A Little Look at Shenzhen

On to the next city!

There are so many places in the world to discover! I know it's not possible to see them all, but my list keeps growing the more I travel. China is one of those countries where my list of cities to see keeps expanding.

My trip to Shenzhen (just less than an hour north of Hong Kong) was very brief, but still a great look into more of what China offers. After Shanghai and Hong Kong, Shenzhen is the third busiest port in China. It's booming economy is so evident in all structures and modern buildings.

Here's a little 360 look from our hotel of Shenzhen. This is just a very small area, compared to the whole of the city.

Place your cursor above "Notes" on the last picture, as there is a little caption.

Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Lord Jim's at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok

For a very special occasion dinner, my family and I dined at Lord Jim's in the Mandarin Oriental. It is the hotel's seafood restaurant. The indoor setting is pleasant and filled with seafood, both live and ready to be cooked, as you enter.

I love the slow pacing of special occasion restaurants. You get to enjoy your food at your own pace and enjoy your company throughout the meal. It's also great with the chef provides extra treats, like an amuse bouche and palate cleanser. It makes for a more enjoyable and special night.

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Salathip at the Shangri-la Bangkok Hotel

Taking a quick boat ride across the Chao Phraya River, my parents and I ventured to the Shangri-la Hotel. After walking around the hotel grounds, we saw the beautiful setting of their Thai restaurant, Salathip. It's nicely set with both indoor and outdoor dining. It was another great dinner and meal in Bangkok. It always seems like all our Thai meals are so memorable and delicious.

The dishes, especially, the appetizer are all so fun to look at and eat. Eating is not just about sustenance, but about enjoying life and what's given to us.

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Thiptara at the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok

Whenever I travel I really enjoy eating at our hotel's restaurant, especially if they have a restaurant with their local cuisine. These hotel restaurants (while a bit pricey) are so authentic and with a most beautiful setting. So, really, the price becomes worth it because of the whole experience.

The Thiptara restaurant in the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok is one of our favorite Thai restaurants. The setting is by the river with an all outdoor setting. The menu has a great variety for everyone to be satisfied. It's always a great experience eating here.

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

The Oriental Thai Cooking School

For my family, any trip to Thailand must include at least one day of a cooking class. I was so excited to go back to Bangkok with my parents. After looking through the various menus, we decided to go back to The Oriental Thai Cooking School in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

My first experience last year was so enjoyable. I learned so much more about Thai cuisine. And by learning so much more, it made me enjoy the cuisine even more! In fact, after last year's trip Thai cuisine became one of my favorite cuisines (probably right after Japanese and Spanish).

This year's cooking class was just as enjoyable! And actually because of the lessons it made Thai cuisine more approachable and easier to make at home. All the recipes we learned were comfort dishes and really easy to make. I can't wait to try these recipes soon!

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Fresh Thai Ingredients and Herbs

If you're into food and cooking, you must try out a cooking class in Thailand! It totally heightened my appreciation and love of Thai cuisine. Before getting into our cooking class, here's a little sneak into basic Thai ingredients and Thai herbs.

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Jim Thompson's House in Bangkok

If you happen to have an hour or less of free time, another sight to see in Bangkok is a visit to Jim Thompson's house. If you have a keen interest into the lives of spies, you might find this particularly interesting.

Jim Thompson was an American intelligence officer who eventually found happiness and settled in Bangkok. In the 50s and 60s he revitalized the Thai silk industry. During a trip to Malaysia, he mysteriously (or perhaps, with conspiracy) disappeared and was never seen again.

His silk shops have further expanded with boutiques and outlets. And, his house along the canal has become a tourist attraction.

Here are pictures of his House on the Klong.

Check out my Flickr album, if you can't see the slide show here.

Grand Palace in Bangkok

Back in Bangkok! Last year, my first visit to Thailand was completely about the food. My sightseeing consisted of the local markets. This time around, we decided to see a little more of the capital.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok has been the royal residence of the Thai Kings since the 18th century, as well as housing government buildings. The current king no longer resides there, but royal events are still held throughout the year.

The palace grounds consists of several intricately designed buildings. If it wasn't for the heat and harsh sunlight, I could have lingered there longer to just admire all the little details of the structures.

Here are pictures from my brief visit to the Grand Palace. If you find yourself in Bangkok, I recommend checking this place out.

Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

New Updates Soon!

Hi Readers!

Just wanted to let you know that I'll be back in full force this coming Monday with updates from my recent set of trips. Expect food and travel pictures from Bangkok, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.

See you all back here on Monday!

Private Dining at Makati Shangri-La

To wrap up the birthday celebrations, my family and I enjoyed a Sunday lunch at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. We chose to have a private function room which was catered with Japanese cuisine.

The selection was pretty good, and the highlight of it all was the made-to-order sukiyaki station. If you have a large family or group, this is definitely a good option for an enjoyable meal in a private setting.

Place your cursor above "Notes" to read a little more about some of the pictures.

Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Red at Makati Shangri-La

After our experience at The Fireplace (see post below), my parents and I decided to enjoy a meal at Red at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati. Red is turning out to be one of my favorite occasion restaurants. And some occasions are simply a celebration of life.

When we got to the restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised to see a special 7-course menu specifically for Valentine's Day weekend. There were two menus: the black side for the men which had more meats and the red side for the women which had more seafood. So my mom and I selected the black side which sounded more appetizing and fulfilling because of the meat course.

Place your cursor above "Notes" to read a little more about some of the pictures.

Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.