we were tired…

Went out to see jack who had some short slacks for me in denim---crop pants?? They fit quite nice and I ordered another pair also…

Next, the pool for a nice swim….lots of people there today and lots of noisy and rude kids…first time for this…

Up to the room and now we are leaving for dinner at Biscotti at the Four Seasons….K’s favorite Italian place….soft shell crabs I am sure will be on her plate in an hour…

Taxi to four seasons---driver took us a whole new way which was fantastic at rush hour…only 25 minutes….110B….delighted…we were ½ hour early even…
Walked around especially in the courtyard where the shops are….sat in lobby for a while watching the world go by….btw, a filet at the steak house, 8 oz., was 2350 B ($74)…the last filet roast I bought cost about that much…

We were seated at a table we have had several times before near to the windows near the stream…


K had pinot and I had singha…..lovely warm loaf of bread was presented with a whole ½ roasted garlic sitting on top and two dishes of olive oil for dipping….a special chicken tasting was presented on a cracker from the chef….K ordered her usual soft shell crab with mixed salad on top, and I had a porcini and wild mushroom soup….both were delicious….K ordered fettuccini with cheese and parma ham plus tons of wild mushrooms…I had black ink angle hair with tomatoes, roasted fennel, scallops and shrimps with a light cream sauce which soaked into the pasta so you did not see it….we had water with our dinner and ice of course….

For dessert Karen had an espresso parfait (2 kinds of ice cream, butterscotch sauce, and frothy cream) served with amaretto cookies and a splash of chocolate sauce…..i had a raspberry treat (a scoop of raspberry sorbet which was very strong tasting, just the way I like it…a small round almond cake with raspberry inside and 3 fresh raspberries with a sprig of mint leaves sitting on a raspberry reduction sauce….this was served on a long rectangular plate, making for a dramatic presentation….

So you wonder why we like to go there….no comment on the bill…it doesn’t matter when things are delicious and beautifully presented…..

Taxi back to the hotel, using much the same routing as our trip over…in 12 years why have we never been that way before??

Out to the pool to see Dr Pool, who asked us to stop by as he had a little gift for us….it is a carved soap with our names on it….very nice of him to remember us in this way….once he gave us a whole knife block full of knives which his family makes….he is such a nice guy…..we always look for him when we first get here (no andy it is not to tell him that we want and demand a gift…)…btw, he was soaking wet when we got there …he had just saved a 7 year old asian girl from drowning….she fell into the pool and her parents did not respond….

Two parcels were delivered to the hotel from 5th element….K is now in a panic….she is packing like mad….and rearranging, etc…


Panic averted I guess…I hear k talking to herself about a success in packing….

Dinner at The Four Seasons - what a lovely way to finish your trip . Your refence to the raspberry sorbet reminded me that last week we ate exactly the same thing ( plus passionfruit )in Bali at La Cantina looking over a rice paddy .It tasted like that from Pauls in Paris and sounds like yours did as well .

Hi Bob and Karen,
was lost a few weeks in the sky and so just read the rest of your report.
Seems you had a wonderful time again.
At the moment I am closer to your home as before, i.e. in the Dominican Republic.
Have a smooth trip back to the States!
Wolfgang

C'mon back Bob!!

bob, pls wear your peddle pushers/short trou to the hnl gtg. don't worry, like in bangkok, we have very liberal dress codes here.

Welcome home, Bob and Karen. Glad you made it safe and sound. I, too, rely on UA, but mostly (not ALWAYS) in business class.

Hello from Greensboro, NC (a quick 4-day driving run w/DH... DS stayed home to keep an eye on things).

Carol

ok, now for the last full day in bkk.....Thursday June 26, 2008

up about the same time....most of the packing was finished and we could just relax and do what we wanted...k went to the pool of course after breakfast and i did internet....
we checked in with the business office at the hotel about sending the stainless items via fed ex, having gotten our daughter's fedex account number....no problem, just a million papers to fill out....so it was on its way by mid-day (she has already received a verification call from them and it will be delivered to her on monday)....

about 12:30 we took a taxi to the Peninsula for lunch....one of the few things K had asked for on this trip was to have dim sum at the penn's asian restaurant, Mei Jiang, on the ground level....quite simply, it is the most fantastic dim sum anywhere....while i love the conrad dim sum, this is really special at the Penn....very unusual items and combinations are presented...there are perhaps 25 items to choose from...we ordered 4 different items, 2 times, and finished with karen's favorite: steamed custard buns....the only one we really did not care much for was the turnip dim sum which is sort of like a quiche...the waiter told us that it is an "aquired taste"...that plus 3 waters was 1512B....

we took the penn boat back to taskim and then the marriott boat back to the hotel...

we went out for our final fitting visit to jack, the tailor...we needed to see him once more after dinner for the pick-up...

we always like to take some goodies to our jewelry store on our last or next to last day, so K had ordered a cake from the hotel bakery....she ordered a three layer cake with rasberry filling between layers and a chocolate frosting....they added white chocolate designs to the entire sides and a thank you greeting on the top---see the pics....

it was delicious!!! it was 2 pounds, which is how they sell them there, one or two pounds... we expected to share with about 10 people....

took a taxi to nana where the shop is located in the grotty nana hotel...when they saw us coming with the large box there were more than the usual amount of smiles, and everyone of the staff was there which pleased us...we spent a long time talking and K gave one last inspection to the items we had ordered, some of which she had not yet seen....all were to her liking...

we said out good-byes and walked over to the plenochit center where i thought i could find a couple of last minute items that i wanted to buy as gifts...no luck but i did buy a new cotton hat with a flap on the back to protect my delicate neck from sun shine...

we next headed to soi 8 to try out the italian restaurant which Carol had spoken about, which is directly across from adelphi suites... this simple italian restaurant prepares very tasty intalian fare at a moderate price...K had her first real glass of wine in a restaurant in thailand...filled over the 1/3rd to 1/2 way line...it was filled up to the near top... i had a beer....i had a baked cannaloni and K had a pork dish....good no nonsense food...1020B....perfect for our last nite...not fancy, but just good...

we met the chef outside on the street while we were waiting for a taxi....he is new and hails from italy via a couple of asia stops...

out to see jack for the last time...everything was ready....we paid him and K thought--more stuff to pack....!!!

we went downstairs and had our last swenson's ice cream....

K put all the remaining items into cracks in our suitcases...we were ready to roll except for last minute items and a nite's or part nite's sleep....

in bed by 10:30 with a 4:30 wake-up call.... room service order placed on the door and lights out...sleeping pills to insure some sleep...

up at 4:30, showers, and food arrived about 5....we had ordered 4 cold hard boiled eggs to take with us and extra pastry....

checked out and on the road by 5:35....quick ride to the airport....30-35 minutes....we used AAC limo...

AAC Limo---i have been very pleased with them for a number of years, but i feel that i should say that they seem to be feeling the pinch of not being allowed a desk at the arrivals....their cars are not now the newest, but i find the drivers to again be safe and using moderate speeds...i think next time i will try AOT as their cars are still new camry's.....
again i would like to caution using taxis....on our return from one side-trip we used a taxi to our hotel from the airport....the regular taxi could not even fit our 2 22" suitcases in the trunk and close it....they had to use a bungy....the limo services, while more expensive, provide a better all around service...

becasue of the story which i told about our flights at the beginning of this report, we were scheduled to use ANA between bkk and nrt (narita, japan)...they still allow two suitcases each, neither of which can weigh more than 50 lbs each... the plane was new and spotless, the service was even better than thai and the food was delicious, albeit, roast pork tenderloin at 10:30AM....
our flight took off at exactly 8:15, its scheduled time, and pulled into the narita gate exactly on time...amazing...THE AIRLINE IS A PLEASURE!!!

our united flight was from a near-by gate at narita, which made things easy....
the plane was old and left late...the crew can only be described as older, and surly....food was tasteless basically and poorly and rudely served....

customs and immigration at chicago was a breeze....we were the only plane at that moment....our boston flight was delayed about 30 minutes, which is not bad for a friday evening....far toooo few seats available at the airport however....we bought our first real salads and enjoyed eating them while we waited... this flight was ok...but full...a guy almost my size sat between K and me...great way to end a trip, but at least he was friendly...

our cases all came out within the first dozen, so we were in the taxi in no time...we were lucky enough to get a van taxi...

its always so nice to enter your own house, to your own smells and comforts...

this concludes the main portion of my trip report...i plan on a short recap of important info for easy reference...this will take a few days....

i have begun working on my pics and they too will be available shortly...

we are looking at a possible return to bkk in november/december, but nothing is definate as of this date...

we visited K's dad early this AM....he is still in tough shape and just needs to start moving around more and eat, eat, eat...
we are hoping for the best...

Welcome home, Bob and Karen - great trip and great report. I gotta say that for me, anything with turnips in it would be an "acquired taste".