RHK's Fall SEA Trip
Nov 26th, 2017, 06:55 PM
#42
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Busy, busy days...weather continues to be fab, manageable.
Saturday
Rat came for us at 11. We went to Emporium dept. store. Almost immediately found a Japanese designers sale. The women went nuts for the stuff... all on sale 15-30% off. Very unusual things. Sort of s knit/slinky fabric with a pleated effect.
After at least 1 hour several purchases were made.
Next headed upstairs to the food area. Settled on a Thai restaurant and we had a nice lunch.
From there we took the bridge across Sukhumvit to the EM2 mall complex.
Walked the entire 9 floors of descending ramps down to the interior garden and back out onto the bridge. Took quite a while to hitch back up with our car.
We left the Sukhumvit area and went back to River City for some fittings with Penny, the seamstress. Some tweaking accomplished.
Time was getting away from us and we bumped our dinner res out to 8.
Back across town again to L'Opera Italian Restaurant on soi 39, Sukhumvit.
Great seating in the "garden" room.
We had a simply delicious dinner and great service.
My dinner: huge serving of beef carpaccio, spinach and ricotta ravioli with simply the most delicious red sauce, cream filled flaky milleflois (sp) for dessert. Women had red wines. 2 had fettuccine with wild boar sauce, don't remember their apps (oh yes P had minestrone soup which I tasted (perfect).
Exhausted we took a taxi back to hotel. Driver drove very fast-- B scared to death--- welcome to BKK.
Sunday
We had a 10 AM appointment with K's jeweler, Thai Stone Jeweler. They have a tiny new shop in the Nana Hotel, soi 4 Sukhumvit.
We spent over 3 hours there. Many purchases made by all 3 ladies--- almost all custom made work.
We walked from there to the JW Marriott to the Bangkok baking company for lunch... all of us had American style sandwiches-- giant size with fries: Reuben, club, chicken and 1 other.
Nut picked us up there at 2. He has new names: nut case, dr nut, nut job and other adoring names. We simply love him!!! He is funny, smart, amusing, knowledgeable and a licensed guide. He shows you the monuments, the seedy side of bkk, the best pad thai place, and tons of other interesting places and tidbits. Ask to have him as your driver from Rat Service.
He drove us next to meet with some friends at the center of bkk Royal Bangkok Sports Club, a privatemembers only club. My good friend Pook invited us all for dinner there.
So there was Pook, his sister Pam, his wonderful wife Dang, and their charming daughter Mony. The 4 of us... Nicky (Smeagol on fodors) and her fiancée David.
We were seated outside on the lawn at a large table. The weather was glorious and we loved it as the day turned to night and the city lights came on.
Champagne greeted us as we sat down. Pook kept the staff hoping with further orders of drinks, more champagne, varied appetisers and main courses, followed by desserts.
THANK YOU POOK AND DANG FOR YET ANOTHER WONDERFUL EVENING?
DR Nut drove us back to the Anantara with some detours into some of the seedier places around Patpong. B was loving it: ladies of the night, lady boys, questionable sex folks, pole dance clubs, pickup bars, etc.
Monday
The ladies left the hotel at 6AM with Jerry from Tong's group. They will be making merit with monks, releasing fish back into the river (a different kind of making merit), and doing the normal Bangkok sightseeing including the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, solid Gold Buddha wat, JT House and tour, probably lunch at JT house restaurant-- a very good restaurant.
This will probably tire them out...
Dinner will either be at the hotel or maybe Harmonique across the river, one of our long term favorites for simple, but good thai food in a quirky venue.
I will update this if any interesting tidbits are revealed upon their return.
Tomorrow we fly to Hanoi, Vietnam midday.
Saturday
Rat came for us at 11. We went to Emporium dept. store. Almost immediately found a Japanese designers sale. The women went nuts for the stuff... all on sale 15-30% off. Very unusual things. Sort of s knit/slinky fabric with a pleated effect.
After at least 1 hour several purchases were made.
Next headed upstairs to the food area. Settled on a Thai restaurant and we had a nice lunch.
From there we took the bridge across Sukhumvit to the EM2 mall complex.
Walked the entire 9 floors of descending ramps down to the interior garden and back out onto the bridge. Took quite a while to hitch back up with our car.
We left the Sukhumvit area and went back to River City for some fittings with Penny, the seamstress. Some tweaking accomplished.
Time was getting away from us and we bumped our dinner res out to 8.
Back across town again to L'Opera Italian Restaurant on soi 39, Sukhumvit.
Great seating in the "garden" room.
We had a simply delicious dinner and great service.
My dinner: huge serving of beef carpaccio, spinach and ricotta ravioli with simply the most delicious red sauce, cream filled flaky milleflois (sp) for dessert. Women had red wines. 2 had fettuccine with wild boar sauce, don't remember their apps (oh yes P had minestrone soup which I tasted (perfect).
Exhausted we took a taxi back to hotel. Driver drove very fast-- B scared to death--- welcome to BKK.
Sunday
We had a 10 AM appointment with K's jeweler, Thai Stone Jeweler. They have a tiny new shop in the Nana Hotel, soi 4 Sukhumvit.
We spent over 3 hours there. Many purchases made by all 3 ladies--- almost all custom made work.
We walked from there to the JW Marriott to the Bangkok baking company for lunch... all of us had American style sandwiches-- giant size with fries: Reuben, club, chicken and 1 other.
Nut picked us up there at 2. He has new names: nut case, dr nut, nut job and other adoring names. We simply love him!!! He is funny, smart, amusing, knowledgeable and a licensed guide. He shows you the monuments, the seedy side of bkk, the best pad thai place, and tons of other interesting places and tidbits. Ask to have him as your driver from Rat Service.
He drove us next to meet with some friends at the center of bkk Royal Bangkok Sports Club, a privatemembers only club. My good friend Pook invited us all for dinner there.
So there was Pook, his sister Pam, his wonderful wife Dang, and their charming daughter Mony. The 4 of us... Nicky (Smeagol on fodors) and her fiancée David.
We were seated outside on the lawn at a large table. The weather was glorious and we loved it as the day turned to night and the city lights came on.
Champagne greeted us as we sat down. Pook kept the staff hoping with further orders of drinks, more champagne, varied appetisers and main courses, followed by desserts.
THANK YOU POOK AND DANG FOR YET ANOTHER WONDERFUL EVENING?
DR Nut drove us back to the Anantara with some detours into some of the seedier places around Patpong. B was loving it: ladies of the night, lady boys, questionable sex folks, pole dance clubs, pickup bars, etc.
Monday
The ladies left the hotel at 6AM with Jerry from Tong's group. They will be making merit with monks, releasing fish back into the river (a different kind of making merit), and doing the normal Bangkok sightseeing including the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, solid Gold Buddha wat, JT House and tour, probably lunch at JT house restaurant-- a very good restaurant.
This will probably tire them out...
Dinner will either be at the hotel or maybe Harmonique across the river, one of our long term favorites for simple, but good thai food in a quirky venue.
I will update this if any interesting tidbits are revealed upon their return.
Tomorrow we fly to Hanoi, Vietnam midday.
Nov 26th, 2017, 10:54 PM
#43
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K was up at 5:30 today for true... I slept in until 9:15---just like home.
I wrote here, relaxed, showered and then needed lunch.
Went outtothenew mini-mall in front of the Anantara. WOW! What an improvement.
Totally different in every way. 3 floors of shops and restaurants. Some stalls in the middle, with way improved merchandise.
Restaurants: All the old chain restaurants from before.... lots of new modern places with an emphasis on Asian, esp. Japanese. Some thai.
I ate in a delicious sushi place called HIROSHIMA. 760B for a huge crunchy salmon cream roll. DELICIOUS. Small bowl of a sweet pudding gratis.
I walked each floor. No tailors that I saw, no big jewelry shops...haircutter, massage, huge Boots (cvs), more upscale clothing than before, bank with ATM,
About10 stories of the Avani Hotel above, incl a rooftop bar...
Overall a huge improvement..
I wrote here, relaxed, showered and then needed lunch.
Went outtothenew mini-mall in front of the Anantara. WOW! What an improvement.
Totally different in every way. 3 floors of shops and restaurants. Some stalls in the middle, with way improved merchandise.
Restaurants: All the old chain restaurants from before.... lots of new modern places with an emphasis on Asian, esp. Japanese. Some thai.
I ate in a delicious sushi place called HIROSHIMA. 760B for a huge crunchy salmon cream roll. DELICIOUS. Small bowl of a sweet pudding gratis.
I walked each floor. No tailors that I saw, no big jewelry shops...haircutter, massage, huge Boots (cvs), more upscale clothing than before, bank with ATM,
About10 stories of the Avani Hotel above, incl a rooftop bar...
Overall a huge improvement..
Nov 28th, 2017, 07:53 AM
#46
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We love Hanoi but, after several closely spaced trips, haven’t been back since 2011. so really looking forward to hearing your details.
Ah, memories. Had one of my best ever cooking classes and guided tour of a market there. So many glorious meals. So enjoyed the museums, especially the ethnography museum and the women’s museum. We got amazing deals when the Intercontinental first opened out on Westlake; I bet that that area is built up quite a bit now. Flooded with memories of our favorite city in Vietnam and eager to hear what you are enjoying!
Ah, memories. Had one of my best ever cooking classes and guided tour of a market there. So many glorious meals. So enjoyed the museums, especially the ethnography museum and the women’s museum. We got amazing deals when the Intercontinental first opened out on Westlake; I bet that that area is built up quite a bit now. Flooded with memories of our favorite city in Vietnam and eager to hear what you are enjoying!
Nov 28th, 2017, 04:11 PM
#47
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Way to busy to write more, but I will.
Upgraded to a fabulous suite at theJW Marriott, Hanoi.... bad part is that it is located 1/2 way to Saigon..... Willchange rooms later today. Club here is one of the best. We had cocktails and dinner there last night--great variety of western and Vietnamese foods.
Guide and van coming for us at 10 this AM.
Upgraded to a fabulous suite at theJW Marriott, Hanoi.... bad part is that it is located 1/2 way to Saigon..... Willchange rooms later today. Club here is one of the best. We had cocktails and dinner there last night--great variety of western and Vietnamese foods.
Guide and van coming for us at 10 this AM.
Nov 29th, 2017, 01:39 AM
#48
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So, the ladies were picked up by Jerry from Tong's group at 6AM. drove to an area to buy food to give to monks and then drove to an area along Sathorn Rd to make merit by giving the food to the monks. 50B for food.
Next stop was the place where you buy coffins for poor Thais. They pasted their donation slip on a coffin-- 500B-- cheap skates, imo.
Off to Wat Pho to see the giant reclining Buddha. B/V were amazed by it's size. Dropped coins in the boxes along the wall.
Took a ferry across the river to Wat Arun, The Temple of Dawn. Reservation is complete.
Next up was The Grand Palace. Things have changed. Parking is different since last visit. Security clearance is quite a ways from Palace entrance, maybe at least a 2 block walk in the heat. Overrun by horrible behaving (pushing, yelling, rude) Chinese tour groups... almost took the joy out of the place...
Took ferry back across the river to where the car was.
Drove to the Jim Thompson House for the tour and lunch.
Drove to a new Wat just south of the Anantara to make merit again by releasing fish into the river.
3500B for the day's tour.
Quick swim and then repacking for our trip to Vietnam. Leaving a few suitcases at the Anantara.
Dinner in the Brio Italian Restaurant at the hotel.
I spent the whole day lazing around and did a tour of the new mini mall and had sushi for lunch--yum...
Next stop was the place where you buy coffins for poor Thais. They pasted their donation slip on a coffin-- 500B-- cheap skates, imo.
Off to Wat Pho to see the giant reclining Buddha. B/V were amazed by it's size. Dropped coins in the boxes along the wall.
Took a ferry across the river to Wat Arun, The Temple of Dawn. Reservation is complete.
Next up was The Grand Palace. Things have changed. Parking is different since last visit. Security clearance is quite a ways from Palace entrance, maybe at least a 2 block walk in the heat. Overrun by horrible behaving (pushing, yelling, rude) Chinese tour groups... almost took the joy out of the place...
Took ferry back across the river to where the car was.
Drove to the Jim Thompson House for the tour and lunch.
Drove to a new Wat just south of the Anantara to make merit again by releasing fish into the river.
3500B for the day's tour.
Quick swim and then repacking for our trip to Vietnam. Leaving a few suitcases at the Anantara.
Dinner in the Brio Italian Restaurant at the hotel.
I spent the whole day lazing around and did a tour of the new mini mall and had sushi for lunch--yum...
Nov 29th, 2017, 01:59 AM
#49
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Went downstairs to UNO restaurant where we all had a nice western style breakfast--my eggs been with ham was delicious...
Van came for us at 10, easy ride to airport and no wait at Qatar for check-in.
B has decided that along with me that having an airport supplied wheelchair is heaven--how do you say head of all lines.
Plane was quickly loaded so pilot left the dock 20 minutes early. We each had an empty seat between us. 1.5 hour flight, sandwich and cupcake served for lunch. Yummy.
We all had processed visas on arrival on line--$18 each. Our wheelchairs again got us head of the line for processing the visa ($25 fee each). Wheeled outside to our waiting van. Large van with a genial driver with no English.
Trip to town was a nightmare, but interesting for B/P. Huge amount of pollution. Motorbikes driving fast along sidewalks to try to beat traffic--chaos really. Tons of motorbikes, some bicycles, many trucks, busses, vans and car--a free-for-all.
Arrived at JW Marriott, Hanoi, a dramatic space ship looking building perched atop a small hill overlooking a lake. Trip 1-1.5 hours.
Tonkin Travel, Hanoi is providing all our transportation each day with a driver and guide---very, very reasonable--- about $350 total for 5 days.
Greeted like celebrities. Taken to club lounge to checkin.
K & I were upgraded to a multi-room suite. Very very nice. Girls had a nice room.
We enjoyed cocktails and nibbles in the club and stayed on for heartier foods for supper. All very good.
Beds were exceptionally comfortable.
Van came for us at 10, easy ride to airport and no wait at Qatar for check-in.
B has decided that along with me that having an airport supplied wheelchair is heaven--how do you say head of all lines.
Plane was quickly loaded so pilot left the dock 20 minutes early. We each had an empty seat between us. 1.5 hour flight, sandwich and cupcake served for lunch. Yummy.
We all had processed visas on arrival on line--$18 each. Our wheelchairs again got us head of the line for processing the visa ($25 fee each). Wheeled outside to our waiting van. Large van with a genial driver with no English.
Trip to town was a nightmare, but interesting for B/P. Huge amount of pollution. Motorbikes driving fast along sidewalks to try to beat traffic--chaos really. Tons of motorbikes, some bicycles, many trucks, busses, vans and car--a free-for-all.
Arrived at JW Marriott, Hanoi, a dramatic space ship looking building perched atop a small hill overlooking a lake. Trip 1-1.5 hours.
Tonkin Travel, Hanoi is providing all our transportation each day with a driver and guide---very, very reasonable--- about $350 total for 5 days.
Greeted like celebrities. Taken to club lounge to checkin.
K & I were upgraded to a multi-room suite. Very very nice. Girls had a nice room.
We enjoyed cocktails and nibbles in the club and stayed on for heartier foods for supper. All very good.
Beds were exceptionally comfortable.
Nov 29th, 2017, 05:48 AM
#50
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I was very unhappy with the extreme walk to our suite, so I asked them if another suite, nearer to the elevator might be available. Today we were transferred to a much smaller, but still decent suite only 2-3 rooms from the elevators. I am very pleased with their flexibility.
Nov 30th, 2017, 02:15 AM
#54
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Wednesday
Breakfast in club: eggs toorder, cheese, bacon, cold cuts, dim sum, Pho, toast and breads, pastries as the French do, etc...
Driver and guide (Dong) came at 10. First up was a ride thru the city to the Temple of Literature where Dong explained it all to the girls (I stayed in van). Next we visited Craft Link, their old store next to Temple. Bags were filled with all kinds of fair trade items.
Next was lunch a few doors down at Koto Training School Restaurant. Delicious Vietnamese foods and European desserts.
Back up the block a couple of doors to the new Craft Link store specializing in home goods. More lovely purchases, all very reasonable.
We were all quite tired at this point so we headed to the central square (where Uncle Ho's tomb is--- quick walk around as tomb is closed while Ho gets his annual face lift.
Back to the hotel and upto the club for tea and goodies. Drinks and supper in the club after 6.
We changed our room to a smaller suite nearer to the elevator.
Thursday
Breakfast in club at 9... Van pickup at 10.
Headed into town through the diplomatic area, past the central square and stoped in an area close to the old"highway" where we each climbed into our own cyclo (rickshaw by bicycle). We proceed to make a tour all around the lake and old quarter, past shops, restaurants, markets, unrefridgerated meats being cut on the street, huge unrulely traffic. We stopped by the lake to look at the famous red bridge. The cyclos dropped us off at the Ngon Restaurant where we had a very delicious meal.
Next up was a visit to the Hanoi Hilton Museum. B/P were amazed.
Finally back around the lake once more where the ladies crossed the red bridge and visited the temple on the island and the pagoda.
Tired once again we returned to the hotel for tea in the club.
Heading upstairs now for drinks and supper.
WE ARE ALL HAVING A BLAST...
Breakfast in club: eggs toorder, cheese, bacon, cold cuts, dim sum, Pho, toast and breads, pastries as the French do, etc...
Driver and guide (Dong) came at 10. First up was a ride thru the city to the Temple of Literature where Dong explained it all to the girls (I stayed in van). Next we visited Craft Link, their old store next to Temple. Bags were filled with all kinds of fair trade items.
Next was lunch a few doors down at Koto Training School Restaurant. Delicious Vietnamese foods and European desserts.
Back up the block a couple of doors to the new Craft Link store specializing in home goods. More lovely purchases, all very reasonable.
We were all quite tired at this point so we headed to the central square (where Uncle Ho's tomb is--- quick walk around as tomb is closed while Ho gets his annual face lift.
Back to the hotel and upto the club for tea and goodies. Drinks and supper in the club after 6.
We changed our room to a smaller suite nearer to the elevator.
Thursday
Breakfast in club at 9... Van pickup at 10.
Headed into town through the diplomatic area, past the central square and stoped in an area close to the old"highway" where we each climbed into our own cyclo (rickshaw by bicycle). We proceed to make a tour all around the lake and old quarter, past shops, restaurants, markets, unrefridgerated meats being cut on the street, huge unrulely traffic. We stopped by the lake to look at the famous red bridge. The cyclos dropped us off at the Ngon Restaurant where we had a very delicious meal.
Next up was a visit to the Hanoi Hilton Museum. B/P were amazed.
Finally back around the lake once more where the ladies crossed the red bridge and visited the temple on the island and the pagoda.
Tired once again we returned to the hotel for tea in the club.
Heading upstairs now for drinks and supper.
WE ARE ALL HAVING A BLAST...
Dec 1st, 2017, 09:31 AM
#58
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I have been enjoying following along in imagination to so many places in Hanoi-- Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem and the temple on the island, Ho's tomb, KOTO, Craftslink, the "Hanoi Hilton" museum, the blooming buzzing old guild quarter, etc. Happy to hear that the worthy KOTO is still there not to mention that Bac Ho still gets his routine bodywork. I will never quite get over the surprise at learning that the estimable Ho Chi Minh spent time as a pastry chef here in Boston at the iconic Parker House, but I digress.
Greatly looking forward to the report from Phu Quoc.
Greatly looking forward to the report from Phu Quoc.
Dec 1st, 2017, 05:24 PM
#59
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We leave for Bangkok in 6 weeks and I must admit I am fascinated by the shopping descriptions, I usually only buy a few things, mostly small. But I am intrigued by the idea of buying something with a sapphire. Would it be too personal to ask what the price ranges are? can one buy something for a few 100 $ or am I out of my league here. Thanks
