April 6th, SFO–Osaka–Bangkok My flight at 1055 was to Osaka (KIX) with another flight continuing on to Bangkok (BKK). My flight is delayed by one hour. I arrive at the airport at 0955 but the check-in agent needs to see an onward ticket from BKK and does not know where Bhutan is - and has not heard about Druk Air either! It takes 30 min, even though there are few people in the check-in queue while he verifies Thailand entry requirements for … [Read more...]
Singapore Selected as World’s Number One Country to Travel in 2015
Global Travel Authority Lonely Planet Selects Singapore as the Best Country to Visit Next Year NEW YORK, November 10, 2014- The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced today that Singapore has been selected as the number one country to visit in 2015 by Lonely Planet, the world’s leading travel media company. The Southeast Asian nation tops Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015 and is celebrated for its wide range of offerings, which will expand … [Read more...]
The New Year is Coming: Favorite Destinations for Travel in 2015
With 2015 fast approaching (seems like I just wrote this in regards to the start of this year!), there are a few places I would like to highlight as being high on my list of places to visit in 2015. I chose these in particular because of the range of experiences offered, inspiring natural beauty and diversity of foods or cultural activities. I have been fortunate to have visited each of these more than once. I love the freedom of independent … [Read more...]
The Thai That Binds, Eine Kleine Nacht Market
An American backpacker cannot decide whether street food or budget restaurants offer the best (read: safest) fetish of freshness until he visits one of Thailand’s signature Floating Night Markets... As someone used to eating Thai food in New York City, with restaurants with babytalk names like “Yum Yum” and “Tastee Thai,” I was blown away when I tasted real Siamese fare for the first time in Bangkok’s Banglamphu district, an area filled with … [Read more...]
Reflections on Bangkok
I initially came to the "City of Angels" in 1996. It was my first big trip outside of the United States - to a country that was so different compared to the lifestyle I was used to. I was in my early 20's; everything about the city was new, exiting and unfamiliar. Mundane things I take for granted when traveling in Asia now - made a huge impression on me at the time. Writing these words while sitting under part of the Sirat Expressway near … [Read more...]
Exploring near Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Our winemaker friend was in town, visiting from the Napa Valley in California. Immediately we thought of taking him to the Khao Yai Wine Trail - which features a number of wineries located near this National Park. Our destination was Granmonte Vineyards an established winery in Asoke Valley - about 3 hours from where we live. Along with the winery, they also run the Vincotto Restaurant (delicious Mediterranean cuisine) and a guesthouse. The … [Read more...]
Grand Mum
I don't know her name but we visit with her every year we are in Thailand. She is always referred to as 'grand mum'. She is family. She doesn't know when she was born and lost her birth certificate somewhere along the way. She knows she is somewhere around 90 years old and certainly looks to be in that age range. Her son says she is somewhere in her 90th year. This year she consulted a fortune teller - he told her she has one more year to live … [Read more...]
Exploring Chachangsao Thailand
Driving by the signs for the Bang Khla floating market many times over the years finally we decided to go. On a Wednesday. File this decision in the "stupid" category. All the floating markets we have gone to in and around Bangkok have always been held on the weekends only. So to was the case here. We drove 90 mins to the river in Chachangsao and lo and behold we arrived to a bunch of empty buildings and no one floating on the river. Making … [Read more...]
Special Jungle Curry: Thai Street Food, Close Encounters of the Third-World Kind
An American backpacker cannot decide whether budget restaurants or street food offer the best fetish of freshness until he visited one of Thailand’s best outdoor night markets, serving “SPECIAL JUNGLE CURRY.” As someone used to eating Thai food in New York City, with restaurants with babytalk names like “Yum Yum” and “Tastee Thai,” I was blown away when I tasted real Siamese fare for the first time in Bangkok’s Banglamphu district, an area … [Read more...]
A night of fun in Bangkok
We started the evening meeting up with the engaging and very accomplished @somcity for a tour of Lebua State Tower Hotel. Lebua made appearances in the movies, Bangkok Dangerous starring Nicholas Cage and the crazy Hangover II. As a result a visit here is also popular with tourists. Lebua tried to maintain strict standards of dress but when Hangover II came out, tourists started showing up in shorts and t shirts and flip flops and during our … [Read more...]
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