Chilling out in Bangkok.

[moa999]

So happy to see you’re back travelling .

Absolutely.
Another great trip report in progress.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Yes, both of us are glad to be back in Bangkok.
It certainly has changed since our first visit in 1973,
And we enjoy the longer stay in an apartment.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Our grand-daughter is probably off to uni in Canberra next year, so I have started knitting some scarves for her. This first one is a colour changing huge ball of wool, so I am doing it in moss stitch. Who ever mixed the colours in the world was on something. !!

 

[drron]

So the breakfast spr ead at the MEA. Extensive but not all great quality. Start with the hot pastry type stuff. This has never varied, The sandwiches are ham and cheese, The jams and cereals have not changed either.






The fried fruits etc have changed occasionally.


Then the salads.




The mixed salads at the back change depending on what has been left over from the day before;
Then the yoghurts and stewed fruits.


Nice fruit with some daily changes.




The pastries change daily but always breads and croissants.


Congee and soup ingredients.


And for bowls of noodles.




And hot foods. Always a curry, steamed rice and a meat dish.


Eggs and bacon and most days sliced ham.




Veggies.


Then a place for pizza which disappears quickly but always a Japanese curry, a miso soup and another hot asian dish. often a Thai curry but today was a chicken tonkatsu. But no pictures of those. Next a vegetarian corner. # Indian dishes which have looked unappetising and 3 Thai dishes -fried rice, a noodle dish and stir fried vegetable.




Various pickles and Kimchee.

 

[drron]

So after breakfast we caught the shuttle up to the station and looked around the Emporium.








Then we went over to the Em Quartier and had lunch at our favourite Thai Restaurants -Nara. Mrsdrron loves their pomelo salad and I went with a pork eggplant and chilli dish Very spicy but nice.




Now it was after 2pm and from 2-5pm in Thailand no alcohol can be sold. So Mrsdrron had a lemongrass drink and I went with butterfly pea.


Then some more walking around.

 

[drron]

We also walked around their supermarket. A wonderful display of food.














What colour noodles do you want?

 

[drron]

The next day I walked up to the EmSphere a more recent mall. I did it because it was the closest outlet for the Superrich currency exchange. Always close to the best rates. Usually their outlets have long lines. So first a few views getting there.


A new Conrad going up next door to the Emsphere.




behind it the Marriott Marquis were we have stayed.


Now walking around the mall. My first stop was the currency exchange. I was changing USD. The rate was just 0.3% off the XE rate. But here I arrived as 1 fellow was just leaving and I was next. I hd been prepared for a wait.
Now some sights around the mall. Always some unusual English names.


And lots of decorations.


But black Christmas trees?




And a santa in white.




Some Art.


And another little Christmas market.


A Kyoho grape slushie. Might try it.


And a few American chains.




Shake Shack had no customers over 2 floors.

 

[drron]

More scenes with some of the other food outlets.














And a place where you go and buy meat from the butcher and bring it back here to be cooked.

 

[drron]

Walking back to the Emporium centre you go past Benjakitti park. A nice place for a walk.

 

[drron]

Friday I just went for a walk. Down Soi24 to Rama 4 road,through a couple of down market malls and then back to Thong Lor station on Sukhumvit road. Soi 24 has lots of new apartment buildings but close to Rama 4 road a fair few older buildings.










Line of motorcycles filling up.




Orchids growing on the median strip of Ram 4 road,


Although a quite downmarket Big C mall it had 2 gold shops.


I got a bowl of khao soi for 70 baht. I recognised the picture,no english but I just asked for Khao soi and the young woman presumed I knew Thai. I just agreed and got a larger bowl with extra chilli. Nice tastes though not the best I have had.








A new hospital.

 

[drron]

More construction of high rises.






Turning into the Soi back to Sukhumvit was a bit daunting. A narrow road with lots of traffic often driving on the little footpath.


And you sometimes had extra problems.


The other side of the road had a high footpath so I crossed over. But the footpath was extremely narrow so if someone was coming the other way you had to step down on to the road. plus a rather dirty Klong on that side.


A school. Fortunately most of the kids had already left,




The smaller building is the other IC in Bangkok.


Then there were the cars parked on the footpath.

A Porsche showroom.




Back along Sukhumvit road and plenty of cannabis outlets.

 

[drron]

That night I decided to explore more of the hotel. The swimming pool and views.








And the Gym.


Meeting rooms decorated for Christmas.




T he next morning for breakfast I decided to order off the egg menu. I found oug why they call it Egg Benedict.


Not going to order it again.

 

[drron]

Saturday was another quiet day. I took Mrsdrron up to the Emsphere for lunch. Now we have hade numerous trips to the USA. I even had a timeshare in the NY Hilton. Been to all 50 states. but we will not go back. The insurance is just too expensive and the place has changed. But Red Lobster was one of our standard restaurants and we just loved their cheese biscuits. So we went there for lunch. Much more expensive than when we were in the USA but the menu was close. Mrsdrron had the lobster roll and I had 2 appetisers - garlic prawns which came with the cheese biscuits and the black mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce.






I ordered a coke. But it was the Thai version. After 2pm so no alcohol.


Then a walk around and more of the decorations. Is this the Thai Raygun?












lots of kimchi in the supermarket.

 

[drron]

Mrsdrron went back to the hotel on the shuttle and I did a bit of a walk.










Now this place does a plant based waygu sushi. How can they say that. beef if you must but a specific collection of breeds.


At night the bar on top of the Staybridge suites has a light show.

 

[drron]

Sunday and another of my long walks. I headed for Wat Khlong Toei Nai. Down Soi 24 and Rama 4 road before heading to the port of Bangkok down Kasem rai rd. You pass a typical old Bangkok klong.




One dove was not scared of me and just kept eating.




Then passed a bus depot.


And passed the customs office, A large place.




Watering the median strip.










An indoor sports centre. They were advertising an indoor dirt bike event.


just before you get to the port you cross a Railway line.

 

[drron]

Past the bus terminal.


Straight ahead for the port and turn right for the Wat. Were a few Europeans here.










But first a visit to the pier on the Chao Praya.





Back to the Wat.

 

[drron]

Around the corner I came across a large group of children rehearsing drums, dance and singing. I stayed for a while as it was dekightful. No photos.
The last of the Wat.

 

[love_the_life]

You have both had a shocker of a year so it is not surprising you are going to bed early and getting up late. Hopefully the chill time will be just what the 'doctor' ordered and you will feel more refreshed as the weeks roll on.

 

[drron]

So now the walk back to the hotel.


A small street food court outside the Wat grounds.


Fortunately a little further on was a 7/11 with a bottle of water for 6 baht.
And the Port's Centre for communical diseases.








And back across the Klong.




Then stopped at a large local supermarket- Lotus. Certainly in the meat section every part of the animal was used. This is the chicken bits



The first tray was ckicken lips,then liver and hearts. Above the hearts are bags of chicken blood plus trays of mixed chicken offal.
As near all local areas there were gold shops.


And outside small local restaurants.



I want checken with my Pad Thai please.

 

[drron]

We decided to eat at the hotel that night. Mrsdrrom had the Pad Thai. She thought it one of the best she has had.


I had the massaman curry with chicken. Unlike many other massaman curries I have had but I thoroughly enjoyed this version.


A few more photos of breakfast offerings the next morning. Mrsdrron loves the little bananas. There was only 1 of the size I like.


The cold cuts and cheeses I bypass though once a week they have smoked salmon.




On the right is the Japanese curry. Basically looks the same every day though the meat used varies. In the middle always a meat dish. This day roast chicken but it varies. On the left miso soup but the type varies.


I'm not sure why everyone likes the pizza.


There is always a bun and a dim sum.


Always pork or chicken sausages and this week the third spot has been ham or turkey.


After breakfast we went to Asoke and Terminal 21 to book our pedicures. After that we went for our old favourite an oyster omelette at the food court. Still 60baht. They are always busy.




Se also had a mango and sticky rice each but they disappeared before I could take a photo.