Blog March 23, 2008
We have had a very enjoyable time during our stay in Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok is a very unique city and it did take us a little while to get used to it. The destination lecture that we viewed prior t our visit to this city prepared us well for our stay in Bangkok.
Bangkok combines both the new world of very modern buildings with the old charm into one grand city. It has some very clean areas and some areas not so clean. It has some of the kindest and friendliest people that you will ever meet along with some people to watch out for. The good news is that the vast majority of the people fall into the category of nice people.
We booked an overnight stay in Bangkok through Crystal Cruises.
After departing the ship, we were transported by bus to Bangkok. The drive took around two hours and during our trip the guide provided us with lots of useful information about this city and about Thailand. We were taken to The Oriental Hotel. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by the warm hospitality of the staff and we were each given a flower and complimentary drinks were available. Our rooms were ready right away and we quickly settled into our room. Interestingly enough we did not have to provide a credit card for our incidentals.
We had brought sandwiches from the ship with us so that we would not waste valuable time eating lunch so after we ate our sandwiches we proceeded to see the city.
During the course of the first day in Bangkok, we took the sky train a couple of times to visit some sites within Bangkok. The sky train was very efficient and easy to use. We also spent a some time discovering the city by river which is one of the unique features of Bangkok. We went to a shopping mall; Siam Peragon which was highly recommended. And yes, we did go to Jim Thompson who has several stores where we saw many beautiful items mainly of silk. We also had time to walk around Bangkok before it was time for dinner
Bangkok was quite hot which we expected. While some areas are pristine, other areas were dirty. We were warned to be careful of some men who while dressed in very nice attire are out to swindle tourists. During the course of our first afternoon in Bangkok three different men approached us. At the same time we did meet some of the nicest locals and we appreciate all of the friendliness they showed to us throughout our stay.
Before dinner we relaxed for a little while at the hotel. The Oriental Hotel is stunning and is clearly an old world hotel. The lobby area and other public rooms are stunning and the service was impeccable. Each of the floors has someone from the staff available to assist the guests.
We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the hotel. We sat outside and we were very fortunate to be seated at a table with no other tables in front of us providing us with a beautiful view of the river. We enjoyed traditional Thai food that was simply outstanding. The service was equally outstanding as we had numerous servers throughout the meal. Lots of time was provided throughout the evening so that we could enjoy the overall ambience of this setting and we kid you not, we were there for almost three hours. It was wonderful and we were in no rush and we just enjoyed being in a special part of the world with a beautiful setting to view. As the sunset we could enjoy the beauty of the river in the evening as the boats were lit up along with the shoreline. From our view we could also see the Peninsula Hotel directly across the waterway. The setting, the service, the food, and our own conversation made this evening delightful and one that we cherish for the rest of our lives.
We awoke early the next morning (today) and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast outside by the river as we did last evening. In addition to cereal, we enjoyed a plate containing fruits that we have never had before. We also enjoyed a very nice muffin and wonderful coffee. Again, the service was outstanding.
After breakfast, we then walked to Chinatown and from there we visited three different Temples. At one Temple we viewed the Reclining Buddha. At another Temple we saw the Golden Buddha. We were fortunate that we arrived very early in the morning so that these sites were not very crowded.
We also went to a large market and we were the only non-locals there. It was very interesting and sold lots of fruits, vegetable along with lots of other food items.
We did not have enough time to go to the Grand Palace. Unfortunately, it was closed the day we arrived as they were converting times with the change in season. We will plan to visit the Palace the next time our travels take us to Bangkok.
After arriving back to the Hotel we showered and changed and we enjoyed a light lunch at one of the Hotel Restaurants. We enjoyed a very large bowl of soup. We left the Hotel at 2:30 PM for our trip back to the ship and we made excellent time and arrived back at around 4:10. Again, the tour guide provided a wealth of information.
When we arrived back to the room there was an Easter Basket of candy in our room and also two large plates of sandwiches and desserts with a card from Crystal Cruises that read “Welcome Home From Bangkok”.
A highlight of the trip was the people that we met from Thailand. We can characterize them as being friendly, warm and very polite people. Many would show their warmth by placing their hands together, smiling and bowing graciously and we would show our thanks and appreciation by doing the same thing.
This evening we dined at the Silk Road Japanese Restaurant. We dined with the World Cruise Hostess and the Assistant Cruise Director. We had a wonderful time as we enjoyed an outstanding meal, with outstanding service and an equally enjoyable conversation.
Tomorrow, we visit Ko Samui, Thailand.
Keith and Anne Marie.
