SE Asia--Part 2
Mar 15th, 2008, 01:15 PM
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SE Asia--Part 2
I previously stopped as we were leaving Saigon to go to Bangkok.
We made arrangements with Tan to show us Bangkok. As I have already told you, she is outstanding and suggest you contact her at [email protected]. Ask her about her web site also. That site is what made me select her to show us around.
She had told me that she could not show us around on our first day in the city as she was with another client. She did, however, send a schedule of three palces we should visit on our own as a guide was not really needed. She even gave us transportation and eating information. Day one went off without a hitch.
She met us on day two and we spent the next 3 1/2 days with her. Of course we saw Bangkok and went out of the city on two days. One day we went to the railway market at Samut Songkhram, see NY Times 1-6-08, then to the floating market, Damnoen Saduak.
Another day we went to the Summer Palace, Bang Pa-In and the ancient city of Ayuthaya. The ruins here brought to mind the Roman Forumn. It is a wonderful place to see.
On this day we met a group of school children on a school trip. Their teacher told them if they could meet people from other countries and get their autograph they would receive extra credit on for the day. My wife and I were like rock stars signing our name and country on their papers and books. What fun.
We stayed at the Peninsula hotel on the river which is a true 5 star hotel. Upon arrival we were told that a non smoking room was not available, they were sorry, but they would have to upgrade us to a balcony room. They asked if this was acceptable. There are only two balcony rooms on each floor. Needless to say, this was fine with us.
We ate at a few very good restaurants. First night in Bangkok we did the Loy Nava dinner cruise. It was nice and we got a chance to see the lights of the city as we cruised on the water. Food and service were good and they had several dancers performing thoughout the cruise. The meal cost 2200 Baht.
We also ate at several places within walking distance of the hotel. Yuk Yur, on the river, was very good. Dinner was $44. Yuk Yur, for a fee, will even pick you up and drop you off at your hotel with their own boat.
Another evening we visited Harmonique, No 22 Charoenkrung 34. This was a little hard to find. The food and service was good and dinner cost $22.
We also ate at Silom Village Seafood Restaurant on Silom Road. Dinner was good, cost was $22.
In each of these places the waitstaff did not speak very good English, however, there were other staff menbers who spoke English and helped us order. Also each od these place were open air to some degree which was fine as the weather was wonderful.
I will return later to complete my trip report.
We made arrangements with Tan to show us Bangkok. As I have already told you, she is outstanding and suggest you contact her at [email protected]. Ask her about her web site also. That site is what made me select her to show us around.
She had told me that she could not show us around on our first day in the city as she was with another client. She did, however, send a schedule of three palces we should visit on our own as a guide was not really needed. She even gave us transportation and eating information. Day one went off without a hitch.
She met us on day two and we spent the next 3 1/2 days with her. Of course we saw Bangkok and went out of the city on two days. One day we went to the railway market at Samut Songkhram, see NY Times 1-6-08, then to the floating market, Damnoen Saduak.
Another day we went to the Summer Palace, Bang Pa-In and the ancient city of Ayuthaya. The ruins here brought to mind the Roman Forumn. It is a wonderful place to see.
On this day we met a group of school children on a school trip. Their teacher told them if they could meet people from other countries and get their autograph they would receive extra credit on for the day. My wife and I were like rock stars signing our name and country on their papers and books. What fun.
We stayed at the Peninsula hotel on the river which is a true 5 star hotel. Upon arrival we were told that a non smoking room was not available, they were sorry, but they would have to upgrade us to a balcony room. They asked if this was acceptable. There are only two balcony rooms on each floor. Needless to say, this was fine with us.
We ate at a few very good restaurants. First night in Bangkok we did the Loy Nava dinner cruise. It was nice and we got a chance to see the lights of the city as we cruised on the water. Food and service were good and they had several dancers performing thoughout the cruise. The meal cost 2200 Baht.
We also ate at several places within walking distance of the hotel. Yuk Yur, on the river, was very good. Dinner was $44. Yuk Yur, for a fee, will even pick you up and drop you off at your hotel with their own boat.
Another evening we visited Harmonique, No 22 Charoenkrung 34. This was a little hard to find. The food and service was good and dinner cost $22.
We also ate at Silom Village Seafood Restaurant on Silom Road. Dinner was good, cost was $22.
In each of these places the waitstaff did not speak very good English, however, there were other staff menbers who spoke English and helped us order. Also each od these place were open air to some degree which was fine as the weather was wonderful.
I will return later to complete my trip report.
.
Mar 15th, 2008, 05:05 PM
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Ken-either you had a typo or a pun. Either way it's very amusing.
Bob, keep up with me? Not on his best and my worst day.
Back to MS telling us more about the railway market and other treasures of the C of A.
Bob, keep up with me? Not on his best and my worst day.
Back to MS telling us more about the railway market and other treasures of the C of A.
Mar 18th, 2008, 01:01 PM
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Before moving on to the next portion of our SE Asia trip let me respond to Grandpa regarding the the railroad market in Samut Songkhram. This small city is, if I remember correctly, about 62 kg from Bangkok. This town has one of the most interesting fresh markets in the country. A significant part of the market is located directly on the city's railroad tracks. When the train runs through, as it does several times a day, everybody picks up and moves to allow it to pass, then immediately gets back down to the important task of selling.
The area receives a warning as the train approaches and awnings come down, stalls are moved back from the trach and goods are rested directly on the ground for the wide train cars to pass directly over without damage to anything. After the train passes everything is returned to the track area until the next trains comes along. This moving process takes only minutes. What fun.
Do a search "Samut Songkhram railroad Market" for additional info and pictures.
Now back to our trip. From Bangkok we flew to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to visit the temples at Angkor Wat. We spent three days here and I must tell you Siem Reap was the highlight of our trip. We stayed at Victoria Angkor Hotel Resort & Spa which is a lovely hotel. Our room overlooked the pool and garden area, and we would reccommend staying here.
Our guide was John Teng, [email protected]. He did everything possible to make our stay interesting and enjoyable. He helped find a pharmacy, bakery/snack shop, market, internet cafe and restaurants. John is the man in Siem Reap.
We not only visited the temples but went to Tonle Sap Lake and the floating villages.
We experienced temples dating back over 1100 years. The largest and most dramatic temple is Angkor Wat which must be seen to be appreciated. We have been to Egypt, China and Europe and this is, in our opinion, one of the most unbelievable man made sites that we have seen.
Twice we ate dinner in the hotel restaurant which was very good. Also Cafe Indochine and the Soup Dragon were, although different, very good. The Blue Pumpkin is a nice bakery/snack shop/light meal type place. Internet cafes are all over town for a low as $.25 per hour. USD are accepted everywhere and ATM's dispense USD. Change is give back in local currency. Because of the large numbers of tourist visiting Siem Reap, approximately 120 large, full service hotels have been buit since 2003.
Another thing about Cambodia that made the trip easier is the method they use to issue Visas. It was done completely on line from form and photo submission plus payment using PayPal. Within 24 hours we had our Visa in hand as it was sent on the internet. TIP, if you get your visa prior to arrival you can bypass the long lines of tourists who wait to obtain them after getting off the plane
Next we flew to Hong Kong where we spent six night at the Shangri-La Hotel, Kowloon. We stayed there last May and like the hotel and the area where it is located. We are physically fit so we walked all over Kowloon using the underground and HK Island using the flyovers. I must tell you that we were in HK during the Chineese New Year celebration and my wife suggested that maybe next year we should return. We saw the Night Parade on New Years day and the gigantic fireworks display on the harbor the following night. Of course, the 8 pm laser show happens every night.
We visited things that we did not see on our last visit including Mid Levels which we loved. Since it was New Years many shops were closed for the holiday but we still enjoyed ourselves. The very small noodle shop we found "up the street and around the block" was wonderful on the cold damp day that we had lunch there.
One day we took the ferry to Lantau Island. We then took a city bus to visit Tai O and the Po Lin Monastery returning to the island using the 360. This route was recommended by our well known Hong Kong travel maven, RKKWAN.
Another day we took the ferry to Macau. Not to gamble but to see the sites. The Museu De Macau is a must see. We expected a small Portuguese fishing village like Lisbon or some of the islands in the Atlantic. Not the case. Remember, it was the Chineese New Year and was very crowded with holiday travelers and gamblers. There is also to much to see in one day under normal conditioners. Another RKKWAN tip, take the free hotel shuttle bus from the ferry dock to the hotel. Saves taxi fare. Then do your site seeing. We went to the Wynn, used the rest rooms and off we went. (Nice bathrooms, Steve.)
We like to eat where the locals eat, we can see the tourists at home. We ate in Kowloon at Hing Fat on Ashley Road behind the Salisbury YMCA and at the Thailand & Vietnam Spice Garden, in the same area. Both are small local noodle shop type places. We like Sticky Fingers, a pub like restaurant & bar, on Moody Road, a block from the Shangri-La. We also found an outstanding Indian restaurant, Saffron, which is in the building next the the Shangri-La. It is on the second floor over the 7-11 store. This is one of the best Indian restaurants we have ever eaten at.
Traveling from the airport in Hong Kong we like to use the train and free shuttle bus to our hotel. If the free shuttle does not go to your hotel you can catch a taxi from the train station. Go to www.mtr.com.hk for details. Also, we check our bags at the train station and go to the airport without them. We then proceed directly to the gate for your flight.
Another tip. We flew from Hanoi to Bangkok to Siem Reap on Bangkok Airways using a special pass they offer. Sorry, I forgot what they call it, but it allows three international flights at reduced compared to three seperate tickets. Call the airlines for further details.
The area receives a warning as the train approaches and awnings come down, stalls are moved back from the trach and goods are rested directly on the ground for the wide train cars to pass directly over without damage to anything. After the train passes everything is returned to the track area until the next trains comes along. This moving process takes only minutes. What fun.
Do a search "Samut Songkhram railroad Market" for additional info and pictures.
Now back to our trip. From Bangkok we flew to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to visit the temples at Angkor Wat. We spent three days here and I must tell you Siem Reap was the highlight of our trip. We stayed at Victoria Angkor Hotel Resort & Spa which is a lovely hotel. Our room overlooked the pool and garden area, and we would reccommend staying here.
Our guide was John Teng, [email protected]. He did everything possible to make our stay interesting and enjoyable. He helped find a pharmacy, bakery/snack shop, market, internet cafe and restaurants. John is the man in Siem Reap.
We not only visited the temples but went to Tonle Sap Lake and the floating villages.
We experienced temples dating back over 1100 years. The largest and most dramatic temple is Angkor Wat which must be seen to be appreciated. We have been to Egypt, China and Europe and this is, in our opinion, one of the most unbelievable man made sites that we have seen.
Twice we ate dinner in the hotel restaurant which was very good. Also Cafe Indochine and the Soup Dragon were, although different, very good. The Blue Pumpkin is a nice bakery/snack shop/light meal type place. Internet cafes are all over town for a low as $.25 per hour. USD are accepted everywhere and ATM's dispense USD. Change is give back in local currency. Because of the large numbers of tourist visiting Siem Reap, approximately 120 large, full service hotels have been buit since 2003.
Another thing about Cambodia that made the trip easier is the method they use to issue Visas. It was done completely on line from form and photo submission plus payment using PayPal. Within 24 hours we had our Visa in hand as it was sent on the internet. TIP, if you get your visa prior to arrival you can bypass the long lines of tourists who wait to obtain them after getting off the plane
Next we flew to Hong Kong where we spent six night at the Shangri-La Hotel, Kowloon. We stayed there last May and like the hotel and the area where it is located. We are physically fit so we walked all over Kowloon using the underground and HK Island using the flyovers. I must tell you that we were in HK during the Chineese New Year celebration and my wife suggested that maybe next year we should return. We saw the Night Parade on New Years day and the gigantic fireworks display on the harbor the following night. Of course, the 8 pm laser show happens every night.
We visited things that we did not see on our last visit including Mid Levels which we loved. Since it was New Years many shops were closed for the holiday but we still enjoyed ourselves. The very small noodle shop we found "up the street and around the block" was wonderful on the cold damp day that we had lunch there.
One day we took the ferry to Lantau Island. We then took a city bus to visit Tai O and the Po Lin Monastery returning to the island using the 360. This route was recommended by our well known Hong Kong travel maven, RKKWAN.
Another day we took the ferry to Macau. Not to gamble but to see the sites. The Museu De Macau is a must see. We expected a small Portuguese fishing village like Lisbon or some of the islands in the Atlantic. Not the case. Remember, it was the Chineese New Year and was very crowded with holiday travelers and gamblers. There is also to much to see in one day under normal conditioners. Another RKKWAN tip, take the free hotel shuttle bus from the ferry dock to the hotel. Saves taxi fare. Then do your site seeing. We went to the Wynn, used the rest rooms and off we went. (Nice bathrooms, Steve.)
We like to eat where the locals eat, we can see the tourists at home. We ate in Kowloon at Hing Fat on Ashley Road behind the Salisbury YMCA and at the Thailand & Vietnam Spice Garden, in the same area. Both are small local noodle shop type places. We like Sticky Fingers, a pub like restaurant & bar, on Moody Road, a block from the Shangri-La. We also found an outstanding Indian restaurant, Saffron, which is in the building next the the Shangri-La. It is on the second floor over the 7-11 store. This is one of the best Indian restaurants we have ever eaten at.
Traveling from the airport in Hong Kong we like to use the train and free shuttle bus to our hotel. If the free shuttle does not go to your hotel you can catch a taxi from the train station. Go to www.mtr.com.hk for details. Also, we check our bags at the train station and go to the airport without them. We then proceed directly to the gate for your flight.
Another tip. We flew from Hanoi to Bangkok to Siem Reap on Bangkok Airways using a special pass they offer. Sorry, I forgot what they call it, but it allows three international flights at reduced compared to three seperate tickets. Call the airlines for further details.
Mar 18th, 2008, 04:15 PM
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MSheinberg - I'm enjoying your trip report. Thanks for taking the time to share with us. I appreciate you including the details.
Andy,
Was that a Freudian slip with MS's posting???? Or can you find a way to blame it on Bob???
Andy,
Was that a Freudian slip with MS's posting???? Or can you find a way to blame it on Bob???
Mar 18th, 2008, 04:56 PM
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Wintersp-every now and then people mistake my gentle demeanor and generous outlook for that of a Grandpa. Little do they realize that in truth I am a ferocious Giant Panda, shortened to gpanda. It's an easy error to make.
