February 2017
N o w o n l i n e a t : w w w. i s s u u . c o m / n n r t h a n i t a l k
Thani Talk NONTHABURI NEIGHBORHOOD REACH
Serving the Nonthaburi community and supporting local charities since 1994
Cover Story: Annual Travel Issue: Ballooning In Myanmar & More Pages 10-19
Thani Talk is generously sponsored by:
Grapevine:
PEOPLE:
Great Tips About Local Services
Profile of Cherry Thamthai
Pages 28-29
Page 40
About NNR & Thani Talk NNR (Nonthaburi Neighborhood Reach) is a not-for-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to serving the Nonthaburi community and supporting local charities since 1994. We achieve this by publishing Thani Talk, a free monthly magazine that has a distribution of 1,400 copies, as well as hosting an annual charity bazaar. We host monthly socials and organize monthly tours. There are no membership dues, and anyone living in Nonthaburi is already a member.
Connect with NNR
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issuu.com/nnrthanitalk
sites.google.com/site/nnrguide
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DISCLAIMER: The placement of advertisements and articles in this newsletter does not constitute or imply endorsement by the NNR of any product or service. The NNR accepts no responsibility for any claims made in any advertisement and the opinions expressed in any articles are not necessarily the views of the NNR committee.
NNR BOARD 2016-2017 Chairperson
Henrietta Bullinger
Hbullinger@gmail.com
Vice Chairperson
Sally Elliot
sallyelliott@me.com
Treasurer
Sandra Wilson
nnrthaitreasurer@gmail.com
Activity/Tour Coordinators
Susanne Rodrigues Elizabeth Bredin
NNR Socials
Denise Warta
Charity & Volunteer Coordinators
Wanda Grove Sandra Wilson Laura Sadowski Ginny Condra Liz Lu (Editor) See below for Thani Talk Team
Advertisements Thani Talk News Team Distribution Coordinator
092-458-3505
suratoru@yahoo.co.uk esbredin@gmail.com cdwarta@yahoo.com nnrcharity@gmail.com
089-924-5306
Shana DeHaven
nnradverts@yahoo.com nnrnews@gmail.com sdehaventhai@hotmail.com
Thani Talk Team: Proofreader (Ginny Condra), Ad consultant ( Laura Sadowski), Graphics consultants (Bill Fear, Shea Barnett), Restaurant reviewers (John Marinos, Vara Sumetanon, Barb Lewis) Grapevine Leads (Catherine Miller).
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Letter from the NNR President
Welcome! Greetings for 2017 Happy New Year to all returning families and our new community members. Although typically August is the biggest intake of new families, we also see several folks joining the Nichada “bubble” after the winter holiday season. Welcome to all of you. I hope everyone has had a restful and fun break and that you are enjoying the unseasonably cool weather – for all you new folks, yes this is “winter” in Thailand. Nonthaburi Neighborhood Reach (NNR) is a not-for-profit organization of volunteers. We publish a free monthly magazine, Thani Talk, organize an annual charity bazaar, and host monthly socials and excursions. There are no membership dues, and everyone living in the neighborhood is already a member.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to Livonia Winkles for all her hard work as NNR treasurer over the past 2 years. Livonia has an attention to detail and a way with numbers that has really stood NNR in good stead, and we are fortunate to have benefitted from her professional expertise. Luckily Livonia is not leaving the community, she has decided to dedicate her time to her studies, her church and her family. We are sad to see her leave the NNR Board but wish her all the best, and I am happy that this is not a good bye to my dear friend. Thanks to Sandra Wilson, who has been one of the wonderful NNR charity coordinators, for stepping up and taking over as Treasurer. NNR is currently transitioning several Board positions. Henrietta Bullinger, NNR President
Inside This Issue
Calendar of Events
About NNR & Thani Talk Letter from the NNR President NNR Social NNR Tour Cover Story: Annual Travel Issue Fitness & Activities Heard it Through the Grapevine Religious Venues Highlights: NNR Social Charity News: Community News PEOPLE Restaurant Review
2 3 4 5 10 22 28 32 34 36 37 40 49
Jan. 28 - Feb. 2: Chinese New Year Celebration. (Year of the Rooster) Feb. 7: NNR Social (Make-up Tips) Feb. 10: NNR Tour (Walking tour of downtown Bangkok Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Feb. 18: Secret Garden Feb. 25: Oscar’s Luncheon by American Women’s Club
Cover Photograph submitted by Bill and Mare Harvey
Nonthaburi Neighborhood Reach February 2017
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NNR Social
February NNR Social Tuesday, February 7 10 am - Noon
Hosted by Alyson Espinoza Diaz 598 Tropical Residences Natalie Lorence, freelance makeup artist, will be demonstrating makeup tips for different age groups, skin types and ethnicities. Come enjoy morning coffee and goodies with other Nichada residents. All invited Please bring a small plate of goodies to share. Questions??? Contact cdwarta@yahoo.com 4
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NNR Tour
Walking Tour of Downtown Bangkok Friday, February 10
Join NNR for a Guided Walking Tour of downtown Bangkok and find out … · Why is Monday yellow and Friday blue? · Who is that muscular birdman everywhere? · Why is the road called both Thanon Wittayu and Wireless Road? · What came before the embassies and why did they settle in this neighborhood? · What is a yaam, a win and a khlong and why might they be important to you? · What were the two best deals the British ever made in Bangkok? · Why do some spirit houses look different? · What do Thai Kings have to do with Lumphini Park, clean water and rain?
Date: Friday, February 10, 2017 Time: Meet at 7:30 at the Chevron Theatre, ISB. We will return by 2 pm. To sign up: Please email Elizabeth at ESBredin@ gmail.com Space is limited 12 participants. Susanne Rodriguees & Elizabeth Bredin, NNR Tour Leaders
Do questions like these pique your curiosity? If so, join amateur historian Paul Jorgensen to discover what a Bangkok neighborhood can reveal about Thai culture and history. This entertaining two-hour tour will address these questions and more, and may even change the way you look at Bangkok! Please wear comfortable walking shoes, lightweight clothing, and bring water and a hat. February 2017
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Cover Story: Annual Travel Issue
Ballooning in Myamar Weekend in Bagan
It was easy to travel to Bagan for a weekend so if you don’t have time to spend a week touring around, you can break up your trip into multiple weekend trips. Other places to see in Myanmar would include Yangon, Inlay Lake, and Mandalay. We flew on Air Asia to Yangon and then transferred to the domestic airport to fly to Bagan on KBZ Air (never did find out what that stood for). We were happy with their service. It’s also possible to fly to Bagan via Naypyitaw, the capital of Myanmar. We landed in Bagan just in time to get to the hotel to see the sunset from the bar. It was amazing. Our hotel was called Bagan Thande (thanks Shana), and it is located right on the Irrawaddy River. The sunsets were gorgeous as the sun dropped behind the mountains across the river from the hotel. We really liked the hotel and especially the location in the old city, inside the archeological zone. Our room was well maintained and the staff were very pleasant and helpful. 10
We had breakfast included with our stay and the breakfast buffet was really good. Lots of choice and the food was fresh. They also gave us a free dinner coupon on arrival with a choice from 4 or 5 set menus. We tried some Myanmar food at the hotel and it was delicious. We chose to fly with the balloon company called Oriental Ballooning. There are 3 main companies that work the area, the two others being Balloons Over Bagan and Golden Eagle. All the companies are Myanmar-owned with foreign pilots. The price does vary but only a bit. The price is high but the experience well worth it. It was our first time in a hot air balloon and it was amazing – worth every penny! I would do it again. They picked us up from our hotel at 5am and we went to a staging area where we sat to have coffee or tea and croissants and muffins. It was cooler in the morning so we had long pants and a long sleeve T-shirt on. Some people had jackets. We didn’t have any
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mosquitos on that day, but I have heard that they can be a problem. It was very exciting to watch the balloons being filled with air by giant fans, and then the pilots firing up the big gas torches to do the rest of the job. There were about 12 crew for each balloon. As the sun started to come up we could also see that the two other companies were right beside us. It was absolutely amazing to see all those balloons so close together all being inflated at the same time. Our pilot was Ellie and her husband Phil came along with us. They were nice to talk to and gave us lots of fun facts about ballooning. We learned that there are only about 300 pilots world-wide, and they all move around with the seasons and work in different parts of the world. It was beautiful to see the archaeology zone first thing on Saturday morning as the sun rose on the horizon. It was stunning! It was also helpful to get the lay of the land so we would be ready to tackle the ground adventure later in the day. There are over 3,000 temples and stupas in the area, and it was amazing to see them from above. After the landing we had champagne, orange juice, and fruit to celebrate. Everyone was so excited. We also got a little certificate to commemorate our big adventure. We were back to the hotel by about 8:30am, had a full breakfast, and were ready to head out again by 10am. We rented electric scooters (e-bikes) from the hotel for a very reasonable US$10 per bike for the whole day. We took our tourist map and off we went. It was so easy and so much fun to take the scenic road all around the dirt tracks and see so many temples. Travel Tips: -Take lots of clean, crisp small denomination US money. Make sure they don’t have “CB” in the serial number or no one will take it. -ATMs starting to pop up but not all have great service for international cards. -Be “temple ready” – cover knees and shoulders, and wear sandals because you need to take off your shoes a lot. -Tourism officials at the airport asked for a 25,000 Kyat fee for the Archeology Zone. We paid but not everyone did. Government does spot checks at temples. -Taxi rides were easy with no rip offs. Standard price of 6,000 kyat (we gave US$5) no matter where we went. -The hot air balloon season runs from Oct.-Feb. Mare Harvey February 2017
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3-day Motorcycle road-trip: Bangkok to Myanmar Border and Back!
When my husband said “wives included on the next motorcycle road-trip” I said “yes” for how better to experience the back roads of northeastern Thailand. Day 1 Bangkok--Sangkhlaburi 340km. We gather at Bangkok Baking Co, Sukumvit Road, Soi 2, at 8am. Scott and I ride up on our Honda Magna circa 1987 greeted by Robert, our trip leader, and his girlfriend on a newer Kawasaki Versys followed by another couple on their Ducati Multistrada and then a single rider on his Ducati Hypermotard. It was at that moment I realized I was in for quite an adventure. Weaving through the horror of Bangkok traffic and inhaling the spewing exhaust while daintily perspiring in the oven temperature was worth it as we get on out-bound Highway 323, and green flat fields emerge. Clean oxygen and drying wind are our reward with the city traffic now behind us. Valiantly our old Honda purrs and keeps up with the newer bikes that launch down the open road as if on the autobahn. Did I mention the other bikers are Germans on much newer motorcycles? First stop: Kanchanaburi for lunch at a terrace 12
restaurant with its direct view the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. Perfect timing as the famous death train on the Thai-Burma railway slowly creeps past. After stretching our bodies and sharing typical Thai lunch fare we are back on the bikes in search of a gas station and the journey ahead. 2nd stop Hin Dat hot springs, refreshing opportunity to soak away our road grime in cooling waters of shallow river before we begin our ascent up curving mountain roads. Entry 20 baht each includes dressing room/shower stalls, and three geothermal soaking pools. Sai Yok Nat’l Park has shopping and food stalls. Reaching Sangkhlaburi just before dusk we are warmly welcomed to The Burmese Inn perched upon viewpoint overlooking the expansive Saphan Mon bridge. A short walk down the hill, cross the red bridge and we are on ‘the bridge of friendship”, longest wooden bridge in Thailand. It was manually constructed by the Mon community to link Thai, Mon, Karen and Burmese people. Sunday morning the bridge serves as spectacular alms giving route for local monks.
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Day 2 Three Pagoda Pass--Srinakarin Reservoir 215km. We add the 40km side trip and head up to Three Pagoda Pass. There are literally three pagodas and a gate to Myanmar. The Indian influence on Burmese food was a nice treat as the vendor fried fresh pakora for us to taste. Small shops provided Mon and Karen tribe gift items. The short-cut to Huay Mae Khamin waterfalls includes 50 km of very pot-holed dirt road. Entry to Srinakarin National Park is 20 baht per bike and includes dressing room/shower stalls. A short hike down a gentle staircase takes us to a reinvigorating dip in fresh turquois pool complete with waterfall shower to blast off our dust coated bodies. Clean but starving, we luckily find a stall serving Kanom Krok, coconutrice pancakes. The owner opens the stall to serve our happy group coconut pancakes fresh off the grill. To avoid riding after dark we skip the ferry route, opting to ride around the shore and back up the west
February 2017
side of Srinakarin Resevoir. Suddenly an unplanned detour for Scott and me as our bike goes on gas reserves. We coast downhill on Highway 3199 and are ecstatic to find a gas station nestled along the Mae Nam Kwai Yai. Heading back up the west side we reunite with the speeding Germans. Arriving at dusk we are impressed with the opulence of The Raja Buri Resort. Reception and restaurant are located over-looking the floating cabins down on water level. Our group is the only week-day booking so the entire resort is peacefully ours. The staff spoils us with personal service and delicious Thai dishes rapidly produced from the kitchen. Bedtime includes fishing from lounge chairs off the back dock of our floating cabin. I awake at sunrise for fishing and kayaking, luckily not hooking one of the famous Snakehead monsters that are frequently pulled from these waters. Day 3 Suphanburi--Bangkok 400km. Last ride is upon us as we careen down the jungle lined curved decent through these conical-giant-termite-hill shaped peaks that create the mountains of northeastern Thailand. Last stop is lunch in the 100-year-old Sam Chuk Market in Suphanburi on the Mae Naam Tha Chean where original wooden shop houses still stand. One more unexpected stop for Scott and me to buy a memory foam pillow, cut it in half, and place it under my tush for the final ride back into the concrete jungle called Bangkok and the completion of our 920 km motorcycle adventure.
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Deborah Wooden
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Hanoi to Sapa – Vietnam Bliss
My husband and I decided to get away from Bangkok for a week around my birthday in September, and we had never been to Vietnam, so that was our destination. Many people told us that if you are going to visit Vietnam don’t miss Sapa. We flew AirAsia out of Don Muang to Hanoi. I must warn you it is a very early morning flight. You get into Hanoi at about 8:30am as the flight is about one hour and forty five minutes, and there is no time change. We went straight to our hotel which was the illustrious Sofitel Legend Metropole. It is not cheap and is the number one hotel in Hanoi according to Tripadvisor. We also got an executive club room which was worth it because of a number of reasons: they greeted us at the door and took us up to the lounge where they offered us complimentary champagne and breakfast while we waited for an early check in for our room. The service was amazing and excellent. I think we were in our room by 10am or so. The hotel was built in 1902 and is one of the oldest most prestigious hotels in Hanoi. It has a bomb shelter underneath the
pool, but you must book to go on a tour of the shelter and the building in advance. It was worth doing. When we first arrived in Hanoi we were there two full days and one night. It rained the first day, but we walked around the city and made a day of it anyway. There is a beautiful lake and on the weekend the streets around the lake are closed to traffic. Fortunately the hotel was not far from the lake and the closed streets, so it was delightful to walk around and see the Old Quarter and the French Quarter. Later that night we walked to the Old Quarter for dinner at Red Bean Restaurant, which is in the La Siesta Hotel. If the service in the restaurant is anything to go by I would think that the hotel would be an excellent choice if you didn’t want something as pricey as Sofitel. Red Bean Restaurant food was traditional Vietnamese food modernized, very tasty and very fragrant. We drank Sangria which was an unusual offering but delicious and suited the food. Beer is also a good alternative.
Like Bangkok, Hanoi was hot and humid, we were looking forward to cooler climes of Sapa. The manager at the Red Bean gave us excellent advice and information about Sapa and Hanoi. The street life around the restaurant was amazing – you could just wander around and eat street food if you so chose (we did not) and listen to great music. The next day we visited the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. The museum examines the cultural lives and customs of the 54 ethnics groups in Vietnam. It was a fascinating museum and well worth the trip by taxi. They have a fully built display of different types 14
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of ethnic houses in their outside gardens. There are many ways to get to Sapa. Many people take a bus, which takes about 5 hours, or a car which takes about the same amount of time. One can also take an overnight train and since we had never really done any train travel of this kind, we thought it would be fun to try this mode. Tripadvisor recommended the Victoria Resort Hotel and Spa train as the best. However, to take this train you must be staying at the hotel so we stayed at the hotel for three nights and were in Sapa for four days. You leave by train around 10pm and arrive around 6am in the morning. It isn’t the most comfortable sleep, but it is an experience. Hotel check-in is awkward so early in the morning, but the hotel staff tried to do their best to accommodate you. In Sapa you must go trekking. Many people do several day treks with homestays in mountain tribe homes, but since we had already booked and paid for the hotel this wasn’t a possibility, so we only wanted to do day treks. We had also read that if you go through a tour company in Hanoi that your mountain tribe guides only get about 12 dollars, but if you book a trek
directly with one of the mountain tribes women, then all the money goes to her and her family. Only the women are guides because they self teach each other English, and the men only work in the fields. The mountain tribe women are very industrious; they work in the fields, sew, weave, dye, embroider, do batik (depending on the tribe), sell their handicrafts and guide if they can speak English. The tribes people live a very subsistent life style with only one crop of rice per year because it is too cold in Sapa for more. The textiles and embroidery that the Black Hmong and the Red Zao have to sell are amazing. We hiked through these villages with our Red Zao guide Man May; her English was so clear but she could not read or write it. We got to know her through another Black Zao woman I met called Qui. We spent one day wondering around Sapa , two days trekking around the region visiting different tribal villages, and one day having a full day spa treatment before heading back to Hanoi for another day and a night. Back in Hanoi we visited the Ancient Temple of Literature where all the graduating university students go to take their graduation photos. It is a place filled with ancient buildings and tomes of scholars on the backs of giant stone turtles. We ate lunch at a wonderful restaurant called Vietnam Home in the French Quarter. This vacation was truly Vietnam bliss, if you want anymore information about any of the restaurants we went to, places we stayed or things we did you can contact me through Expats of Pakkret Facebook. Barbara Lewis
December 2016
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CONQUERING KYOTO
Vermilion - as far as the eye can see. Vermilion - the bold colour leads my eyes upwards. I am here at the famous Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto is situated 450 kms southwest of Tokyo on the main Japanese island of Honshu, and it is here I find myself in the early mist gazing at this wonder of wonders. I have deliberately arrived here early to beat the crowds that no doubt will be here soon. Selfishly I want these vermilion “torii gates” to myself. The full name of these gates at Inari temple is Senbon Torii or “Thousands of Torii Gates” (I think I saw them all.) I study the map of the climb to Mt Inari situated some 233 meters up from where I stand and so the ascent begins.The day is grey after heavy rain the night before and so the stones steps are at times slippery. Luckily there are the many torii gates to use as props when required. The climb to the top is arduous and sticky from the humidity in the late summer air. Halfway up there is a glorious view of the city of 16
Kyoto.Should I finish here while I can still breathe? A look at the map says “yes”. My heart and my husband say “No”. So up we go passing shrine after shrine protected by statues of foxes and torii gates of all different sizes - but the colour remains the same. We reach the top and begin our descent.We are met along the way by newcomers eager to reach the top through this vermilion haze. One girl is so eager she is lugging a medium sized suitcase up the steep steps! Once down at the bottom the anticipated crowds have arrived and are thronging around the lower shrines with selfie sticks poised and pointing in all directions. It’s time to leave and get back onto one of Kyoto’s city buses to take us back to the Kyoto Train Station. The Kyoto Train station is a hive of activity at any time-day or night. Tourist information is located on the second floor, and it has everything about Kyoto you could possible need to know. I pick up a Kyoto Visitor’s Guide for the current month of September and from there on it becomes my bible and my reference
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for all things Kyoto. I also purchase a day bus pass for 500 Yen (approx 165 baht) there. Normally each ride in a local bus costs 230 yen (approx. 75 baht) for adults and 120 yen for children. With this day pass I can ride on any bus I want and save lots of yen in the process. The main bus station is to be found outside Kyoto Train Station. The bus stops are clearly marked with numbers and destinations, and there are also locals employed there to help you find your way and information boards to get you to the right stop. Once you are on the bus you find that all bus stops have a name. Inside at the front of each bus there is a screen which displays the next few stops. It is in both English and Japanese so very easy to get around. And if by chance you find yourself “misplaced” simply hop on the next bus with “Kyoto Train Station” as its destination. Kyoto as a city is famous for its temples. Each one is unique. One of my favourites is Ginkakuji Temple on Bus number 5 route. It is admired and visited for its raked gardens or “samon”. The word samon means “ripple marks on sand” and represents water in a waterless landscape. Kyoto may be a city of culture and tradition but, in my mind, Kyoto will always be - vermilion. Raewyn Sumatluck
December 2016
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Iceland by Mini Van
If you use social media, you may have recently wondered, “Why are so many people going to Iceland?!”. It seems you can’t scroll through Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest for more than a week without seeing gorgeous shots of Iceland’s northern lights. The little volcanic island has definitely become the #1 vacation hot-spot in recent years. Why is this? A place with only four hours of sunlight in the winter and subzero temperatures doesn’t seem like the balmy destination that appeals to most people for vacation. An article by Vox.com looked into this phenomenon. Fascinatingly, in 1996, Iceland only had 200,000 annual visitors. Ten years later, that number shot up to 1.6 million people per year. Vox attributes this sudden surge in popularity to several reasons: volcanoes, naked ladies, Instagram, and the “WOW” factor. Volcanoes You may remember an unpronounceable volcano plastering the headlines in 2011. The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull (ay-uh-fyat-luh-yoe-kuutl-ul’ ) in southern Iceland made Europe grind to a halt for several weeks. At that point, Iceland’s tourism was stagnant as ever. However, the tourism board decided to take advantage of the spotlight. With Iceland at the forefront of people’s minds, it was the perfect time to release a social media campaign: “Inspired by Iceland”. Naked Ladies and Instagram “Inspired by Iceland” was a series of videos featuring gorgeous shots of glaciers, volcanoes, and scantily clad women relaxing in hot springs. I, myself, can clearly remember scrolling Pinterest in high school and wondering where all this Iceland content was suddenly coming from. This publicity campaign by Iceland’s tourism board was a hit on all forms of social media. It was probably most popular on the photo-sharing 18
platform Instagram. Iceland is definitely one of the most “Instagramable” places in the world. Surreal aurora borealis lights in the sky, dramatic glaciers, and stunning natural landscapes make it easy for even amateur photographers to get lots of ‘double-taps’ on their Instagram photos. This media momentum successfully put Iceland on the map, so to speak, and people were chomping at the bit trying to visit. The final piece of this equation that led to Iceland’s current popularity can be summed up in one word: WOW. The WOW Factor Back in the days of Iceland’s gloomy tourism era, a flight to the country cost up to $1,500 in peak season (Vox.com). Despite an incredible demand from potential visitors, this was prohibitively expensive for all but the most dedicated travelers. But then, along came WOW Air, a budget competitor to Iceland’s national airline Icelandair. WOW primarily operated in Europe, but in 2012 they expanded to North America. Americans could suddenly score tickets to Iceland that were as low as $380 round-trip if you went in the low season. The proverbial floodgates had opened, and today, tourism sees no signs of slowing down. My Own Trip I admit that after several years of being bombarded by gorgeous photos of Iceland, I finally caved in to the trend this past December. An advertisement I saw on my Facebook feed in the summer sealed the deal when I saw WOW Air’s incredibly cheap prices. My boyfriend and I ended up visiting in the low season of December to keep costs down, and it was a truly magical experience. As keen campers who also didn’t want to pay for expensive hotels, we rented a tiny camper van that took us all around the island over the course of a week. Americans
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be warned - all rentals in Iceland are stick shift, so learn fast if you don’t know how to drive manual! Our route took us around the entire Ring Road of Iceland, which is about 1,500 miles depending on which routes you take. Over the course of the drive, we saw stunning waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. Sadly, after years of dreaming about witnessing the Northern Lights, we had bad luck with the weather that week. Cloud coverage and rain obscured the Lights the entire trip.
My favorite parts of the trip were visiting Dettifoss (the most powerful waterfall in Europe), seeing the volcanic fields of Myvatn, driving through the Skeiðarársandur Black Desert, and relaxing in the Blue Lagoon hot springs. Dettifoss waterfall was located in some mountains that felt almost alien, due to the sharp geometric shapes of the rocks. The hike to the waterfall was an exciting trek over icy paths that looked like frozen rivers. Dettifoss was also near Myvatn, the town famousfor filming northern scenes for the television show Game of Thrones. This town almost felt like a fairytale -- smoking mountains, steaming crevasses, and dramatic geysers made for an impressive landscape. The Skeiðarársandur Black Desert is a vast black sand plain, with the sea to its right and the colossal Vatnajökull Glacier framing its left. I was constantly in awe of how foreign Iceland’s landscapes looked, but this desert was definitely the most breathtakingly beautiful place we visited. We ended our long camping trip with a day relaxing in the Blue Lagoon, near the capital of Reykjavik. Although this hot spring is a little pricey and requires advanced booking, it was definitely a singular experience well worth the money. The same can be said for Iceland as a whole, and I definitely urge you to put in on your bucket-list! Amber Barnett February 2017
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Writers N e e d e d
Got a flair for writing? Good at meeting deadlines?
Contact Liz at nnrnews@gmail.com 20
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Fitness & Activities
Nichada Neighborhood Community Fitness & Activities Listings Yoga, Meditation & Tutorials KUNDALINI YOGA
ASHTANGA YOGA With PanZen
Be the Master of your Mind: • Tuesdays 9:30-11:00am • Fridays 7:45-9:15am Train your Body and Mind: •Wednesdays 7:45-9:00am All levels are welcome! Danicha Condo 39/289 Contact Kerstin 086-372-9750 kerstin.bangkok@gmail.com FB: yogaofawareness Visit www.Yoga-of-Awareness.com
A great way to improve your flexibility, core strength and get balance in your life. Breath, Body and Mind. All levels - beginner to advanced. • Tuesdays 3:45-4:45pm - Intermediate • Wednesdays 3:45-4:45pm - Advanced • Thursdays 3:45-4:45pm- Intermediate • Saturdays 9:30-10:30am - Beginner For more information: http://panzenyoga.wix.com/panzen Contact: 097227-6999 panzenyoga@hotmail.com
YOGA WITH NAPISA, 500 RYT
IYENGAR YOGA Iyengar yoga classes at Regent from Beginners to Advanced Asanas. • Monday to Friday 7:50-9:20am. Contact: 081-285-3050, Juan Bodan, Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga certified. For more information about Juan please visit http://kripa-yoga.com/
MEDITATION COURSES Individual or Group Learn TM (Transcendental Meditation). Relieves stress and anxiety. Improves health, academic, athletic and professional performance. Anyone can learn. Expert instruction by a 35-year teacher of meditation. Contact Ellie: eedelhoff@hotmail.com www.TM.org www.DavidLynchFoundation.org
WORLD ENGLISH Enjoy refining skills in oral English and composition with American, Deborah Dunthorn, BA, MFA, TESL Cert. 30 years international experience coaching academic, professional and other clients of all ages and levels of proficiency. To discuss private or group tuition contact 083-0559785 or debhata@yahoo.com. 22
Mornings: • Mondays 8:45-10:15am: Restorative Yoga - All levels • Wednesdays 7:45-9:15am: Level II • Fridays 7:45-9:00am: Beg I-II Prenatal & Private classes available. Contact Napisa C. Pant, 086-975-7187 napisapant.yoga@gmail.com, FB: yogawithnapisa
PIANO LESSONS FOR ALL AGES By experienced professional with a Masters from University of Ariz. in Piano Performance. Experience teaching at Westover School in Connecticut. Place: 39/891 Regent Price: 1000 baht per 30 minutes. Contact Info:capricio310@gmail.com Tel: 091-878-6283 The Community Fitness and Activities page lists local classes/groups that meet regularly. Some have fees associated with them, while others are free. Please contact each group leader for more information. If you would like to list your group here, please submit your announcement by the 15th of each month to nnradverts@yahoo.com.
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Exercise Classes and Sports BOLLYWOOD DANCE
LATIN RHTHYMS DANCE CLASS
Bollywood dance is an exciting and upbeat fusion of Western and Eastern dances with traditional classical Indian dance styles. It’s funky, it’s sexy, it’s fun...and it’s a great workout! If you love to dance – this is for you! Suitable for all levels. Morning Classes: Wednesdays OR Thursdays OR Fridays 9:30-10:30am. Afternoon Classes (new!): Wednesdays at 5:00-6:00pm All classes held in Nichada Studio above Starbucks. Contact Irit: 086-004-484 iritmike@gmail.com
Come move your hips, salsa, merengue, bachata, regueton, zamba, rock and roll, cumbia, pop (English & Spanish), quebradita and more! Come and try this fun and very cardio class, feel the music. Improve your dancing skills. No dance experience needed. All Levels: • Tuesdays 7:15-8:15am - Half of my funds on Tuesdays go for Charity! • Saturdays 9:30-10:30am - 150 THB Studio above Starbucks • Mondays 8:30-9:30am • Wednesdays 8:30-9:30am . For advance class information, contact me! Contact: Blanca de la Vega 086-348-3287 or blancadelavegacid@hotmail.com
ZUMBA Zumba meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Chaengwattana Community Church. • Monday and Friday @ 7:45 • Wednesdays@ 7:30 The cost is a donation basis, and it goes directly to the surrounding community non-profit organizations. If there is a class cancellation or changes to the schedule students can find out via our FaceBook page, Zumba Nichada Thani or Google Group, https:// groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/zumbanichada.
PILATES classes by NICOLE • Mondays 7:45-8:45am in Prestige Club House • Wednesdays 9:00-10:00am in Prestige Club House & 5:00-6:00pm in Regent • Fridays 7:45-8:45am in Prestige Club House Contact: Nicole at info@nophotography.de
MASTERS SWIMMING Nichada Pool •Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:30-8:30am Every swimmer is welcome. Contact Catherine Miller: solviken66@hotmail.com 06-2001-0000, or Kerstin Wild: kerstin.bangkok@gmail.com 086-372-9750
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*Blanca’s class schedule will resume the 3rd week of February.
BIKING Weekend bike rides leaving from back gate at 7am, 50+km on mtn bikes. Contact Chris: caoglesby@hotmail.com Weekday rides leave the back gate at 7:30 a.m. Distance and terrain varies with groups for both road bikes and mountain/hybrid bikes. Contact Henrietta Bullinger: hbullinger@gmail. com
TENNIS WITH SAGI
Certified tennis coach, teaching the Play & Stay method at Nichada tennis court for all ages and levels. Private lessons and groups of up to 4 players. 7 days a week, flexible hours. Tennis is EASY, FUN and HEALTHY. See you on the court! Contact Sagi Luft at 092-271-2110 Email: sagiluft@hotmail.com
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For Archive Issues of Thani Talk
Check out issuu.com/nnrthanitalk 24
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Thank You!
Please accept our heartfelt thanks for all your generous donations! By donating to the White Elephant you’ve made it possible for us to support these projects and many more. Thanksgiving Home – Kitchen renovations and tuition for Khanokthip, Lorenzo Home - Maintenance for 6 computers and 30 bicycles,
Baan Rachawadee - Medical supplies and training through Sailom project, Bumble Bee Free library – Air Conditioner and Thai Children’s books, Prasert Islam School - Sports equipment and music classes for girls, Prachabudee School – Career training and farming project,
Home of the Destitute – Exercise equipment repair and 500 shorts, CCD: Rainbow House – Mats and lockers,
The Foundation for Better Life of Children – Kitchen renovations,
Baan Nok Khamin – Farming project, computers, music instruments, and Thai books, Wat Prabat Nampu – Annual funds sponsor,
Senior Home in Ayuthaya – 2 big washing machines,
Foundation for the Blind in Thailand – 2 Braille printers and an electronic Braille book binding machine, NightLight – Annual funds sponsor, ZOE – Annual funds sponsor.
And a big thank you to our hard working volunteers who make it all possible! Alma Aquino, Anshu Gupta, Annette Broerse, Amy Won, Bernie Nicholson, Betsy Sherwood, Deborah Dunthorn, Elsbeth Hudson, Erika Yepes, Heather Clary, Isabelle Dupont, Jingbo Du, Jenny Fineza, Joanne McGregor, Katja Lindberg, Lulit, Laila Jørgensen, Marieju Dawe, Mary McCarty, Mary Kocis, Napatsorn Kantangkul, Natalie Lollback, Poonsook Chandravithun, Nina Wilson, RitaThompson, Sona Agopian, Susy Sukoanto, Terri Alexander, Terri Thomas, Tipwan Smagpong, Yupin Achayanontgit
The White Elephant Thrift Shop Oasis Shopping Center – Samakee Rd, 2nd floor – 100 meters east of the Nichada Thani entrance. Open Monday – Saturday; 10:00 to 2:00 The White Elephant gratefully accepts donations of gently used clothes, shoes, sports equipment, kitchen items, books, small pieces of furniture, etc (No electronics, please). Donations can be dropped off during business hours.
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Heard it Through the Grapevine
Marc Windsor: A Highly Recommended Handyman Looking for a handyman? Call Marc Windsor! He's truly a jack of all trades. He's hung paintings, mirrors, shelves and curtain rails for us. Done minor car maintenance. Used his Thai language skills to help translate for less minor car maintenance. Helped locate missing parts after our move. Assembled furniture and shelving. Helped move and assemble a trampoline. Electrical work. Plumbing repair. With everything he's done he's been very focused on getting things the way we want them - a level of customer service not often achieved here. I can't recommend him highly enough! Susan Yates
Windsor-TH COLLECTIONS * DELIVERIES * RELOCATIONS 090-659-1065 windsor-th@outlook.com
He’s a detail guy. Little things count!
Karmakamet Diner Just near the Emporium shopping mall, at the end of a soi that is under construction, you can wander into the oasis Karmakamet Diner. The diner is set back in the corner furthest in and you won’t even realize you are about to enter the oasis that it is. It is decorated as an old apothecary and the ambience is wonderful. There is meticulous attention to details from the table settings to the menus. The menu has great café options and something for everyone, lights and mains. In the same building with the café is a small apothecary-themed aromatherapy shop. Here you will find lotions, crèmes, oils and much more in titillating scents like White Tea, Orange Blossom, Lotus and Nectaria. It is a great place to go crazy! Catherine Miller Tel: 022620700 Address: 30/1 Soi Matheenivet, Sukhumvit 24, Bangkok 10110 Bangkok, Thailand 28
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DIY Lotus Leaf Art Create your own souvenir Thai art piece by painting lotus leaves at Himapan Gallery. The workshop runs three to four hours and includes instruction from the owners Catherine and Teck on technique with brushes, sponges, metallic highlights and stencils. Don’t worry about making a mistake, you can easily wipe it away and start again. Prices depend on the size panel and range from 2500 TB to a three-piece panel at 8000 TB. A kid-friendly gallery, the studio can accommodate up to a group of 12. Bring your own food and drink and create your own art and a piece of Thailand. Jacque Stover Patrick himapanbangkok.com
Nut’s Bike Shop Over my years here in Nichada I used several bike shops to service and fix my 8 bicycles. Lately I have been using the services of Khun Nut on Tiwanon Road. He not only picks up the bikes for only a little charge, but provides great service. He performs magic and can return bikes to good-as-new condition. His English is flawless, and he is such a pleasure to speak with. Also in case of bigger repairs he makes sure he communicates the cost before. Highly recommended! Angela Kohl Tel: 081-924-0204 February 2017
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Religious Venues
Bahá’í Worship services (cont.) Contact person: Ms. Sulee Kaewprasert Tel: 02-530-7417. Email: info@bahai.or.th Additional activities available: Devotional gatherings, children’s moral education classes, study circles.
Mosque Soi Prasert Issaram Mosque 8 Moo 3 Soi Prasert Issaram, Pakkred, Nonthaburi Neighborhood mosque near Nichada Thani.
Buddhist Temple Wat Bua Khwan 1 Moo 9 Ngamwongwan Road, Nonthaburi 02-952-8062; Watbuakhwan.com Popular local temple offering merit-making, prayer, blessings and funeral services. 15 minutes from Nichada.
Bahá’í Worship services Address: 40/265 Chaengwattana Soi 28, 6/F Royal Tower Condominium, Pakkred, Nonthaburi Website: www.bahai.org; www.bahai.or.th (Thai) 32
Synagogue Beth Elisheva Synagogue, Mikveh & Jewish Center. 121 Soi Sai Nam Thip 2, Sukhumvit Road, Soi 22. Tel: 02-663-0244; Fax: 663-0245 Thailand Progressive Jewish Community Contacts: Narissara Udomvongsa, Alec Goldman, Elissa Miller-Kay or Michael R. March (Members) Telephone: 02-023-5019 or 081-257-2411 Address: 39/722 Lakeshore North, Nichada Thani. Activities: Monthly Shabbat dinner and service, High Holiday celebrations, Community Passover Seder, and other Jewish holidays.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 50/33 Moo 4 Chaengwattana Road Sunday Worship Service--11:00 am (in English) Family History Research Group--Mon. 9:00-12:00 pm Book Group--2nd Wed./month, 11:00 am
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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (cont.) “Foodie” Group--1st Tues./month, 10:00 a.m. Youth Group—Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. Contact: Bishop Doug Dent (0982805705) fddent@gmail.com
International Church of Bangkok Sunday Morning Service (Traditional): 10:00-11:00 am, at Bangkok Christian College near Surasak BTS. Children’s Sunday School during morning worship. Sunday Evening Service (Contemporary): 6:30-7:30 pm, at Bangkok Christian Guest House, Sala Daeng BTS/Silom MRT. Contact: http://www.icbangkok.org/
Hindu Worship Venues Dev Mandir: The Hindu Samaj Association 136/1-2 Siripong Road, Sao Chingcha, Bangkok.Tel: 02 223 8494 Digambar Jain Temple: Building # 143/3, Soi Putha Osot, Maha Set Road, Bangkok Geeta Ashram Thailand: 444/4, Soi Sowaneet, Yaek C-One Mansion, Sukhumvit Soi 50, Phra Khanong, Khlong Toey, Bangkok. Email: info@geetaashramthailand.org February 2017
Catholic Mass in Nonthaburi Our Lady of Mercy Church 69/13 Moo 1, Tiwanon Rd. Ban Mai, Pakkred. English Mass: Sundays at 5:15pm Contact us at: ourladyofmercyparish@gmail.com Discover the Rosary, contact Chris at hushh@hotmail.com
Chaengwattana Community Church Sunday Service—9:30am Encouraging Women—Wednesdays, 9 am Community Prayer—Thursdays, 8:30 am Youth Alpha Group (high school) Thursdays, 7 pm Youth Group (middle school) Thursdays, 6 pm Contact: Andrew Pennels, Interim Pastor Tel: 02-911-6702. Office Tel: 02-911-6700. Website: www.cccthailand.org
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Highlights: NNR Social
Family Fun Day at Rose Marie Academy Golf Cart Parade
On Saturday, December 10, Nichada residents saw something they hadn’t seen before: a golf cart parade with 11 carts decorated for the holidays. Santa even arrived for this event. Thanks to the families and clubs that decorated their golf carts for the parade. After the parade, 19 clubs and organizations set up booths at Rose Marie Academy to help raise money for their cause. They either had a game, craft, or sold food. For two hours the Nichada community got to enjoy being outside in an open field having lots of fun! Santa even stopped in giving everyone an opportunity to get pictures with the jolly man. If you had your picture taken and have not received an email with them, let me know (cdwarta@yahoo.com) and I will get them to you. This event would not have been possible without the help of many people. Thank you to everyone that helped. Rose Marie Academy – Krittiya, Netra and Chalida ISB Students & Staff – Arisa, Cedrik, Chloe, Domi, Jacob, Nehal, William and Ziyad, Mrs. Hansberry and Mr. Davies Clubs and Organizations – Boy Scouts, Breast Cancer, CCD (short for Christian Care Foundation for Children with Disabilities), Cub Scouts, Easan Fabrique, Girl Scouts, Green Panthers, Helping Paws, Indian Club, Make a Difference, 34
Nichada, Northern Thailand Tuition Fund, NNR, Operation Smile, Pakkret Home, Shutter Society, Soccer for the Blind and Thanksgiving Home.
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Charity News:
The Journey of Hand-made Quilts From Nonthaburi to Chiangrai From Nonthaburi Needlers to Hilltribe Mothers & Babies
Singapore Thai Chamber of Commerce (STCC), besides promoting the development of commerce between Singapore and Thailand, also helps to provide charitable services. Since 2005, STCC has been facilitating charity projects in Wiengkaen District, Chiangrai. Wiengkaen is situated in a mountainous region by the border of Laos. It is one of the poorest regions in northern Thailand. There are about 40 villages and over 10 schools in this district. People there are poor farmers and they eat what they farm. The lovely quilts kindly donated by Nonthaburi Needlers were distributed at Huay Por Village and Baan Nong Village. They were greatly appreciated. Thank you so much. Pansy Lim 36
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Community News
Revival of Quilt Group: Nonthaburi Needlers Welcomes New Members Once upon a time a number of dedicated Nichada women followed their hearts and formed a group called the Nonthaburi Needlers. They met weekly to make baby quilts for homeless kids, orphans and other needy children. Over time the group expanded to include women interested in sharing the group’s camaraderie while they worked on other personal needlepoint, knitting or sewing projects. Alas, many of these women have departed Nichada and the Nonthaburi Needlers group is now dormant. A small group of women have expressed an interest in restarting Nonthaburi Needlers meetings. If you’re interested in joining in on the fun please contact Jan Van Ekeren at janice.vanekeren@gmail.com. Please also join the Nonthaburi Needlers Facebook page! Jan Van Ekeren
Local Events Impact Forum, Muang Thong Thani Big Bad Wolf Children's Book Sale Bangkok 2017. Open to the public February 10 -19. Time: 10:00-22:00 Venue :Hall 9, IMPACT Forum
Bangkok Expo February 11 - 19 Time : 10:30-21:00 Venue: Hall 1-4 IMPACT Forum
February 2017
Guns N Roses February 28, 2017 Tuesday 8:00 PM SCG Stadium, Muang Thong Thani Popular Rd, Ban Mai, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi For details: http://eventful.com/
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Saturday 25th of March ● A night out for you and your spouse in the neighborhood. ● Meet 9 other couples in 3 hours. ● Get a three meal course. ● One course in three different houses where you might host one of them. ● Running Dinner is within golf cart range of Nichada and starts at 7pm. Sounds like fun right? Sign up for the event at runningdinner5@gmail.com before March 14th. We just need your name, your spouse´s name, address, phone number, allergies.
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Club Canada Thailand
Snowball proudly presents
Saturday, March 18, 2017 Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel
18:30 to Midnight Cocktails, Dinner, Wintery Fun, Dancing, Raffle Prizes, and Silent Auction Donation: 3,200 Baht, Table: 32,000 Baht Includes: 4 bottles of wine per table & cocktails For reservation and tickets, contact: CCTSNOWBALLTICKETS@GMAIL.COM
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PEOPLE
Cherry Thamthai Owner of Cherry Sweet Kitchen Nestled on the upper level of the Nichada Plaza, you’ll find a shop named Cherry Sweet Kitchen. Many have used the services provided there throughout the year. Many may not know its owner/operator, Cherry Tamthai. She was born and raised in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. She has a deep passion for creating tasty pastries, cakes, cookies, and other culinary items. One gets a feel for Cherry’s gentle, warm, and welcoming personality when walking into her store. She designed and decorated the store herself and says, “I wanted to create a welcoming place where people can sit and talk with friends or family in a low-stress environment, separated from the fast pace of everyday life.” The table arrangement, décor, and soft music playing over the sound system certainly offers a calm and relaxing atmosphere ready to assist budding friendships with their bloom. When asked, Cherry will tell you that her business is her hobby. One can see from the quality of her products that this is true. She puts a great deal of effort into each item and creates many of her sweets with the best imported chocolates and other ingredients which are not found in the same type of products “outside the gate.” She explains that the Nichada community is like her family and she prepares her products as if she is serving them on her own table at home. “Most of the shops in Nichada Plaza depend on the community for their livelihood,” Cherry says. “Many shop owners here merely make ends meet due to isolation created by the Nichada walls and lack of community support,” she adds. Cherry lived in the United States for twenty years and was married there as well. While in the U.S. she attended university for undergraduate and graduate degrees in Washington D.C., attended culinary school, and worked at a restaurant for a couple of years. Each year in Nichada she enjoys an additional hobby – travelling. She has been to many amazing countries around the world, yet, it is her love of food that fills each conversation. Her love for food began when she was a small child. Exposure to her parent’s coffee roaster undoubtedly strengthened this love. Her grandfather started the coffee roast seventy years ago, and it is still open today. If you haven’t done so already, stop by Cherry Sweet Kitchen and enjoy the embracing environment and delicious menu that Cherry offers. Bryan Thompson 40
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Bryan’s profile of Cherry Now one page instead of 2-page spread
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Restaurant Review
Murrah House: Fabulous Food with Fun Outdoor Activities
I have frequented Murrah Farm, where Murrah House restaurant is located, on two separate occasions already. Both times I and my family were impressed with the quality, the price and the taste of the food. The kids especially love going there, not so much for the food, but for the animal feedings at the petting zoo and many other activities available there! Murrah Farm is advertised as Thailand’s first and only Murrah buffalo farm. It is located in Chachooengsao Province, just east of Bangkok. For those of you who do not know, Murrah buffalo is a breed of domestic water buffalo kept for dairy production. I first heard of this type of buffalo from a pediatric nutritionist I saw for my daughter’s various allergies; cow’s milk included. At the time I was a skeptic. Plus the Bangkok shop where the Murrah buffalo milk is sold is located quite far from us. So we didn’t make the journey. Then I heard of the Murrah farm again from a friend of mine who decided to get a whole bunch of kids together to go visit the farm itself. To my surprise and the kids’ delight, the farm is quite full of activities for kids to do. They have a petting zoo with animals such as bunnies, pigs, goats, etc. Of course you have to buy coupons to get food for these animals. The highlight for my family is to feed the buffalo some grass and, for the younger ones, milk from the giant milk bottles fitted for the little buffaloes themselves. Aside from the petting zoo, the farm also organizes other activities such as pizza, ice cream and butter making. All the dairy ingredients are the product of the Murrah buffalo, which they claim to be purely organic. These activities are only available on the weekends and they are not advertised on their web site (I just checked). Other things the kids, and the young-at-heart parents, can do are rice farming, planting vegetables, and pot paintings, etc. February 2017
Now the food! I can go there just for the food! The Thai dishes are delicious and spicy. All of them! The western dishes (pasta, pizza, salad, etc.) are also very good. The ingredients are so fresh. The price is so reasonable. The choice is huge. What more can I say. For desserts, don’t forget to try their organic Murrah ice cream; which is so creamy and not too sweet. Before you go home, shop at their Murrah House store to get organic mozzarella cheese, butter, or milk made fresh at the farm. You will not be disappointed. And last but not least, the last time I went (last November), they had an organic salad vegetable farm where you can go pick and buy fresh produce and take them home! Murrah Farm is only about an hour and a half drive from Nichada (on Sundays). To get there, just type in Murrah Farm on your Google map. Their web site is http://www.murrahfarm.com or type in Mini Murrah Farm on Facebook to connect with them. If you are interested only in their buffalo milk products, check out their Bangkok store located at Ramkamhaeng Soi 112.
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Delivery Restaurant
Phone
Local Business
Phone
Baan Kimchi Korean BBQ/Thai Cuisine
02-952-0031
Bamboo Spa
02-583-9871
Bank Krungsri
02-582-2669
Burger King/Pizza Company
1112
BeWitch Salon
087-099-4569
Cafe Kabul (Indian & Afgan)
02-960-3368
Blue Sky Cafe
081-811-8455
Cherry’s Cakes
080-070-0180
Bumrungrad Family Clinic
02-960-4216
Indian Darbar
084-671-8318
Clark Hatch Fitness Center
02-960-4326/27
KFC & Pizza Hut
1150
Crystal Holiday Travel
085-042-6054
Foot Heaven
061-541-6353
Le Bouchon Food Delivery
02-960-3011
Hair by Jib
02-960-3783
McDonald’s
1711
Happy Teeth Dental Clinic
02-960-3988
Mr. Enzo’s
02-960-0412
Great Massage
02-960-3691
New York Diner
081-624-2099
ISB
02-963-5800
Le Studio Hair
084-022-9928
Pinocchio’s
02-573-5646
Nichada Customer Relations
02-960-4300
Que Pasa
02-960-3821
Pandit Carpets
081-828-2562
Salad Factory
02-001-5659
Panipa
02-960-3934
Scoozi
02-715-8555
Rex Pharmaplus
081-834-1306
Rose Marie Academy
02-960-3663
Subway
02-960-3232
Shawn Carpets
090-564-8927
Sudhathai
02-583-2694
Starbucks
02-967-9686
Slider Shack
086-773-4140
Villa Market
02-960-3585
Vapor Restaurant
02-832-0055
Wash-N-Dry
085-945-4132
4 Legs Pet Shop Grooming
02-960-4189
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