We safely arrived back in Frankfurt today, but alas, our bags haven’t just yet… We had to change Terminals (3 to 5) in Heathrow which we managed to do just in time (as we approached our gate, we heard the final call) despite all efforts of the useless BAA to make us miss the flight (not enough buses, not enough security checkpoints, unmotivated staff, etc). Apparently our bags weren’t so lucky so rather than unpacking and preparing the laundry, I can write up a few more random thoughts about our trip. Here we go:
- Check out Google Earth and look for Chatrium Residence or Lebua at State Tower – someone (the hotel owners?) have put pretty good 3D models of their buildings online. If you follow the river North you will also find the Grand Palace and some of the Wats I mentioned in my blog. Very cool.
- In the IMAX Cinema, there was a teenager washing his face with some special teenage pimple killing lotion in the men’s room.
- Before the film, there was a maybe 2 minute long clip with footage of the Thai King with some very loud music (national anthem I guess) and everyone in the theatre got up when the clip started. Need to have words with Queen Elizabeth when I’m back in the UK…
- Japanese Restaurants seem to be very popular in Bangkok. Especially at the Food Plaza in Paragon Shopping Centre there is an abundance of Japanese options, from all-round restaurants like „Fuji“ (we had lunch there – very good value for money) to very posh places charging European level prices, and from a Ramen restaurant to a Japanese Burger (!!) outfit – you’re spoiled for choice!!
- Not Thailand related, but somehow still linked due to my previous holiday plans: I read an article in the current issue of Time Magazine comparing the ratio between donations and the estimate damage for the recent Tsunami in Japan and previous disasters such as the Tsunami on Boxing Day 2004, the Tsunami devastating Haiti on 12th January 2010 and others, showing that the support for Japan is substantially lagging behind. I have made a donation myself but find it difficult to recommend an organisation – I donated to the Red Cross, only to read in the LA Times (online) that the $1bn that the Japanese Red Cross have collected so far are not flowing to the people quickly enough. Then again, other reports are praising the Japanese Red Cross for their relentless efforts since the Tsunami hit on 11th March.