Day 4 was pleasurable. It started with one of three best brunches I've ever had. My blue-bar pigeon greeted us:
If you like foie gras, here you can have as much as you want. At another station, fois gras sushi:
My first course
Basically seafood with beer. My second course of meats, including wagyu beef and foie gras, added a red wine:
I suddenly got a craving for Spaghetti Bolognese, for the station making this from scratch was only a few feet away. I have Spaghetti Bolognese and Caesar Salad when I go anywhere around the world to get a sense how these change. This was the best Spaghetti Bolognese I've ever had. The al dente noodle texture was perfect, while the sauce had a special quality that is difficult to explain.
I then walked around to select my third course which turned out to be Peking Duck with Pho:
Finally, shave ice and Caesar Salad:
Note in the background my Blue Bar Pigeon is still awaiting.
After a bit of rest we asked where close by the Marriott Marquis was a recommended shop for manicure, pedicure and foot massage. I should note that within 50 yards at the entrance of this hotel are probably 20 massage parlors, most capable of doing all that, and more. For maybe obvious reasons, the concierge sent us on a long twelve-minute walk to Take Care Beauty Salon, located on the other side of Queen's Park.
I sat in an adjacent chair to have the full package of services. This was at least my sixth foot massage, and every one I've had in the past was excruciating. However, others I've asked didn't complain about any pain. So I tried it again with a hope that I had been missing something. I almost died a few times. I did not quite scream in agony, but was close. A foot massage includes the portion of your leg up to the knee. That long muscle on the outside of your shin bone was particularly sensitive. Otherwise, there are nerves in portions of my feet that I never knew existed. Worse, I think that lady you see here was sadist.
After all that pleasure, went back to take a shower, then on to the M Club for dinner and drinks:
Yesterday, we caught a taxi to Don Meung Airport:
Not quite the cuisine of our Japan Air Line flights from Honolulu to Bangkok.
Then a $30 taxi ride to the Phuket Les Meridien:
Wonderful hotel with our own beach. However, no executive club, meaning we had to pay for drinks and meals. Went to Portofino for osso buco:
Nothing special, but okay.
The breakfast buffet was also okay:
White and saffron rice, sashimi, miso soup, eggs, chawan mushi, sauteed mushrooms and orange juice. More importantly, I brought a couple of ziplock bags and stole salami, cheese, some vegetables, pickles and bread, for we plan to eat in our room tonight.
Thus, we had to find a way to get beer and wine. The hotel had a shuttle that took us to the local mall. Left at 10 for pickup at 11:15. Unfortunately, the stores don't open until 11AM. So in 15 minutes we somehow bought from Big C Extra two bottles each of beer, red wine and Ballantine's scotch, stood in line to pay, with the other person rushing to the pick-up spot to hold the van. Only three minutes late, all went well. We could have, of course, caught a cab, but the drama will make the meal tonight more meaningful.
My next posting will probably be from Chiang Mai.
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