FEBRUARY 1, 2014: HARD ROCK, LUNCH-HARD ROCK CAFE, CHAO PHRAYA, OVERNIGHT TRAIN TO CHIANG MAI

February 1, 2014

     After breakfast we make arrangements with the hotel to leave 2 of our bags with them until we return on March 10, 2014.  We leave my husband's scuba gear bag and a carry on size bag already full of must have things/souvenirs I have bought during our time in Cambodia.  I do hope I'm not going to need 1 small suitcase for each country for souvenirs/mementos!!  The other bags we leave for us to retrieve at 8:00 pm when we will leave for the train station.  We check out, settle our bill for some phone calls.

     My step daughter collects shot glasses from the Hard Rock cafes all around the world.  During our travels if there is a Hard Rock store we buy her the shot glasses.  My daughter-her sister-didn't have time to get them when she was in Bangkok so I've decided to go there today.  Hotel reception staff are saying we shouldn't go there because of the protests but I want to try.  If it looks like it may be a problem or trouble we will turn back.

     We walk to our nearby BTS station and get tickets to go as far as SIAM.  Cost 68 baht for the 2 of us.  Once at SIAM we will have to walk the rest of the way.  Riding the BTS we see all the small tents that have been set up by the protesters.We get off at SIAM.

Vendors selling shutdown Bangkok gear

Protester tents as seen from BTS

   

















     We get off at SIAM and it's only a short walk to the HARD ROCK.  We haven't run into any protests on the streets.  The HARD ROCK  in Bangkok is not like a lot of the others we've visited.  Those were large buildings uniquely designed to reflect the Hard Rock theme.  Some have had huge guitars or vintage cars as part of the outside decor.  This looks like an ordinary building.  The store is open and I buy 3 shot glasses of different designs and then my husband decides he wants a T shirt.  Normally he never asks for anything from where we are vacationing so this is new territory!  We end up with not 1, but 3 T shirts as I found one I liked too.  Good thing they accept credit cards as bill comes to 4499.96 baht.

This one is mine

     Since we're here we decide to do lunch.  The past few we've been to-Athens and Sharm el Sheikh-we have had lunch.  We want to see if the food at the Bangkok cafe will taste as good as what we've had at the other oversees places.  We order the classic 6 oz. burger-one with fries, the other with mashed potatoes.  It's a bit of a disappointment as the quality isn't as good as what we had in Greece and Egypt.  Pricey lunch of burgers was 1247.62 baht with 10% service charge included.

     Well, at least we got Arleen her shot glasses!  A quick non eventful walk back to the BTS SIAM and another 68 baht to get back to our hotel.  I add these purchases to my hotel stored carry on bag.  We still have time on our hands so we decide to ride the ferry up and down the river, not getting off at any of the stops, but just to enjoy the ride.

     CHAO PHRAYA  King of rivers.  www.renegadetravels.com/bangkok-chao-phraya-river-boat-routes/       Another short walk from our hotel to the SATHORN/CENTRAL PIER.  We have decided to take the local, not the tourist, ferry so we wait for an orange flag boat.  We get on and this boat is full already so we will stand squished in with lots of others.  A lady comes around holding a cylinder object that makes noise like coins hitting each other.  I know the fare is 15 baht per person so I give her 30 baht and point to my husband to indicate I'm paying for him also.  As more get on and others get off she does this repeatedly but it's amazing to me that she knows who has already paid and who hasn't.  We make a lot of stops-probably around 20 or more-and see some neat sites like Wat Arun, River City, Old Custom House.  We get to the end of the line and now we will ride back but this time we have a good choice of seats.  Since we stood on the right side looking towards where River City and other sites are we will sit on the right side going back where we can see Wat Arun and other sites on that side of the river.  Another 30 baht.  Not a bad way to spend 60 baht total.

     Back at the hotel we decide to spend some time at the pool.  We change in a room by the fitness room.  There are full shower/toilet facilities here also.  Feeling in the need for something the hotel restaurant is just the spot for a dish of strawberry ice cream for me and a Chiang beer for my husband.  Cost 176 baht.

     Finally it is time to go to the train station.  We have our bags and at 9:00 pm our taxi arrives.  Cost 50 baht from hotel to HUA LUMPONG RAILWAY STATION.  The train station is big busy, and dirty.  No available seats so we have to stand as there is no way you'd want to sit on the floor even though some locals are doing just that.  The restroom costs 2 baht to use and there's no TP so you need to bring your own.  We find platform 10 where we will board our train to Chiang Mai. 

     Our train is ready for boarding.  We locate car #9 and our seats 15 and 16-window and aisle.  It's a bit more comfortable than I expected and the seats do recline.  Fans hang from the train car ceiling at an attempt to circulate the air.  However, most of them aren't working so it gets hot and stuffy.  Our window doesn't open either so no fresh air.  Every so often on our journey vendors selling food and drinks will come through the car.  There is a restaurant car behind our car but we do not check it out.  A man comes by to check our tickets, punches them and gives another man with him our final destination.  Most of my train info is from www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm             Unfortunately from that website I thought there would be 5 stops from Bangkok until we reach Chiang Mai.  Before reaching the Ayutthaya stop at 11:58 pm (behind schedule as supposed to be there at 11:30 pm) our train has made 8 other stops!  From Ayutthaya to Phitsanuluk it's 8 more stops.  From there to Lamphun it's 10 more stops.  From Lamphun to Chiang Mai I think it was another 2 stops.   So it was around 30 stops.  I don't know if it's the same on the recommended sleeper trains #1 and #13 but at least then you'd be sleeping!!  I would NEVER do this again and my husband who usually never complains was not a happy man.  My advice then is to book your train tickets far enough in advance to get the train you want with the kind of seating-be it sleeper or not, 1st, 2nd, 3rd class, etc.  I didn't realize the "shut down Bangkok" protest would prevent us from buying tickets on line while we were in Cambodia.

  

FEBRUARY 2, 2014: CHIANG MAI AT LAST, BAAN ORAPIN, DINNER-ARCOBALENO, SUNDAY NIGHT MARKET

February 2, 2014

     We are still on the train but getting closer to our destination.  Now that it's light we can see the scenery is nice, but nothing spectacular.  We have not slept at all so we don't plan to do any major sightseeing today.  At last we arrive in CHIANG MAI.  Given the disaster with the train tickets I decide to get our VIP Green Bus tickets going to Chiang Rai before we even check in to our hotel.  I'm not taking any chances!  We have our tuk tuk driver take us to the bus station where I buy tickets for February 7, 2014, seats 2B and 2C, departing at 10:15 am.  Price is 288 baht per person.  There's an ATM there so I withdraw 10000 baht.  Our driver gets us to our hotel but I didn't write the cost down.

Sun coming up

One of our stops Den Chai

These pictures my husband took of our train

     BAAN ORAPIN  I booked this place on May 27, 2013 via e-mail with the property itself.  Rate for 5 nights was 10500 baht/2100 baht per night which includes breakfast and taxes.  I paid a 1500 baht deposit by following instructions on a link on their secure website.  If you pay the balance in cash you can get a 10% discount.  I did that so for 5 nights the total was 9600 baht instead of 10500 baht.  I saved 900 baht because the balance was 9000 baht.  It's a great deal for this lovely small property.  I think this is about $68 per night.  A great boutique bed and breakfast.  Built in the northern Lanna style with mature longen trees.  It consists of the original mansion and 3 guest buildings on a one acre compound.  There are gates close to the busy street which lead into the hotel.  I chose this hotel based on the great reviews on Trip Advisor plus it has a pool and it's not expensive.  This will be another good decision on my part as our stay here lives up to all the high praise this place gets.  Opas greets us and then introduces us to Pepsi.  We are shown where breakfast is served, the pool, a small library area.  These 2 charming men are a delight, especially Pepsi.  He and Opas will do anything and everything they can to make your stay at the hotel and your time in Chiang Mai to be a memorable experience.  They did not fail!  Our room is charming with a tiny seating area outside the door looking down to the gardens.  After unpacking and sorting some things for laundry we go to spend some time in the pool.  The pool is small but big enough to feel refreshed.

Door on the street leading inside to the hotel

Main building where breakfast is served and where the office and library are located

Our room is upstairs and to the right

Sitting area by the door to our room

View from the room

To the right in this picture is the breakfast area

Breakfast room

The pool may be on the small side but it's plenty big enough for a swim

     Dinner is at ARCOBALENO.  It is within walking distance from our hotel and as we walk we pass by a laundry just a few doors away from the hotel.   Before I realize it we've finished our dinner and I forgot to take pictures!  We were that hungry!  We had spaghetti primavera and chocolate ice cream for dessert which I did snap a picture of.  Bill came to 270 baht.  My feet are a bit swollen so the owner calls a tuk tuk for us back to the hotel.  Cost 30 baht.

     After changing my shoes into flip flops we decide to go to the Sunday night market which I'm told is a "must see" if in Chiang Mai on a Sunday night.  One way cost to the market area via tuk tuk is 100 baht.  We walk around, make a few purchases and spot a Boots store and a 7-11 store where I buy a few things I need.  Darn-my battery has died in my camera so I only was able to take a few pictures.  It was very crowded and I'm not keen on crowds so we decide to leave after an hour or so.  Time to find a way back to the hotel.  Another tuk tuk.  Wonder what the fare will be?  100 baht.  There must be an agreement among the drivers.