Chasing the perfect Fuji shot

[drron]

Time to board. No F today but 20+ in Group 1. We are towards the front of Group 2. One good Thing is preboarding for young children are those up to 2 years of age. Several turned back.
Soon in our seats And I have Pinched JohnM's seat - 1A. The good thing about this seat set up is my computer bag fits under the tunnel. Just as well because not much other storage available.








And my view.


And off we go. A pretty long taxi.






And the usual send off from JAL staff.

 

[Matt_01]

@drron I appreciate the write up for the Villa Fontaine Grande hotel. I am heading back to North Asia this week.

 

[drron]

Rain getting heavier.


And crossing a runway.

 

[drron]

By the time we got near our runway the rain was really heavy so no take off photos.






But the Menu.

 

[drron]

And the beverages list.















So after take off my glass of CH. You don't get offered PDB of champagne but sometimes i have asked for it and I did get it. today didn't really feel i needed it.

 

[drron]

Lunch is served.










Beautiful tastes and great presentation.
Mrsdrron started with the sqid salad. I encouraged her to try it. She thought it was very good


her beef fillet was as she likes it more medium but so tender and tasty.


Simple icecreams for dessert..

 

[drron]

For the first few hours there was complete cloud cover. It wasn't until we were north east of BKK that it cleared.










In the last bit of our descent into BKK it was clearer than I have ever seen it. No cloud and not much haze. just some smoke from burn offs.


A golf course developement.


Aquaculture.

 

[drron]

Lots of new housing developements.

 

[drron]

Very close to BKK.




















And coming in to our gate.

 

[drron]

So now it was off to the IC Bangkok. We stayed for the first time in January and thought it might become our new home in Bangkok. They started this second stay well and truly on the front back. As we walked out of Customs at exit B this fellow detached himself from the waiting scrum and came up to us and saying Welcome Drron and Mrsdrron.
Then when we arrived at the hotel I found that they had actually taken notice of the note I wrote on leaving the last time. I had said the only problem with our room was that below us the BTS trains made a sharp turn generating noise. Not that caused us problems with sleep as they don't run from midnight to 6am. But I asked for a room on the opposite side towards the back. And that's what we got and 10 floors higher.

We are here just to relax and chill out. Much warmer than December/January so no long walks this time. It will mainly be a smorgasboard of club IC offerings. But I start with one of the coughtails that was on the specials for 3 of our 6 nights. Botanicals with Iron balls gin a local Thai brand. I really liked it.


So to the food offerings. The menu.




Mrsdrron had the duck breast. very nice. And I started with a beautiful mushroom soup.




Now things from the buffet.









From those I liked the salmon but loved the Thai seafood.

 

[drron]

Loved the pickles.


And they had sushi every night. the tuna ,salmon and prawns were fine but the others ordinary.




Foie gras terrine.




Beautiful blue cheese.






The creme brulee was one of our favourites.

 

[drron]

And to finish off the night's offerings.











And always beautiful flowers.

 

[drron]

Breakfast the next morning.




And the buffet.

 

[drron]

The roasted eggplant became a favourite of mine. On the right in the above photo.

 

[drron]

For the ordered dish mrsdrron had the french Tosst and I the Thai fried rice with egg.




And once again lovely flower.

 

[drron]

Views from the lounge. First in the morning.






And then at night.

 

[drron]

Second might with different hot dishes.




I had the Tom Yum which was excellent and the Thai chicken which was tasty.




And a few different buffet items.

 

[drron]

Second night continued.




The wines. No champagne but a Prosecco.

 

[drron]

Breakfast in the morning. eggs Benedict were pretty good and as I have said their blue cheese is excellent.




The menu for that night.


Mrsdrron had the beef cheeks.


And I had the Coconut soup and the pork curry. both very tasty.




And some more different things on the buffet.






Take note that they put out a Quinoa salad.

 

[drron]

Up until now the IC club was uncrowded and a relaxed place with wonderful service. But about 1830 on Thursday night an invasion took place. First 20 Chinese arrived and soon after about 10 from India. The place was suddenly packed. It was like peak hour in a QP.
I wondered why they had put out 2 trays of sushi plus some extra buffet items.




These were new.






About 15 minutes of the new arrivals the buffet was virtually bare. All the sushi had gone and on the savoury side the only thing left, not surprisingly in my view ,was the Quinoa salad.
Most of the regulars left early including us. The hordes were here for another 2 nights but arrived a bit after 1900 so an hours peace for us.

Now just a few general photos. Everyday was ~ 33C so not conducive to going outside. So I did a bit of mall walking to keep up my steps. Over in the C entral Mall where I walked on 2 of the days there was this incredibly popular shop. The queue when I took this was about the shortest it had been in those 2 days.

From the IC you could walk out through the Gaysorn Plaza which is connected. It has moved up market.




When you leave there there is an elevated walkway you can take right up to the Pratunam Market. I didn't go that far this time just over to Central. One day a car display outside.


The road is always busy.