Staycation

With international travel restricted these days, it was a 'no-brainer' for me to stay in Thailand this Christmas and New Year's break. Fortunately, there are touristy areas available in Thailand which make travel within our borders extremely attractive.

For instance, there are many hotels located along the Chao Praya River here in Bangkok, all with wonderful views.  The fun part is taking what are called "river taxis" from one destination to another.

This year I stayed at the Ramada Menam Riverside Hotel just after Christmas and into the New Year.  

Here are some evening photos from the river taxi and a view of the river at night from my hotel room.

Shopping along the Chao Praya River

Taking the river taxi, I traveled a few stops from the Ramada to the dock #9 to visit the local Starbucks.  I've been to this location numerous times so I knew exactly how to get here.  Needless to say, it is a beautiful spot to sit by the river while working on my Scriptural Concordance.  Then it was off to a new mall called Iconsiam for dinner and a movie on the other side of the Chao Praya.

Another day during my stay, I played tourist and visited the Grand Palace and Temple of Emerald Buddha.  This was a journey all its own so I created another post and recorded my experiences there.

Mae Phim and Bangkok escapes

The rest of my Christmas break was spent relaxing and doing errands in Mae Phim and Bangkok.  I wrote about these areas of Thailand in other posts so I won't risk repeating myself here.  Needless to say, it is wonderful to be able to enjoy different locations right within my country of residence!  

I always find it fascinating that Thailand enjoys decorating for Christmas but they don't take the actual Christmas day (December 25) off like western countries.  I suppose the true meaning of Christmas is not of interest to most Thai natives because they follow the Buddhist faith.  

On a personal note, as a Christian, I sure hope and pray the Thai people learn the real meaning of Christmas -- Christ coming to earth with a specific purpose of showing us His deity, showing us how we should live and offering a way of salvation from our sin.  It sure is a different story than Santa Claus coming down the chimney!

Javation

OK, I know I'm stretching it a bit combining Java and Vacation but I must admit that coffee shops have become a bit of a 'draw' for me especially when I have time outside of working hours. Fortunately, there are enough Starbucks around Thailand to satisfy the java cravings when they hit. 

And now, as of last year, the Canadian icon Tim Horton's has landed on our shores! As if I needed more temptation =)  

Of course, there are some interesting flavor combos that you wouldn't exactly see in the typical Canadian Tim Horton's like the Maple-Bacon donut!  I found one donut shop in 2018 Quebec that serves this unique flavor combo... I guess both Canadian bacon and maple syrup are identified with Canada... but together on a donut?