Thailand
Happiness - Part 1
The
first half of my Thailand coverage will be focusing on the wonderful
tourist venues, markets and spiritual centers in Bangkok. There
is really so much going on in the beautiful country that it's
hard to know where to start and stop.
Initially,
it is important to be centrally located in Bangkok, with the amenities
you appreciate, depending on your budget constraints. The Hilton
Sukhumvit - DoubleTree by Hilton are in the middle of everything,
and offer simple transportation options to go everywhere. Their
concierge will assist you with reservations, tours and what ever
else you require. Both hotels offer an amazing breakfast buffet
that includes everything familiar with additional Thai offerings,
and the Hilton has a charming Italian inspired restaurant for
dinner. They also have a splendid pool that overlooks the city;
a great place to relax after a long day of shopping or sight seeing.
www.hiltonhotels.com.
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Hilton Sukhumvet Hotel
Pool
Ideally,
it's always right to talk shopping with people on the go to a
new destination, and shopping at the local markets in Bangkok
is amazing. So many markets - so little time. I enjoyed the Food
Market, which along with an amazing collection of Thai foods and
cooking materials, also had clothes and jewelry that was affordable
and attractive.
Some
market recommendations from market shoppers included Pak Klong
Flower Market, Bo Be Tower Clothing Market, Chatuchak Weekend
Market and Klong Toey Fresh Market. These markets are also perfect
venues for photography buffs.
Grand Palace View
The
largest market in Thailand is the Chatuchak Weekend Market, featuring
15,000 stalls of everything under the sun. From darling clothing
designs to shoes, jewelry, artwork, underwear and an endless variety
of things to eat and drink it is all exciting, exhausting and
fun. I love the variety of desserts and food specialties at this
market; from Paella in a huge cooker to coconut ice cream, along
with fresh fruit or curry dishes. No one got sick on the street
food, it's all good, and I found some very nice gifts to take
home to family and friends at this market, and a few cute bracelets
for myself. For maps and locations of markets visit: www.bangkok.com/shopping-market/.
When
they suggest you bring an umbrella to Thailand it is not because
you may get caught in a monsoon (of course, you could), it's to
protect you from the very hot sun! A good sun screen and bug spray
are also something you will need, however, they have pharmacies
everywhere that sell all these things. Most hotels give complimentary
daily bottles of water, and you will need lots of water to stay
hydrated.
China Town Gate from Golden Buddha Temple
Don't
forget there are also fantastic shopping centers in Bangkok that
can be easily accessed by the train systems. They are beautiful,
multi-leveled and carry all the designer goodies we all know and
love; only they seem to have more items and a different selection
in Bangkok. The chic centers usually have a whole floor of food
venues to choose from, offering great and affordable food. Try
Centralworld shopping center, and look for a super restaurant
called Taling Pling Thai Gastro Café for some unique Thai
tastes. Centralworld was the location of Thailand Happiness Street
Festival during my visit, and included participation by many countries,
Thai tourism officials, food and beverage experts and Thai celebrities
filled the conventions center and street. The street was literally
rockin' and the sky was filled with thousands of colored balloons.
www.centralworld.com.
What
about the Wat! Well, the holiest places in this city have names
that begin with Wat, which are actually temples, where monks live.
Bangkok's temples are a unique part of the capital's heart and
soul. A visit here would not be complete without visiting two
or three of them. The architecture and artwork is like no other
and each contains thousands of pieces of colored glass and pottery
with intricate gold gilding. Bangkok is known as the City of Angels,
and I really appreciated this being from the Los Angeles area.
Food at Chatuchak Market
There
are many exquisite temples, where people have worshipped for many
years, and tourist clamor to share their special vibrations and
beauty. The artwork in these temples is so beautiful, and the
Buddha's, such as the Wat Trimit, a solid Golden Buddha and the
Wat Po, huge reclining Buddha are breath taking in size and elegance.
Visitors can have a lovely view of the China Town gate from the
Golden Temple. The Emerald Buddha in the exquisite Wat Phra Kaew
Royal Chapel of the Grand Palace is considered to be the most
revered, and attracts thousands of visitors each year. www.TourismThailand.org.
The
Grand Palace is in a league all its own. When I saw the film "The
king and I" as a very young girl, I never dreamed there was
such a place as the Grand Palace or a real King who lived there.
Visiting this venue was like being instantly dunked in the rich
history of Thailand, while feeling overwhelmed by the sheer beauty
of it all. www.grandpalacethailand.com.
Paella Chef at Chatuchak Market
The
Grand Palace is made up of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions
that surround open lawns, gardens and courtyards. Additions and
rebuilding done by successive reigning Kings over 20 years explains
the eclectic styles. The Grand Palace is now partially open to
the public as a museum, but remains a working palace, with several
working royal offices inside. The Chao Phraya River runs by the
Grand Palace. The River of Kings in Bangkok is so lovely and winds
through the city with a grace I have rarely seen in any other
location. The top of the Lebue Hotel is the ideal place to relish
this heavenly view of the river. www.lebue.com.
If
you are a Thai foodie, no trip to Thailand would be complete without
a cooking lesson from a star chef. My cooking adventure was spent
at a charming French-colonial style river residence, where Tam,
owner/instructor at Amita Cooking School, spent an afternoon teaching
my group about the herbs and plants in her garden, and giving
us a hands-on cooking lesson, followed by a delicious four course
lunch that we contributed to. Outstanding experience for visitors
to Thailand. I will think of this every time I make her delicious
Tom Kha Gai, chicken in coconut soup! www.Amitathaicooking.com.
Grand Palace Art
In
a country where you don't speak the language it's always a great
idea to use tour services to get around and get the facts straight.
Our experience was outstanding with The Royal Silk Group. Their
representatives took care of transportation, were outstanding
tour guides, spoke English, and were all extremely charming and
helpful. For information visit: www.royalsilkholidays.com. Our
guide in Bangkok was really helpful, and so much fun! Use your
tourism experts when planning your trip by visiting Thailand Tourism
at www.na.tourismthailand.org. Look for Happy in Thailand Part
II covering Chiang Mai and Samui next month. Khop Khun Kha!
Bonnie Carroll
www.lifebitesnews.com