The weather - an App for your holiday (App)

Let's share with everyone the weather here in Thailand 

Description

*** Thai Weather, the official app by Thai Meteorological Department ***

The application that is reporting weather in Thailand consists of current weather conditions, the forecast weather, storm tracks, earthquake, announcement, media of weather, weather document, radar, satellite photos, pressure maps and weather reports with photos by yourself.

Christmas last year was pretty cold - but I had to check it...

Wow - accurate...

Cost: Free

Ease of use: simple - also in Thai 

Comment: had more interesting information on the App

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/id734275345?mt=8  

For more Apps for your holiday please visit - timinphuket-Apps.

Cleaning the big buildings

Bangkok is full of enormous buildings and I wonder how many times that they get cleaned like this.

This was as I was waiting for my regular River Taxi...

 

Ratana Boutique Hostel and Cafe (BKK) Visit 1

 

I found Ratana Boutique Hostel and Cafe purely by accident - I was on a lunchtime wander... 

Rantana is obviously quiet when there are not that many guests at the hotel - in fact I was the only person in there for the 45 minutes that I was there for lunch.

The Cafe felt European and the food was very Thai - I had their breakfast - there was not that much of a choice on the menu - in fact much of what I asked for first was not available, but it was certainly convenient.

For more restaurants we have visited please visit - timinphuket - restaurants.

 

Starbucks don't care in Asia?

With Earth Day coming soon I was impressed by Starbucks with their offer of a recyclable cup if you went in with the App and the code.

Imagine my surprise when they told me me that this was not in Asia.

Because?

Dear Tim,

 

Thank you for taking the time to contact Starbucks Coffee Company.

 

I am sorry that you were unable to take advantage of this offer.

 

Throughout the year we have a variety of different promotional offers, some of which are valid only on for a limited period of time on a specific date and some of which are valid for longer periods. We hope that you will be able to join us to take advantage of one of our offers in the future. Additionally, the promotion was only available in UK stores.

 

We appreciate all feedback from our customers and I would like to assure you that your comments have been shared with our marketing team for their consideration.

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us and if I can help further please do not hesitate to get in touch.

 

Yours sincerely,

Starbucks Customer Care

(I changed the text to RED) 
Additionally, the promotion was only available in UK stores - because?

Essential guide to Thailand

I liked the idea of the Beautiful Temples 

Wat Phra Sri Sanphet - my visit to Ayutthaya
 Wat Rong Khun - my visit
Wat Suthat - the Giant Swing was in the middle
Wat Phra Kaew - visited but we were too late
Wat Mahathat - my visit to Ayutthaya
and 

the National Parks.

Carry-On Luggage

Well this is their list - Written by Arzo Travels

But I have to add those cables...

What would you add as a necessity?

April - You know you have lived in Thailand when...

The petrol pump attendant walks away whilst filling up your car...

After moving to Bangkok I have become aware of things which are now normal to me because I live here – and subsequently a facebook site about this “You Know You've Lived In Thailand when.....” – https://www.facebook.com/groups/YouKnowYouveLivedinThailandwhen/   

so once a month I will contribute to this.

The Weekend in Pattaya

Pattaya is somewhere which I first experienced 30 years ago and we stayed at the Royal Cliff Hotel and we were going back there for the weekend.

We needed breakfast so we stopped at the Silver Lake Vineyard but it was closed so we went back to the big rock with the Buddha carving on it - Khao Chi Chan - Buddha Mountain OR Laser Mountain.

 Then to the Viharna Sien - a Chinese Temple which has now become a museum for collectable antiques - quite spectacular! Then it was back to Silver Lake.

Jemma spotted an upside house - so we had a play at Upside-down Pattaya.

Then on to the Amari Residences for somewhere to stay - very nice, the pool with the swim-up bar and slide were fun - nobody else in the pool!

Then out for dinner at The Sky Gallery - nice food and nice sunset.

Then the Chocolate Factory for a coffee and dessert.

The next morning we drove up Wat Phra Tamanak Mountain - a small temple on the top of a steep hill but adjacent to a very busy tourist spot - Chumponket Udomsak Monument - I think that many people were there for the view 

Then the viewpoint - quite a view! 

Then lunch at Chariot Pub and Restaurant.

Purchased some salt on the way home. Not the Pattaya that many people see...

bangkok 101 - April 2018

So how much was in this months issue of Bangkok 101? 

So much....

Loha Prasart - things to visit in Bangkok

Loha Prasart (โลหะปราสาท, วัด​ราชนัดดารามวรวิหาร) is somewhere which is ​quite spectacular. 

The Loha Prasat is a metal castle with its 37 spikes within a Buddhist Complex.

"Loha Prasat, which means iron castle or iron monastery (โลหะปราสาท), is composes of five towers, of which the outer, middle and the center tower contain large black iron spires. The 37 virtues that are required to reach enlightenment are signified by 37 black metal spires. The 36 m high multi-tiered structure consists 3 levels, the bottom one has 24 spires, the middle one 12 and the top level has 1 spire." - wikipedia

There is a great beauty to this place - there is only one of these types of castle left in the whole world.  

The complex is quite extensive and the castle was the focus today. The castle is certainly impressive and if you want to enter.

there is a small entry fee. The floors inside have a great amount of detail that you may want to read about the history of the castle.

The wall are also lined with a number of Buddhist statues.

 


Then you reach the top and are able to walk out on to the top  - it is all really quite breathtaking.

Then you can take a look across Bangkok city - fabulous.

I have visited her more than once

and the Golden Mount is just a short distance away - grab yourself a coffee on the hill at Golden Mount Coffee.

For more things to visit in Bangkok please visit - timinphuket-thingstodo. 

 

Who are these archers?

The more time I spend looking the more things that I see - who are these archers on the top of two buildings and what do they represent?

Do you understand?

A Bangkok Walk - Yaowarat

 

It was time to try the first of the 15 Walking Routes in Bangkok - thank you to the TAT and Richard Barrow...

Onto the MRT and I got off at the Hua Lamphong Railway Station - quite a 'blast from the past' - more photographs coming on http://timinphuket-thingstodo.blogspot.com. but I have to admit that I did not find the small museum. In the distance I saw a large spire so I wandered over - it was Wat Tramitr Withayaram. 

And it was packed with tourists - you needed to buy a ticket before you entered. Then there were tourists following a flag - with coaches outside - so the peace was not there.

Stop 1: Yaowarat China Town Heritage Museum - well it is in the grounds at Wat Tramitr Withayaram but I did not stay long enough to find it.

Stop 2: China Town Gateway  - a wonderful and unexpected part of a roundabout marking one entrance to China Town,built in 1999 to commemorate the King's birthday. There was what looked like a wedding celebration underneath it so I decided to stay away.

Then it was time to visit Yaowrat Road and China Town - it was busy - the last time I visited was in the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Stop 3: Eiah Sae 益生 - this is one of the last traditional coffee shops that can be found in Bangkok and in all the chaos I could not find it...

Stop 4: Tang Toh Kang Gold Shop - one of the original gold shops in Bangkok - still trading and there is a museum inside - there were a lot of gold shops and they were full of people and I could not find it- even with the GPS...  

Stop 5: Thai Heng Restaurant - a traditional Chinese restaurant which is very popular with the local community, there are a lot of restaurants around here - could not find this one...

Stop 6: Wat Bampen Chine Prote (Wat Yong Hok Yi) วัดบำเพ็ญจีนพรต (วัดย่งฮกยี่) - a small Wat which was a place for solace and retreat - very nice.

Stop 7: Wat Kanmatuyaram (Wat Yo Khan Tue) วัดกันมาตุยาราม - a Sri-Lankan style bell can be found in the grounds but it was being renovated when I visited - nice gate

Stop 8: Wat Mangkon Kamalawat - still known as Wat Leng Noei Yi and is a very large structure and very busy with tourists.

Then it was time to go back to the street markets - now these were extremely busy

Stop 9: Leng Buai la Shrine - a small shrine with an ancient bell and a special incense burner inside, in a quiet corner next to the bustling markets

Stop 10: Thian Fah Foundation Hospital - started in 1902 and their goal was to treat the impoverished and is still helping people today, next to a Chinese Shrine.

Which was another place to visit. 

After this I needed some food - so it was street food served around the China Town Gateway - very nice.