Following a week in Bhutan, we chose to spend 3 nights in Bangkok. Stubborn us, we were hoping to visit Ayutthaya. No luck. After the floods, we decided against it and instead concentrated on this lively city. And its food 😉
I can't get enough of this mango salad!
Served at Novotel's Airport Hotel.
I’ve been to Bangkok several times in the past when I was still working. I have been to Ayutthaya myself, not too long ago. But my friend is visiting for the first time and she longed to see the old capital. Perhaps another time. After Bhutan, we were just too happy (and tired?) to be with old friends to relax and indulge ourselves. And how we did! On our way to Bhutan, we slept a night at Novotel Airport Hotel as we needed to be up early for the next day’s flight to Shangrila. Homeward bound, we broke our journey with 3 nights at the Pullman Hotel where we found our Manila travel buddies waiting for us.
With good old and not so old friends 😉
Reunited with Old Friends, Meeting New Ones
Our couple-friends and a niece with her 3 friends from Manila joined up with us in Bangkok. An ex-secretary now based in Bangkok hooked up with us too. The ex-sec I haven’t seen in over 20 years! Happy to see her after all this time. And very proud of her too!
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Hot Pot Dinner With Fellow TravelBloggers Peter and Mari
It was also a chance to meet up with fellow bloggers Peter and Mari from my TravelBlog community. Peter and I are both Moderators in TravelBlog and feel we’re “old friends” after reading so much into our lives and the adventures we blogged about.
Those Thais Truly Excel in Food Presentation, don't they?
The Fish Is A Pretense At Eating Healthy 😉
Food Pornography
What a party. Which makes dining such serious business for this group. After all, Bhutanese cuisine pales miserably in comparison with Thai food. Well, come to think of it, I never complained about food in Bhutan — perhaps I even found it insignificant to deserve any mention — and that’s saying a lot coming from me. Looking back, my friend and I survived on mountain rice, Emma datse (chilis cooked with cheese, very spicy!) and momos or dumplings with cabbage and cheese fillings. I surprised myself (and my friend) when I ordered a burger and pasta at our hotel on the eve of our departure from Bhutan. You can guess what happened to that plate of spaghetti, right?
Bhutan's Momos or Dumplings Filled with Cabbage and Cheese Dipped in Chili Sauce! We survived on these!
Having convinced ourselves that we were “starved” in Bhutan, we looked at every Thai dish on the table as our well-deserved reward. Let the photos speak for themselves. But really, more than that, this last leg of my recent rip was a celebration of friendship.
You may also want to check out our visit of the famous Oriental Hotel by the banks of the Chao Phraya River where we tried Pierce Brosnan’s favorite Thaijito. Just click on this link.
Never Say NO to Desserts. Wherever. Whatever. No Regrets.
They Call it Thai-Jito. A favorite drink of Pierce Brosnan. Only at Oriental Hotel.
lifeisacelebration 
Drooling now. That fish looks absolutely gross but delectable.(porn nga talaga!). How lucky of you to have tasted Pierce Brosnan’s….favorite drink. 😉 Btw, your friend (third pic, on your right) looks familiar. No need to tell me the name though. Just sayin’. 🙂
I have never been to Bangkok which I forgo when I was in Cambodia for the lack of material time ergo this food porn is what I missed. I loved the very looks of it and one of the reasons I forgo BKK too is that it is my earnest dream to come to Ayuthaya too. Maybe next time ko na lang po puntahan.
Ayutthaya is lovely. So are many other sites in Bangkok. I’m sure you’d find time to visit.
Is that red pepper on your mango salad?
Yes. Lots of red pepper!
Will that Thai-jito make me look like Pierce Brosnan, too? Delectable spread!
When I drank it, I didn’t naman. Hahaha :))
tita lili….. waahhhhh ang sarap naman….. nakakagutom!!!! and the momos and dumplings looks like they are wanting to jump sa sauce and swim to my tummy…. hahahaha gutom na talaga…. =D