we are leaving for the airport right now!!!!! thanks agaion to everyone for your help on our second trip back! we are going to tour with tong and will let you know how it goes. cant wait to get out of the cold and snowy midwest!!!!!!!!!

You're lucky. I've still got a few days and don't get there till Thursday (not Friday as I said elsewhere). Absolutely horrible morning here but not a bad end to the day.

On another site, some Brits are going to Chicago on a pub crawl at the end of December. A rude awakening coming to them.

Tduo-have a great time. say hello to Tong from B eth and Andy and Bob and Karen. She's wonderful. Have a good flight.

Have a wonderful trip!

Travelduo or anyonelse for that matter! First trip with friends on Christmas day, looking forward to it. If you have not read Kathie's trip report, it's in the first 50msg on this topic, read it! There is also a great blog with photos, forgot the name, but its called "great blog...somthing" all about Bangkok and other Asian places. Staying at the millinium hilton bangkok, 123 Charoennakorn Rd Klongsan. Friend has a few free nights from business travel. We have decided to stay there all four nights instead of moving. The only problem, Bangkok vets can help me out here, is it seems to be on the "wrong side of the river" Not near a bridge or dock. The oposite side up a ways is the Grand Palace. Are there boats all over to take us to the other side? Any cool places near to eat authintic Thai food? I like fancy resturants, and street food just the same. We plan on traveling all over, and thanks to Kathie will visit the Grand Palace for sure! Thanks for any suggestions.

Arthistory, the Hilton is directly across the river from teh Sheraton, and they have a shuttle across teh river to River City and a SHuttle to the Skytrain. It's all very easy. If you want to ride with the locals, there are little foot ferries that take you across the river (about 5 baht) to a dock between teh Royal Orchid and River City. You can take the water taxi (from a dock on the "right" side of the river) to the stop for the Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha/Wat Po.

Harmonique is a great place nearby for Thai food, but it is closed for much of December. (I'm not sure when you are going...) GPanda likes Gallery Cafe, very close to the Sheraton, so a short walk for you after you cross the river. Their food is good, but they have been doing construction both times I visited... not very conducive to enjoying their food.

Kathie,
THanks for the fast response! You seem to be everywhere, are you a pro travel whiz or what! Thanks for the reasurance about the hotel, again looking at a map Bangkok is so overwhelming!

Have a great trip. Happy Travels!