Pam's Birthday Bash in Bangkok

So what do you give a lady for her birthday who has just about everything a girl could want? 
Difficult question!

Your blogger was surfing the web with not a lot of direction. The opportunity, a new airline flying the Gold Coast to Singapore route. "Scoot". The specials were mind numbing to a poor traveller like me. 
"Pammie, I said. Here is your birthday present, 6 days in Bangkok.

Bangkok here we come.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok

Journal 6th to 13th August 2012
Monday the 6th August  saw us on the strip at Gold Coast airport boarding "Barry". An airbus. One of the 2 planes "Scoot" flies. (We reckon the other one is named "Clive").
http://www.flyscoot.com/index.php/en/

Barry

For those that have not had a visit to Bangkok. It is a big city 12 million, very busy and very modern in places. Our previous visits have been over the last 10 years. This time we did see a difference in clean air. The Tuk-Tuks are now run on gas and have silencers fitted . The buses run on gas. And it seemed the big trucks were not on the roads. The result is a cleaner environment and the street noise level is tolerable. The city is hot and humid and at the time of our visit it rained every afternoon at about 3.00. I mean rain, not some simpering English or Melbourne excuse for rain I mean like 25cm in 15 minutes rain. 
It is still very good value and of course the food is to die for. And the beer, oh yes! Cold and tasty Singha, Tiger,  Chang, Heineken and several other local brews with a kick. Need any more excuses to travel to Bangkok? Nah.

We have been to Bangkok on previous occasions. The Emerald Buddha is a must see along with the Royal Palace. Travel is cheap on the river ferries, average 50c per trip. Food is cheap and very very good if you like Thai food, if not then they do Chinese as it was a Chinese city up until 100 years ago and traditions do not go away. I reckon Bangkok has something for everyone no matter what your taste. 

It was the Queens Birthday on the 12th August so the week preceding the city is visited by the Thais in the thousands. We were there.

Get out of the taxi from the airport 

The hot air hits me. 
I sniff and sniff take a moment and sniff again. 
Aaah the fabulous smell of Asia.
Chilli and ginger mixed with floral scents and the overall smell of vegetation. 
(Dirty boots Pam reckons)
I love it.

I booked a Retro Hotel in the Palace area. 
The Hotel De Moc. 

Fair Dinkum!  In my imagination I could see the GI's from the Vietnam War on R&R walking in the hotel.  It was so real down to the old pool. Comfortable, friendly, good food and a massage area by the pool.

Unfortunately the guest of honor got sick with a horrific cold picked up aboard "Barry". (Gee I wish people would wear a mask when they are ill. I realize it is generous to share but some things should be kept private.)

However the week progressed well. Thai boxing, where the boxer tries to take his opponents head off with his foot. These athletes are so fit and nimble. Average weight 62kg. The crowd goes wild and the bookies take bets with sign language.

The security: Riot police with batons.
Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdmNHiuXwgE&feature=share&list=ULqdmNHiuXwgE

Foyer Oriental Hotel

Pam's birthday:  "Oriental Hotel". Fantastic food in the old Colonial hotel on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Made famous by Somerset Maugham and others as a hideaway haunt from the world. I suspect the opium was good. 
The Hotel does not disappoint. It is sumptuous. Pam got spoilt as a lady should. Her aim is to drink a Margarita in all the fabulous places in the world. (She still has some to go). But her scorecard is impressive. 

Pam adding to her scorecard

Besides she reckons "you have to have a goal".

We visited the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai and the death railway of the Second World War. Visiting and paying homage to 6000 soldiers and civilians of all nationalities, prisoners of the Japanese that perished building that railway to Burma.

I tried to buy Pam a "Pussy Cat"! for her Birthday but she reckons it would not fly.

Our very special restaurant on the banks of the river was ruined by the recent floods and most of the smaller riverside habitats we had come to love were closed or gone. We rode the ferries in the canals and on the river. Shopped at the fabulous centres and in the markets. Visited the national Art Centre. 
Too soon it was time to board "Barry" and fly home via Singapore for a 1 day stop over.

Pam said to thank everyone that sent her wishes. 
She did have a Bangkok birthday Bash and she loved it. 

Pam could not take home her Tiger. So now she looks for a restored classic car.

Good present?