we started from Pattaya at 4.15 or so & reached Bangkok by 6.30.We were staying in Howard Square. There was an Indian at the reception desk & I was a bit relieved that we can communicate now . The rooms were good. As soon as we reached a bellboy came to get our luggage. They said dinner will be ready by 9 but by 9.45 they will close. I was a bit taken aback. We came down for dinner & waited for the waiter to come & take our order. There were buffet tables with veg written but no food.many people were waiting like us. All Indians only. Soon the waiter came & then we realised he is the bellboy cum waiter cum...may be cook also. The man in the reception also was serving food.Being Sunday they didnt have enough staff & to add to it there was some function happening in the top floor. It was total confusion after that.
Remember I told you the Alcazar show was free for us. Vimala had read reviews about this hotel & she wanted it to be changed as she was not happy after reading. So the agents said there is no rooms available else where & gave us the show free. Also included Marine park visit into our schedule
Back to dinner- they said we can order whatever we want.When we were ordering they said dal chaval, subzi is available. If we order roti it will take a long time So we decided to have whatever is available. We ordered 4 plates of rice, & dal & subji 1-2 plates. No curd or raita. we got our items. There were a group of Tamilians & they lost their patience waiting. One man from that group started shouting & talking in Tamil.He walked out of the hotel etc. After a lot of tamasha their food came & we doubt they brought our order the second time. Not that they have a variety but the quantity didn't seem enough for them.
We have a feeling that the representative of Make my trip there is a partner of that hotel:-P
Next day we started at 9.45after breakfast. BF was better compared to the dinner.1st they took us to The Reclining Buddha temple. It was beautiful. Then Gems gallery.All beyond our pockets.That day we had to have our own lunch. They dropped us at Paragon mall(hope the name is correct) where we were to visit Siam Ocean world. Decided to have lunch at the food court. only Subway had any veg stuff so V ch, Tanchu & I had from there. Vimala opted for some Thai stuff . Appu also had some rice & chicken.
All of us enjoyed Siam Ocean world( aquarium actually). Vimala is seeing an aquarium for the 1st time it seems. or she has forgotten. From there went to Madame Tussauds. Got busy clicking with the wax models. From there went to MBK mall. All these are walking distance only. My friend Sindhu told me that we can get many art & craft items in Thailand so I was a bit careful in spending there as i wanted money to buy lots of hobby material.Got back to the hotel in a taxi.
After reaching room I felt I should have bought something more.
We had some snacks from Mcdonalds so was not hungry. Still 3 of us had a bit of the standard menu of dal chawal.Appu was asleep by then so V ch opted to baby sit while we had our dinner.
Next day we were taken by 8.30 & took us to safari world(zoo). Its driving through the zoo. Took us to Marine park after that which is at the end of the safari world itself. There were 4 shows there. 1st Orang utan show, next was sea lion show & the 3rd was Elephant/cowboy stunt. We opted for elephant show while some went for cowboy . Last was dolphin show. The whole of Marine park area was full of trees & where there are no trees water was sprinkled from tubes above. I was remembering the zoo here, with no trees or any facilities like this. We were given lunch there, again Indian food. The area where they served food was a huge hall- looked like sathram or sarvani sadya.
The coach dropped us in Indra square( shopping area). There also we couldnt see any hobby material.Talked to Lata-Shailas cousin Gopan. Both days we were so tired that we didn't have the energy to meet them.Took a taxi back to hotel. Again had same dal chawal. They had ice cream also but same chocolate flavour on both days:-( V ch was so tired he fell asleep without dinner. His hand was sprained also - don't know how.He got a wrist band for support the previous day.
Next day we were taken to the airport in their coach at 8 & thus ended our holidays.
Minus the food issue in the hotel the trip was nice. We had a good laugh at their service so compensated for the lack.Sindhu told us to try Mango with sticky rice & 2 of their fruits( one was star apple & forgot the other one). But we couldnt locate any of these items.
All got worried a bit hearing about the trouble there but as I told someone it was more peaceful than the peaceful days in India. On our way to Pattaya I slept in the coacjh & when I opened my eyes I felt we have come to Kerala. The coconut trees, vazha & the houses with tiled roof all looked like Kerala except that the roads were wider & cleaner.
After reaching back Vimala & I feel that we should have shopped more. I said we will go again & she is saying she doesn't mind shifting to that place.
It was a nice, sweet short holiday. I think their tourism thrives on Indians. All places had almost 99% Indian tourists.
That is all for now.
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