Christmas in Bangkok.

[drron]

Nice TR so far @drron

I may have some questions at the end if that's ok.

No problem. Fire away any time you like.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Now on to Christmas Eve. Walked across the street and had our usual of mushroom pizza and a glass of wine each. In fact as the waitress was seating us she said “so a mushroom pizza and a Sav Blanc and sir do you want the same red wine as the last time?” So I changed just to be difficult.

Back at the apartment and a few snacks and more wine. My new bottle.
View attachment 312821
View attachment 312822

I enjoyed it.

You possibly have more luck with southern Italian wines than I do.

Do you have a guide or generally lucky?

 

[GarrettM]

No problem. Fire away any time you like.

Oh well thank you in advance. I didn't want to derail or prompt any spoilers in your report. Also I hope you and @mrs.dr.ron are having more luck in you trip.

Just wondering how you would rate BKK as a Christmas destination. Which may sound like a dumb question given you obviously decided to go there for Christmas.
But we're intending to go... anywhere... next year and it's likely to be one of the options.

Just curious about the level of Christmas attractions, and also safety, with young kids in tow.

 

[Quickstatus]

Have they cleaned up the Klongs?

 

[drron]

@GarrettM Christmas is certainly the best time to visit Thailand weather wise. The temperature whilst we have been here has been 28 - 32C. The humidity is ~ 40 - 50%. So very comfortable to walk around. There are Christmas decorations in the major malls and in hotels.

We have been so many times we don’t do the usual tourist things but there are certainly things young children would enjoy.

As you probably know we are not now at one of the major hotels but at the Marriott Mayfair Apartments. Here was the start of Christmas Day as we arrived at breakfast. A funny man in a red suit turned up.





All of the youngsters really enjoyed the show. Also helped by the fact that Thai staff at hotels really love children.
At all hotels you will find enough western food if the kids are not adventurous. There are all the fast food restaurants in Bangkok and the major cities.
So on Christmas Day I was able to have roasted turkey, pork with apple sauce and a sugary cake and all for breakfast.




I will try to give some more examples later.

 

[Sprucegoose]

we don’t do the usual tourist things

But have you done this, drron?

 

[drron]

Not really but some long-tailed boat rides sure felt like it.

 

[GarrettM]

@GarrettM Christmas is certainly the best time to visit Thailand weather wise. The temperature whilst we have been here has been 28 - 32C. The humidity is ~ 40 - 50%. So very comfortable to walk around. There are Christmas decorations in the major malls and in hotels.

We have been so many times we don’t do the usual tourist things but there are certainly things young children would enjoy.

As you probably know we are not now at one of the major hotels but at the Marriott Mayfair Apartments. Here was the start of Christmas Day as we arrived at breakfast. A funny man in a red suit turned
View attachment 312914

I will try to give some more examples later.

Thank you for the info. I look forward to more, but please finish your TR first. We're all enjoying it.

 

[drron]

Things have been quiet for the last few days. We have breakfast at 0900 then have a rest and sometimes a nanny nap. Around 1700 we start eating the foie gras , mushroom pare ,cheese and mochi. Plus the odd glass or two of wine. Really chilling out.

I had a short walk on Boxing Day first to check out the new Kimpton and Kempinski hotels. They do look really good. A couple of pictures from the Kempinski.



Then out the back to Soi Ton Son and the Klingon of the same name. You come out across the Khlong from the Netherlands Embassy.



Just past that gate you can see through the fence at an older part of the Embassy surrounded by a moat.


Not surprisingly a water monitor is in the Khlong. He submerged as I approached.


But came up again.

 

[drron]

Turned right at Sukhumvit Road. A spirit house at the intersection.


I explored an old alley with a mix of food and other stalls.




And an interesting restaurant. Looks good inside but you order at 2 stalls outside. They did look better than average.


Next door is a hint of the alley’s future. A new building going up.

 

[serfty]

Then out the back to Soi Ton Son and the Klingon of the same name

I've checked StarTrek wikis as I had not come across a Klingon of that name. Closest was "GowRon".

 

[Sprucegoose]

I've checked StarTrek wikis as I had not come across a Klingon of that name. Closest was "GowRon".

Some would call that pithy..

 

[drron]

I've checked StarTrek wikis as I had not come across a Klingon of that name. Closest was "GowRon".

It’s American spell check for Khlong.
Now see this time it put an h in.
These iPhones are in a universe all their own. Some of the suggested words are not vaguely related to the word you typed. Recently I did pick up it was substituting felons for fellows.

 

[drron]

Next to the building site a new bank building. Some interesting street art.




And it looks like the Australian way has caught on at the building site.


The building was also the easiest way to get to the BTS station or cross over to Central Embassy.

 

[drron]

I wanted to look at the Central Embassy restaurant floor as we had several favourite restaurants there. Two had closed, one had changed and no longer as good value. Only one was still the same - The Water Library. It will be easier though for Mrsdrron to get to the Paragon mall.
She would though have been interested in this place.

 

[drron]

Some upmarket cars outside.


Then back to the apartment and I went for a swim. Boy have I slowed down dramatically.

So down to the apartment for some foie gras and wine.





Another nice Italian wine. Mostly luck but at least I know the grape varieties I am likely to enjoy.

 

[drron]

The next morning we got to breakfast earlier and the place was nearly empty.



Now the staff here really are great. Always wanting to do something for you. Quick to clean and set the table when someone leaves.

So it was upsetting to see an ugly Australian treating them horribly. He had a young Asian woman with him who was treated no better. It turned out he was after food to take back to his room. He was particularly wanting bread but there was none on the buffet. So he launched an expletive loaded attack on one of the young staff and demanded to see the manager. She told him that it had all been taken. So another spray demanding that some be found ASAP.

Unfortunately they gave into him so his young associate carried a large tray out of the restaurant. On it 4 plates of food along with 4 bowls and sauces whilst he left with 2 large plastic containers of food.

So the next morning they took 2 trays of food plus the plastic containers. Giving in to these moronic idiots doesn’t work.

The next day I was surprised to see a “glad wrap” dispenser out for the gluttons.


All I could do was apologise to the staff on behalf of Australia.

 

[Sprucegoose]

All I could do was apologise to the staff on behalf of Australia.

Probably a kiwi with one of those well-rehearsed bogan FIFO accents .....

 

[drron]

Probably a kiwi with one of those well-rehearsed bogan FIFO accents .....

Possibly but he used a few expletives that are generally used by Aussies.

But back to the TR. This time Mrsdrron came with me as she wanted to see the new hotels. This meant I looked at both sides of the road beside the klong. A new building. Possibly a lifestyle or furniture store in view of all the new buildings under construction.


Also went up and poked my camera through the fence of the Embassy.




More rubbish in the klong .



A Thai restaurant on the other side of the road.

 

[drron]

Again a lot more rubbish in the klong today.


An International preschool.


And then within a 100 metres from one of the major tourist roads in Bangkok a water monitor is obviously not afraid of us.


But then he keeps following us until he stops less than 50 metres from Sukhumvit road.




We then headed back towards the apartment but stopped at Starbucks for a Frappuccino. The fellow who served me was very talkative and said he would write my name in Thai on the cup. Obviously did as when I was called it was for Thai Ron.