Thailand Travel: Tasty, Tropical, Tuk Tuks, Traffic

Another New Year: This one in the Tropics

We were home in Milwaukee for Rosh Hashanah, we were in Beijing for the New Year of 2023, and we spent the Lunar New Year (of the Rabbit) in Bangkok. 

This was my fourth or fifth time in Thailand’s vast capital city, and let’s just say neither the traffic nor the official air quality has improved. However, perhaps because of the time of the year, most of our time in Thailand was less humid than previous visits in fall months and late February. Temperatures were mostly in the high 80s during the day, there was often a breeze, and being outside wasn’t nearly as oppressive as in the past. And, in truth, at least Eli and I actively tried not to run around constantly. We’d seen the major sites, we’ve bought all the Thai (or any Asian) stuff we ever wanted, I didn’t have business meetings as during my trips in the 1990s–it was vacation. 

Grandparents and Other “Tenders” of Mirah and Rivah

Fortunately, we weren’t just schlep-along old people or constant baby-sitters, but we sure did have fun with the kids. In all three places we visited–Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket–we had nice accommodations, nice pools, and activities for the girls where we stayed. Mirah and Rivah headed for playgrounds and enjoyed group classes doing artwork, singing, dance, etc., as well as swimming and, in Phuket, the beach. Another plus was that their family friends whose daughter is Mirah’s best friend in Beijing were with us in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The husband/father is Thai-Chinese, so they were visiting his family in Bangkok, as well as traveling around. Mirah and MioMio (spelling?) are a cute pair, and Rivah tags along with the five-year-olds, who tolerate her well. Occasionally, Eli and I let the two families go off on their own, and we did our thing.

Tasty! Lots of Tasting!

As Amy and Jonathan own four Thai restaurants called Pak Pak in Beijing (as well as the Vietnamese brand Susu), trips to Thailand are a lot about food. The MioMio family is also into it, and they’re forthcoming partners in a new Thai boat noodle venture. We went to a lot of places that had been researched ahead of time, and the food was pretty fabulous. Also some great settings! Eli and I also got very used to having the food mavens order for us–but managed to regain this ability when we were on our own.

Even the shopping mall food courts offer vast choices of fine food. At one, Paragon Siam in Bangkok, we were trying out a boat noodle place for lunch and had to wait for a table. It was Jonathan’s birthday.  Eli and I snuck away to a bakery counter and bought two gorgeous cakes for that evening’s dinner. We told Mirah and said it was a secret, but that didn’t last long.

The ultimate Thai food experience was a private (outdoor) cooking class at the resort in Phuket. The focus was charcoal grilled satay (kebabs in other cultures)–chicken, beef, fish–in various marinades, with a couple of salad side dishes. The resort chef, from Malta, organized this for Amy and Jonathan, and it made for a casual early dinner with leftovers we gave to beach attendants and another family we met.

Birthday Party Attended by Ages 83 (Eli) to Five Days (Baby Elias)

Amy and Jonathan and their friends are also friendly with a couple, Xiur (spelling? pronounced Shiur, like lesson in Hebrew) and Harold, who, in the COVID surge, decided to leave Beijing and go to Bangkok for the birth of their new baby. Little Elias arrived the day we did. He made an appearance at Jonathan’s celebration five days later, first at the tapas pre-party the new parents hosted and our dinner at the nearby 28th floor rooftop restaurant in their temporary apartment building. Harold is Dutch, and in the wine business, and Xiur is a fancy food purveyor. Very charming, interesting, and also “good orderers.”

Tuk Tuk Transport

Thailand is known for these open-air vehicles that weave in and out of traffic. They’re great fun, assuming you survive. The hotel doormen warn you to bargain on the price with the drivers. If, however, they’re the only game around to get you where you want to go, you just say “fine” and get in. The difference in baht (the Thai currency which is about 32:1 US$) between, say 150 and 200 is about 1.5 cents, but it’s all relative to the standard there. Mirah and Rivah loved these rides. We did, too, holding on to them very tightly, of course.

Heading Out: Up to China and Down Under

This past Friday we all flew back to Bangkok from Phuket, checked into an airport hotel, and went into the city for one last group dinner with the other family and a mutual friend–another Jonathan, who lives in Beijing and was in Bangkok for a conference. After a pretty short night, Saturday morning we checked in at the Bangkok airport (a terrible airport), then said goodbye, as the families departed back to Beijing to return to work and school, and Eli and I embarked on an eight-hour flight to Melbourne, Australia. We were all a little sad to part, but it was time. Plus, we are going back to Beijing after Australia. 

Photos from Thailand below. More to come from Australia (which we are loving)!