Today I continue my  nostalgic  Pearl's Ashes  series , focusing on  Bangkok .  But there will be a few informational detours, leading to a nightmarish journey to my hotel in Tokyo, and finishing with a hint of what will be my posting next Tuesday. I flew first class, and left Honolulu on 1March2011, 24 hours later arriving at my favorite hotel in Bangkok, the Sheraton Grande Sukhamvit. My philosophy when flying is, "if free, every drink not drunk is money wasted."  I'm not sure my body, and liver in particular, would agree, but it makes for an enjoyable flight. Go to my posting that day for the details , but I had 16 different alcoholic drinks getting from Honolulu to Bangkok. I selected the  Grand Palace for Pearl's Ashes #15 . Here is a  short video of this attraction . Official residence of the Kings of Siam, now Thailand, since 1782, until 1925. Over 8 million visitors/year. One of Pearl's very favorite spots on Earth is the   Grand Pala...

  I'll later provide a review of our Regent Seven Seas cruise from Dubai.  After 21 days, we arrived in Singapore. In most ways, the end of being at sea was a pleasure.  No seasickness as such, but I'm a landlubber.  After a light breakfast we had to vacate our cabin.  After waiting, and waiting and waiting, our Orange 1 number was called.  Immigration/customs was easy, except we had to pay nearly $100 for duty on three bottles of scotch we borrowed from the Explorer. Baggage went straight to the Fairmont, and we boarded a bus for our all-day tour.  Another Blue-Bar Pigeons welcome. As we were so late, we first went to lunch at Jumbo Seafood.   To say this was my worst lunch of my life might be an exaggeration, but consider the following: I'm allergic to crustaceans.  The first three dishes were of shrimp and crab.  Couldn't touch them. All the while, they poured water, 7-up and Coke.  As I needed some calories, I drank soda for the...