Bob, after so many trips to BKK, what sort of gifts do you now bring home? Just curious. You mentioned childrens clothing for the grandchildren. What for adults and others?
Carol

(must try tongue thai on my next trip!)

Bob, Does Jack do women's as well as men's clothes? If not, would you recommend somebody who does both? Thanks.

I can hardly wait for the next chapter...
How about a ranking of Bangkok restaurants by area?

aloha Bob....
i hate to jump ahead of your travelogue
but we are trying to decide where to stay in luang prabang in october. 3-4 nites, hopefully in town with a pool
but under $75 a nite if possible.

also, we want to go see the irrawady dolphins and 4000 islands. did you do this???

i semi patiently await you response.
thanks again

SAounds great so far Bob! Cant wait to hear about Barali!!!!!!!!
CCC, my wife had some stuff made by jack last november.

dive--i know nothing of the dolphins or the islands you mention...
$75 in LP is probably stingy for a top quality place...i would go for 3 nites only....we did not do the caves or the waterfalls and were there 4 nites which was too much...watch my report about caves, etc...

craig...will rate restaurants at a later date...too time consumming at this time--my report waits...

ccc: jack does womens clothes as well as mans...my wife has had a jacket made by him as well as tailored shirts...he will do other things as well...for silk and cotton we prefer: js thai silk at river city shopping center and cotton house in oriental place...

carol---for adults we purchased a few things this trip: father in law--jack made him a robe and 2 JT shirts from the outlet; stainless steel items from 5th element (watch for my report--near the end of my report); from gifted hands karen purchased lapel pins and speciality pins made of beads and silver (on next street to soi 23 in back of rasi sayan)--this is a great shop/house for you to visit carol---right up your alley....;stamps for a friend; silk scarfs; jewerly, ties....and other things i cannot think of right now

Tuesday---up at a more reasonable hour...at breakfast, we ran into a german woman whom we had met the day before at river city and asked her to join us for breakfast....it was an interesting meal.... mostly we talked about shopping...

for about an hour, after breakfast, we were at the pool...then a bit of repacking as we were leaving most of our luggage at the marriott while we went of to Laos for 4 days the next day....

we took a taxi to jim thompson's main store on suriwong rd...we checked out each floor including the decorating areas. we planned to have lunch at the cafe on the 2nd floor which is always excellent, as are all the JT restaurants around town... karen had spagetti with chopped onions, olives, bacon (ham), parma cheese and olive oil...i had the same....we sharred a banana/apricot tart for dessert and had 2 waters...400 B...cheap and good...
as we left the restaurant, the electricity went out...it was on again in a minute....a few minutes later it went out again...no emergency lites...it came on in a couple of minutes...candles and battery lamps appeared around on the sales floor...it was very eery...we thought a perfect set up for a robbery...

from there we took a taxi to soi 4, sukhumvit to do internet and to stop by our jewerler with any results of e mails we had sent home about jewerly...

i see that i neglected to mention that on saturday we had made a stop at the jewerler. this is the Thai Stone Jewerly Co in the lobby of the very grotty Nana Hotel on soi 4, Sukhumvit Rd...we have been dealing with this family run company for 10 years and really like the service and products we purchase from them....we do mostly custom work with them as well as repairs....both are very reasonable...we traditionally deal with Amporn (porn) but the last two years have spent quite a bit of time with Mr Lee as well...they are very accomodating...they have a small amount of ready made items available and deal in loose stones as well as custom made jewerly....they have another shop at the weekend market...
we had left several things to be repaired, for us and for friends, and had gotten quotes on a few new things for one daughter and some of her friends, and for one co-worker of karen's..
in any case we did receive some responses on the internet so we were able to give the go ahead for the work to be done...
i decided to order a braclet for karen for an early xmas gift, if she wanted it: garnets (her birth stone) and small diamonds set in yellow gold--sort of a tennis braclet type item...

while packing that AM i had discovered that we had forgotten at home the passport pictures we had made, so after the jewerler we went across the street to a camera shop i know of and had new pics taken, as we would need them the next day entering laos for our visa...--about $4 each

from there we took a taxi, but not without difficulty, to peninsula plaza next to the four seasons...i say "not without trouble" because it is difficult to get a taxi to use a meter in this neighborhood as they are so used to dealing with the foreign guys who hang around with the thai girls and who agree to pay a flat fee for their rides...i think it took 3 tries and then we walked over to the jw marriott and got a taxi from there...

the reason to go to this very upscale plaza was to visit the prasart shop on the 2nd or 3rd floor...i needed to get a map for driving instructions for our driver a week or so later when we would be visiting the private Prasart Museum, outside of bkk...

rush hour and a long taxi ride back to the marriott along silom road---terrible traffic most of the time at its lower end...long bkk traffic lites...sometimes as long as 5 minutes...

i went out of the hotel to a local laundry shop which we like and to do some more internet...just to the right of the marriott and about 2 blocks away is a small internet shop...they charge 25 B per hour and the computers are quite fast....the hotel charges 195 B for 15 minutes and their computers are not all that great...karen stayed in the room and did the final repacking and she took a white shirt to the marriott laundry in the basement of the mini mall garage...this laundry outlet is run by the hotel and is at least 50% cheaper than having laundry done from your room--next day service..
we met at 6:30 at jack's for another fitting...

jack had been married last fall...we had sent him a small gift...he wanted us to see his wedding pictures which were contained on a cd or two....it took quite a while...the wedding took 2 or 3 days i believe...imagine how many pics that is....??

it had now started to rain and it was too late to go out anyplace for dinner so we decided just to have dinner in the uno restaurant/bakery on the ground floor...we each had a marriott burger and fries and we took 2 desserts to the room from the bakery..

wednesday was moving day...we were heading to Luang Prabang, Laos on a bangkok airways fligt which i had arranged months ago from home....i contacted bkk air via telephone and purchased the required 3 legs of air travel for the discovery air pass...domestic legs are $50 and some international legs are $80 which included LP....this was about a 40-50% savings...

we were up early and down to breakfast as AAC limo was coming by for us at 9..it took 50 minutes to get to the airport from the marriott with two substantial traffic jams...not bad...

we utizled the bkk air mini lounge in the international area of termonal 2 to wait for our flight...they offer small snacks and free internet...

the flight from the bus gate was about 1.5 hours to LP...it was prop service...the LP airport is one short runway with a compact building...the plane takes the whole runway to land.. we were the only plane there at arrival so things moved quite quickly...

we were to do visa on arrival...stand in one line, then stand in the next line and pay $30 US cash each..10 minutes at the most and we were 2rd in line...there was lots of paper work and tons of rubber stamping... there were some computers...

i had arranged a hotel pick-up for an additional $6 per person...we were booked at the Pansea Hotel, now called La Residence Phou Vao...the hotel is located on the edge of the town, about a 7 minute ride into the center and a 10-15 minute ride from the airport...it is on a small hill overlooking some of the valley...the hotel is very pleasant and the #1 hotel in town...there are only 34 rooms and 2 suites...it is a quality operation...the grounds are well tended and quite large...there are only 2 hotels with pools in town and this is one of them....we find a pool necessary in SE Asia...

we were assigned room 101 which is right next to the pool and across from the main building...we were very pleased with this convenient room...

the room is very large and has all shiny hardwood teak flooring....there is a huge bathroom which is an L off of the main room...there is a toilet room as well...there are two balconies overlooking the valley...the bed is king and has a huge mosquito net over it....LP is a malaria prone area so one must be careful...

we had a quick snickers bar for a late lunch and then out to the pool to cool off....it seems hoter here than in bkk...

about 4 PM we took the hotel van into town...this is complimentary at any time during the day on request and by a schedule after 5:30 PM...it takes you to the post office...

karen's record says i was complaining about it being hot--"a real PIA"...no place to sit either...

no store had a/c either for relief, save one...

we decided that we would stay in town now and have an early dinner...we walked the main street, aka "farang way"...the street was starting to close down to traffic as after 5 it becomes a night market with the locals selling their wares...handi crafts, silk item and cotton hand work from blankets placed on the street and sidewalk...they have make shift lighting....

we stopped at the villa santi hotel for a cool beer in their inner court yard...we were seeking out a dinner place...most were of the back packing group fare...we knew that L'elephant was the #1 place so when we saw an attractive two story house with the name elephant on it we decided to eat there even after passing up the 3 naggas...almost every thing that we ordered was not available...what's the problem...staff spent more time fixing lite fixtures than they did serving the customers....we saw a menu notice that mentioned their moving recently???
the meal was not memorable...the restaurant name is three elephants, not L'Elephant...we were to later learn that this take-off name is causing some problems in town... the meal was only $12 however...

mostly american cash is used in LP for your transactions, although you get change in KIP (about 10,000 to the $1 US) and you can use kip as well...the drivers (taxi/songren--modified motor bikes with a pick-up truck back area with benches for riders) quote you in dollars but want to be paid in KIP...

after the meal, we walked the total length of the night market---several blocks...we thought that the items looked very repetitive...not a lot that we were interested in....one young couple was buying a large (double bed size) hand sewn comforter cover---very nice for $22...

both sides of this main street have shops, travel agents and restaurants for maybe 4 blocks or so...an occasional hotel is thrown in...not too impressive on first look...

as we were too early for the shuttle we decided to hire a ride for $1 each back to the hotel...rides are quoted per person usually...

we climbed into bed and figured out how the net worked...the staff had done turn-down service so it was nicely fixed but we had to decide how to climb in and not disturb things too much....i did not really like sleeping in the net...a good nites sleep was in store...

more tomorrow...

Bob, Eric and I made the same mistake with L'Elephant vs. Three Elephants! It was not our favorite meal either. Looking forward to the next installment.

Bob-- how do you keep such detailed notes? Do you write things out every night, dictate into something? I'd love to be able to do such detail on my next trip.

I loved (and can relate to) the part about Thais rubbing your belly.

As another Western man of size, I was taken back a bit the first couple of times that a Thai man or woman would just come up to me an rub my belly, always smiling. I was thinking of charging 20 baht for the privilege...

Keep it coming, Bob. This is great reading with my morning coffee. Makes me soooooo want to get on a plane and go back right now!
Carol

I have printed this thread out and will read it on my bus ride home tonight.

gloria---karen takes a bound notebook with her....she writes each nite in it so as to not forget anything....we find it very valuable as a tool for remembering just what we did as well as where we went, exact names, costs, etc....we often refer back to it...i now use it to assist with my fodors posts as well...its easy to do and helps you focus on the day just completed as well...

Sorry to jump in here, but I also keep travel records as I sometimes will write newspaper articles on my travels.

I write in a travel journal on every trip. I buy small lined notebooks (not spiral) of about 70pp that will fit in the outside pocket of my purse so they are always handy. I keep a pen clipped inside the pages. That way I can easily write down menu items and prices at restaurants.

I also sketch room plans from hotels and keep track of favorite room numbers, etc. I keep details of flights and itineraries. I also write down weather details everyday and also all meals eaten and where.

I have friends who like to read my travel journals as they find them to be informative. I have very specific ways of "doing" the pages, always using the right side for my "diary" and the left side for the other info. If we meet in BOS sometime, I'll try to remember to bring along several of my journals, in case anyone would like to see how I keep my records. They are absolutely invaluable at later times when I need to reread something about a hotel or restaurant or tourist site.

Carol

THURSDAY--MAY 26..
up and out of the room for breakfast...i should note here that we arranged for this room at the pansea through chip cooper ([email protected])...he is NY based and very knowledgeable about asia and other places....we paid $109 per nite all inclusive including breakfast...the hotel had quoted me $130++...

breakfast is served in the main dining area which is an open air restaurant in the main building overlooking the swimming pool....there is a small menu from which you choose your breakfast...very adequate and very delicious---all western style...the pastry was fresh which is not always the case in asia...the fruit was particularily nice...

after our breakfast we just lazed around reading and planning what we would want to do in LP...we took a swim in the infinity pool for about an hour...the sun is very hot...the plantings around the pool area are lovely and it was very quiet...the staff are doing maintenance on the property as this is the low season...lots of painting, etc, but it did not interfere with us at all....it was like being at a private resort as we were the only people around...

this is really a very nice hotel...the best in LP by the way...we did view 3 others for comparison...there are only 36 rooms and a staff of over 90...
there is a new general manager who with his wife and small child live on the property...they are very young...

we had lunch in the dining room... during lunch a huge thunder and lightning storm came through the valley...the pool boys scampered to pick up things and secure the umbrellas, etc...
two ladied came into the dining room for lunch near the end of our lunch...they were speaking english so we engaged them in conversation...it turns out that they are sisters and that one of them has lived in Laos for 8 years, after nearly 25 years in Hong Kong...they are canadians...the sister was visiting from toronto...she had won a first class ticket on thai air during her visit in january, so decided to use it up soon...
the laos based sister owns perhaps the best shop in LP and also one in Vientiane...it is called Caruso Lao Home Craft and is located on "farang way" in LP and on FA Ngum Rd #008 in Vientiane...she designs everything in the shop and has artisans who produce the products for her....she has several satilite shops around LP in restaurants and hotels, including the shop at the pansea...coincidently we had been in her shop the nite before as we walked around LP to get aquainted...she invited us to return and see the 2nd level which we had not seen the nite before...she gave us lots of pointers on LP including a restaurant review and told us about the elephant restaurant name controversy...strangely we had read an article about her and her shop someplace in the last 6 months...we could not remember where, and then we remembered that it was on a british airways flight in december that we had read the article in one of their magazines...small world...

her shop is filled with hand crafted furniture, accessories and silk items, silver, plus the most beautiful wooden items we have ever seen---more later...she has things redi-made or will custom make things for you....her bedspreads are magnificent..she is well versed in shipping...

after lunch the skys cleared and we took the shuttle into town (large van with a/c)...we visited Wat Mae and admired its splendor...

historical note....LP was the capital of laos until 1975 when the king was moved from there to a re-education camp, never to be heard from again...so the royal palace is still there in tact (although it had been ransacked) and open to the public as a museum (limited hours)...

after visiting the wat we ventured to the royal palace museum which is also on the main street...we were too late as it closes at 4PM...another day...the grounds were open so we decided to walk around and check it out...it is not all that large but the grounds are being restorred after the place was ransacked during the 70's and 80's...we met two young americans guys who were spending their summer break from college in asia...we had seen tons of them around town the nite before and i was curious what they all were doing there....good drugs is my guess and cheap beer...these guys were very personal and we enjoyed spending a few minutes with them...we were to see them the next day around town as well..we were travelling at the high end of things and they at the opposite end...this nite they were staying in a guest house with a/c and TV which was a real treat for them....

on the grounds of the palace we encountered a man and his son who were chopping up coconuts---opening the shells of which there were hundreds from the trees on the palace grounds...the grass is not yet groomed but they are attempting to restore the place to its former self...the six car garage is in one section as are the two former shell gas pumps which looked strangely out of place...inside the garage is a C. 1960's white lincoln continental with the king's insignia on its door and a classic white ford edsel convertible....both need restoration, but you can just picture the king and queen travelling along farang way in the edsel--the king driving of course...such a picture...
we assume that they must have been gifts from the american gov't or individuals or corporations...we were not able to enter the garage but could see things easily through cracks in the metal doors...there was a sign saying admission was 1000K, but nothing was open nor was it the next day....the palace grounds stretch from farang way to the street on the mekong river, with direct access to the river...the former customs house is located there...

from the palace we made our way to the street that runs along the mekong river....basically there are 4 streets that run from one end of this peninsula to the other with a few cross streets...LP is at the confluence of two rivers and is basically on this peninsula...
i was looking for a laundry to take some clothes to...found a decent one in a guesthouse...cost 2800 kip for a big stack of laundry ($2.80)...very very cheap...
we stopped at one of the silver smiths in LP along this street and bought a pair of silver earings ($5) for karen and a lovely silver bowl for me with elephant designs and lots of tool work on it--$32.... did a little bargaining but they would not bend too much...

we hired a tuk/tuk laos style to take us back to the hotel....we had him stop along the way to buy beer for our fridge (i'm too cheap to pay the hotel price for the mini bar)--75 cents per Lao beer...we stocked up for the remaining days...
the tuk tuk was under powered plus it had a very heavy load in it (me) and was unable to make it up 1/3 of the hill to the hotel so we had to walk the remaining way...the machine was smoking and huffing and puffing...thought he might have burned out his clutch...he charged us $4 as we had asked him to drive us around the peninsula a bit so we could better understand the layout...

we took another swim... during the swim we met the new general manager who was quite congenial....his wife was in for a swim as well...it was just the 3 of us until the manager showed up...she pointed out a number of areas that needed attention by the staff...watering of shrubs, etc...

we took the shuttle into town about 7PM...we walked the full length of farang way through all the nite market "stalls"...we decided to visit the canadian woman's shop again (it is on the opposite side of the street from the villa santi hotel and back towards the palace about a block or two...this time we were not so tired and hot so really enjoyed what we saw...we spotted a few things that we might like, but decided to thing about one item in particular, so would return in a day or so before she left for a mini-break with her sister in hua hin, thailand...

we decided to eat at the 3 nagas restaurant...they have two restaurants which are across the street from each other....they also have a guest house which has been written about quite often on fodors...

we ate in the restaurant that specializes in european food....the french had a very heavy presence in laos for many years....

i had shrimp and karen had pork...we sharred water and karen had a glass of house wine...the bill was $22

we walked through town a bit more bought an ice cream as i remember, and then took a tuk tuk back to the hotel for $1 each...no problem getting up the hill this time...

we had mastered the net the nite before so now it was very easy...there were mosquitos around and we were very careful to keep doors closed and we were taking malerone as a preventative against contracting malaria....we took it for about 2/3's of our trip as there is also a problem in koh chang, thailand where we would later visit...

into our very comfy bed for a good nites' sleep...

Keep it comin'. As always, a comprehensive tale. However, I'm stuck by your endless affinity for swimming pools. I thought all of you surburbanites had pools and cabanas near the guest house.

we have a lawyer who advised me not to use the pool until i had a massage so we have had the guest house and the pool sealed off from use as we do not like massage and would consider it a bad oman to use it after receiving sage advice....or is that sage that you put in food???

I'm with Gloria..How do you keep such detailed information!! I always take a travel diary and write a brief note of what we did each day..I have ton's of diary's from each vacation we have ever taken and I don't think that all of them combined would add up to the first few days of your vacation..Needless to say, your report is very interesting and it sounds like you really do enjoy!! I will try and take more detailed notes on our next trip to India/Maldives coming up..I do know who I will ask for advice next time we do SE Asia...

Okay, here's the basis for these super reports. Bob staggers around interacting with anyone who will speak with him. Karen keeps a detailed diary, including costs, to minimze the downside of the litigation. Their attorneys have come to rely on her accuracy in the settlement negotiations. Any sceptics should recall the fact that he started this trip with a feigned back injury. Obviously, he hoodwinked Northwest into providing XXL wheelchairs and scurrying him through immigration and customs. One shudders at the thought of the numerous security violations. We've seen this trick in Cambridge and no longer fall for it. Sawadee Krup.