Every opportunity granted by God for us siblings to travel together is such a great gift. One of our favorite destinations is Thailand.
This country has become extra special to us of late because my sister Christine received in 2008 the honorable title “Friend of Thailand,” a prestigious journalism award accorded by the Thailand Tourism Authority to writers who have extensively written noteworthy articles about Thailand.
Recently, I joined my sisters Christine and Yvonne to Bangkok via Thai Airways for a weekend R&R. After collecting our suitcases, we quickly hailed a pink cab to the Sukhothai on 13/3 South Sathorn Road where Christine prepared a special treat for us. She also explained that the hotel is a landmark in Bangkok and is a member of the World’s Leading Hotels.
When our taxi entered the hotel premises, we felt like we were in an oasis in the middle of this bustling city. A shady tree-lined drive dotted with lotus laden earthenware vats was a refreshing welcome. Hypnotized by the charm of reflection pools and resplendent gardens, we hastily alighted from the vehicle as the smiling doorman opened the glass doors.
An enthusiastic welcome ensued from spunky Khun Ladawan of Sukhothai. Spontaneously we embarked on a walkthrough of the hotel’s impressive lobby salon, sauntering into the coffee and tea lounge. It was here with great flourish that she presented their sumptuous weekend chocolate buffet, as I clapped my hands in childish glee. A taste of their oval dark chocolate truffles drove my chocoholic soul to heaven.
Engaged in animated conversation, we traipsed through the popular La Scala, admiring the contemporary splendor of this Italian dining room filled with an extensive wine selection, and the ambience of the Zuk Bar with its adjoining outdoor cocktail lounge. We were already in the elevator eager to view our suite when I was politely approached by the doorman. Discreetly he whispered, “I am sorry to bother you, madam, but, but your cab driver (and he pointed to his watch) said he is still waiting.”
Oh no! This had never happened to us before. So enchanted by the place, we just jumped out of the pink cab to ogle Sukhothai’s beauty. Extremely embarrassed, my very proper sister Yvonne ran down the symmetrical Collonades profusely apologizing to the driver as she settled our fare. The gentle cabbie flashed an understanding smile. This incident witnessed by an amused staff made everyone burst into peals of convivial laughter turning us all into instant friends.
With that cabbie experience, we knew our vacation would be a fun and memorable one. So we proceeded to our room. The key unlocked deluxe suite 501. We found ourselves inside a delightful royal salon decorated with rich handwoven fabrics, fine teak furnishings and warm silken colors. The most unexpected surprise of all was the ultra spacious bathroom, which was even bigger than the roomy bedroom! Upon close inspection, it was designed to function more than just a bathroom. It was a dressing room, fitting room and living room merged into one delightful boudoir. We found lots of closet and shoe space, a safety vault, two large sinks, two beauty counters situated across each other on opposite ends of the room to avoid us crowding around one sink. How very thoughtful! There was a shower in a quiet corner, a tub on the other, and right smack in the middle of those warm teakwood floors was a comfy settee. This turned out to be a perfect spot for our sisterly fashion shows after clothes shopping. The roomy bedroom and separate sitting room had a serene lotus garden view. Yes we were in the heart of a bustling city but the city was no where in sight from the Sukhothai hotel.
Little thoughtful touches we truly appreciated were evident everywhere, like the jewel box placed in the safety vault to keep wedding bands, earrings and watches properly stored. A restful sleep for guests was clearly their priority courtesy of the hotel’s extensive pillow menu. When I was much younger I slept fitfully on any pillow or even none. But being in my late forties has its little discomforts. Christine tried all the pillow choices and declared the relaxing chamomile and lavender pillows her favorites. Yvonne chose the eco-friendly hypoallergenic buckwheat pillows. I was very grateful for the memory foam pillow that provided unrivalled support to the contours of my neck and shoulders. There were also pillows for pregnant women on the pillow menu. How thoughtful indeed!
At dawn I rose with a thankful heart. As I read the day’s gospel, birds hovered above the koi ponds to hop merrily on the treetops outside my window. For breakfast at Collonade, amiable F&B manager Khun Botan and her attentive staff cheerfully sat us at a table by a wide tiled pond. From the gentle waters emerged several brick “stupas,” proud architectural symbols of a great Thai heritage.
Unlike other bountiful buffet spreads, healthy yet delicious choices were not difficult to find here. Christine was still enjoying her morning swim amidst tropical perfection as Yvonne and I were contemplating a hearty fix. Playing chefs, we embarked on our own concoctions. We filled our salad bowls with a variety of chilled crispy greens, fresh figs, French brie, which we sliced into cubes, crunchy water chestnuts, walnuts and pecans, pomelo and Thai mangoes, smoked Norwegian salmon, which we lightly drizzled with orange honey, topped with a scoop of creamy, dreamy lemon dressing. And this was only the beginning as we purred in sisterly delight.
Next we feasted on hot grilled delicate saba with a light teriyaki glaze, stewed pumpkin slices, beancurd skin sushi with Japanese rice. Egg white omelettes with fresh sauteed mushrooms sizzling on a hot skillet landed on our plates. As if she knew that we were trying to keep healthy, a lady appeared at our table offering us sweet carrot, pink guava and apple nectar straight from her juicer.
The beauty of the destination is always heightened by the care of dear old friends who keep you coming back time and time again. At Sukhothai, we reconnected with our good old friend, lovely Khun Wannapa Rakkeo, communications director of the hotel. She made a booking for us at the hotel’s award-winning Thai restaurant Celadon for dinner on our last night. In an elegant sala overlooking a lotus pond, we enjoyed crisp and light salmon skin in an aromatic basil coriander dip, seafood soup served in a coconut shell as we scraped up the young milky goodness of its meat. We wolfed down the deep fried crispy fish gently smothered with savory sauce, sweet soft-shelled curry crab among other sumptuous dishes. The food and ambience created a divine feeling that made us want to linger a little bit more. Though, we must admit, we missed our two other siblings Mark and Ate Jaqui, who are our family chefs back home.
On our last day, we made a final stop at the Thimian Gourmet Shop. Swiss chef par excellence Laurent Ganguillet came whistling out of his kitchen just as we were picking up his masterpieces. We demurely promised to control ourselves from devouring those irresistible chocolate truffles to share with our loved ones, as he wished us a sweet journey back home.
Oh, the opportunity of travelling with my siblings remains to be a top moment in my life that I will always welcome.
(Would love to hear from you at miladayjewels@yahoo.com.)