Bangkok Boutique Hotel Review: Phranakorn Nornlen

October 6, 2015January 9, 20161 Comment

While planning our trip to Thailand in January, I was excited to stay in a hotel in Bangkok. As Meagan has mentioned before, we met as roommates in Thailand and lived about an hour north of Bangkok. Because of that fact, I’d never stayed in Bangkok overnight. After getting a few ideas from guidebooks, I also looked on TripAdvisor to see what was ranked highly. I was pleasantly surprised to see a charming, small hotel near the top. I immediately looked into it and then booked it. It’s called Phranakorn Nornlen, and it’s one of the most adorable places I’ve ever stayed! Read ahead for my Bangkok Hotel Review:

Phranakorn Nornlen is located in the heart of Old Bangkok and is truly an oasis in the middle of a hectic city. Their motto is about embracing “slow life,” and it’s certainly easy to do when you’re in the compound. The building itself is a beautiful, old teak mansion, and there’s plenty of space for lounging on pillows in the open air first floor. The surrounding area is not touristy so you get a taste of authenticity in how people live in communities in Bangkok. But it is within walking distance to the Thewet Pier river shuttle stop where you can take a leisurely boat ride to get to the Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha. It’s also just a taxi or scary tuktuk ride away from the BTS Skytrain.

The hotel has a rooftop restaurant that serves basic Thai dishes, including pineapple fried rice. We ate there upon arrival because we’d been traveling that day and were famished. Breakfast is included in the room rate and is quite the spread. There’s also a tea service during the day if you’re in your room and want afternoon tea. What more do you need in life?

The décor of the hotel matches the antique building it’s housed in. There are cute, vintage displays everywhere you turn. Plus, there’s amazing art from a local artist painted on the walls. The style of the rooms are consistent with the rest of the hotel. The bedding uses batik cloth that you can find in the market and… If you like the style of the décor, they have a shop on the first floor where you can buy similar goods.

If you’re not already sold on booking the Phranakorn Nornlen while in Bangkok, we found the extra services the hotel made available extremely thoughtful and useful. For example, we had a late flight out so were able to store our luggage in the baggage deposit for free while exploring Chatuchak Weekend Market for last minute shopping. Additionally, showers on the first floor were available for use to freshen up before heading to the airport even though we’d checked out in the morning. There’s also a service to help with transportation needs, such as calling us a taxi to airport. The staff also went above and beyond. Our final memory of leaving Phranakorn Nornlen is that four staff members were leaving at the same time so they helped us with our luggage and saw us off in our taxi.

Hope you’ll consider staying in this lovely guesthouse if you’re traveling to Bangkok soon! What’s one of your favorite accommodations ever and why?

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

Stephanie grew up road-tripping across the U.S., but her first flight was to Australia, and she’s been hooked ever since. She lived abroad in Thailand, where she met Meagan, and in Ghana with Peace Corps and has been to over 30 countries on 6 continents. She travels for the adventure, the stories, and nature.

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Lacock Abbey- www.afriendafar.com #england #lacockabbey #harrypotter

Film Inspired Travel in England

September 29, 2015January 17, 20163 Comments

Inspiration for travel can come in so many different shapes and forms. Hearing stories from fellow travelers, photos of beautiful places, learning the history of faraway places, and looking through magazines. One way I’m inspired is by books I’ve read and TV series and movies I’ve watched. Visiting England and specifically the countryside had been on my list for a while- in large part because of my love of Jane Austen books and films. When planning the trip, my sister and I mapped out our must see houses and sights to visit. Here are a few to keep in mind if you’re visiting Europe soon and are interested in film inspired travel in England:

Jane Austen Sights

The first Jane Austen sight we visited was the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton. It’s open every day from 10:30am to 4:30pm and is the only house Jane lived in that is open to the public. It’s where she spent the last 8 years of her life – during the time period when Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma were published. In nearby Winchester, visit the beautiful Gothic cathedral founded in 1079 to see where she is buried.

Bath is a fantastic city to visit if you’re a Jane Austen fan since the author lived there, and two of her novels, Northanger Abbey (my favorite) and Persuasion, were set in this historic city. Go on a self-guided walking tour of the city to see the streets and buildings Jane writes about and be sure not to miss the Bath Abbey, the Roman Baths, the Circus (pictured here), and the Assembly Rooms. We actually skipped the Jane Austen Centre except for poking around the gift shop since we’d already visited the House Museum and wanted more time for our walk.

Great Houses of Pride & Prejudice

Next we started our tour of the great houses of England, including the Chatsworth House, used in film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. The Chatsworth House is located in Derbyshire in the Peak District and was used as Pemberley in the 2005 movie. It is thought that Jane Austen based her idea of Pemberley on the Chatsworth House while writing the novel. Interestingly enough, the house is mentioned by name in the book as one of the estates Elizabeth Bennet visits before arriving at Pemberley.

Next we went to Haddon Hall in Peak District National Park. It was used in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice as the Inn at Lambton, in the 2011 version of Jane Eyre and Prince Humperdinck’s castle in The Princess Bride. The outside of the medieval manor house is stunning, but it was also fun to stroll through the interior and the gorgeous Elizabethan gardens set next to a picturesque river.

Our final Jane Austen film site was Lyme Park in the Peak District. It was used in the 1995 BBC film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and has amazing grounds to wander around. There’s a beautiful rose garden, and you can see the reflecting lake where Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy met Elizabeth Bennett. If you’re super fans like we are, you can also go for walk in the field to see the pond Darcy emerged from. When we were there it happened to be the 200th anniversary of the book’s publication, therefore to celebrate there was a giant Darcy in the lake!

Downton Abbey

We visited England at the height of the Downton Abbey series craze, so of course we had to make a stop at Highclere Castle. We arrived too late to tour the inside of the house, but walking around the grounds and gardens admiring the house was perfect. It was also lovely that we went to the little shop to buy a cup of tea to sip while admiring the beauty of the house! [Photo: Laura Brown]

Harry Potter

No visit to England would be complete without seeing a couple of Harry Potter filming sites. King’s Cross Station in London is an easy place to pop over to while you’re out and about in the city for a nice photo op at Platform 9 and 3/4.

En route to Bath, you can also make a nice stop at the picturesque village of Castle Combe to visit National Trust property Lacock Abbey, used as a filming site in the first two and sixth Harry Potter films as Hogwarts. The Abbey’s side rooms and cloisters were used as classrooms and halls of the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was also used as filming sites for movies and TV shows including the 1995 BBC Pride & Prejudice, Cranford, and Downtown Abbey.

Do you have any other sites to add in England or elsewhere? How have books, movies and TV shows inspired your travel? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta - www.AFriendAfar.com

Free Atlanta Adventures: Historic Oakland Cemetery

September 10, 2015January 28, 20161 Comment

Top 5 Reasons to Visit
Historic Oakland Cemetery this Fall

When the weather starts to cool down, which could be a while from now in Atlanta, I’m always looking for new, outdoor fall activities and places to visit. I always make a few day trips up to the North Georgia mountains to see the leaves change, try some of the vineyards’ offerings, and pick apples. As for locations in the Atlanta area, I have a great idea for you! If you haven’t been to Historic Oakland Cemetery, take a weekend morning this fall to walk along the 48 acres of Victorian gardens and statues with a cup of coffee in hand. It’s a peaceful refuge in the busy city, and a perfect addition to any “staycation!” Here are the Top 5 reasons you should check it out.

It’s FREE!

With all of the things to do in the fall that cost money – weekends in the mountains, football, apple picking, pumpkin picking, and drinking as much cider as possible, a free place to spend your time is a great find!

It’s a calm green space in the heart of the city!

While everyone else is headed to Piedmont Park and the Beltline, Historic Oakland Cemetery is never crowded. Take a picnic or jog along the paths, stopping to check out the dates and names on the headstones. With 48 acres of gardens, green space, and benches, you’re sure to find a serene spot all to yourself.

Walk through Atlanta’s fascinating history!

Oakland Cemetery was started in 1850, and during the war, land was added to bury soldiers who died in local hospitals. It was designated a rural garden cemetery, and families often took carriage rides and picnics when tending to the graves of their loved ones in the late 19th century. Keeping with the garden theme, Oakland was also home to Atlanta’s first greenhouse, which was built in 1870.

Margaret Mitchell, Author of Gone With The Wind - Top 5 Reasons to Visit Historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta - www.AFriendAfar.com

Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind, is buried here.

There are numerous famous Atlantans buried here, including Margaret Mitchell, Bobby Jones, Maynard Jackson, and Ivan Allen Jr. There are signs along the walkways pointing you to historic graves, and you can also take a guided tour to learn more about those buried here and how they shaped the city of Atlanta to what it is now.

Bobby Jones, Golfer - Top 5 Reasons to Visit Historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta - www.AFriendAfar.com

It’s a tradition for golfers to leave a golf ball on Bobby Jones’ grave.

Check out the neighborhood restaurants!

Grab coffee at Octane Coffee Bar across the street before your walk through the gardens, or plan for brunch at Ria’s Bluebird; both are local favorites. Bars like Six Feet Under and The Republic Social House have great views from their rooftop patios, and Mi Barrio serves up some wonderful Mexican food. If you don’t live in the Grant Park area, this is a great chance to try some new restaurants.

Sipping Tea in Historic Oakland Cemetery in the Fall - Top 5 Reasons to Visit Historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta - www.AFriendAfar.com

Sipping tea in Historic Oakland Cemetery on a beautiful October morning

Take a Halloween tour!

Speaking of guided tours, the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tour is an exciting annual event at the end of October. Docents in Victorian costumes guide you through the cemetery. Tickets sell out fast, and you can buy them here.

Have you been to Atlanta’s Historic Oakland Cemetery, or do you have a similar historic cemetery in your city that has become a wonderful park to explore? Tell us about it in the comments!

Meagan Martz at A Friend Afar

Meagan grew up in the North Georgia Mountains and spent her first trip abroad in Italy. She’s been traveling all over the world ever since, learning Spanish, Japanese, and Thai. She travels for the food, the culture, and the history.

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Amazing Ancient Sites in Greece

September 8, 2015January 18, 20162 Comments

We’re heading back to Greece on the blog today after a long break! Once we visited the beautiful Greek Isles of Santorini & Hydra, we returned to Athens ready to see some of the amazing Greece. Our first stop was the Acropolis, of course! It worked out well for us to go later in the day, and even though there were still plenty of fellow travelers around, it can get much worse since it’s the main site folks cruising try to hit on their day trip from the port. While we’re on practicalities, definitely wear good walking shoes with traction so you don’t slip on the stone paths in Athens. Also, be prepared to climb up to the Acropolis; it’s named “high city” for a reason!

I’d highly recommend either investing in a tour guide or downloading an audio tour (thanks, Rick Steves) ahead of time so you learn about the history of the birthplace of Western civilization. A few of my favorite stops in the Acropolis were the amphitheater, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, the giant Greek flag at the overlook with great views of the city below, and the Erechteion. I am always in awe to be able to see places like the Parthenon in person and marvel at what a feat of engineering it is. I’m also amazed it’s survived until now since it “has been rocked by earthquakes, set on fire, shattered by exploding gunpowder, looted for its stunning sculptures, and defaced by misguided preservation efforts” (read more in this fascinating Smithsonian article). Because of pollution & the effects of acid rain today, the Parthenon is pretty much in a continuous state of restoration.

Perhaps because of all the scaffolding at the Parthenon, I really loved the Erechteion, especially the Porch of the Caryatids. The six majestic statues are replicas of the originals, five of which you can see at the stunning Acropolis Museum. The sixth one is in the British Museum in London since it was taken by the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Lord Elgin and is yet to returned. I loved that after visiting the Acropolis you can see it pretty much everywhere else in the city, high on the hill. If you’re out at night, it’s quite a stunner!

Your 12 euro Acropolis ticket also includes admission to the Ancient Agora, where you can see the market place and center of government where daily life was lived out in ancient Greece. There’s a lot to explore here including the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos which houses the Agora Museum, the lovely little Church of the Holy Apostles, many a ruin, and the well preserved Temple of Hephaistos. The temple was very impressive to me, especially the beautiful friezes depicting various scenes from Greek mythology.

On our final day in Greece, we enjoyed a leisurely morning in Athens before setting off for Delphi where pilgrims would travel to visit the oracle of Apollo. I’d researched various one day tours to take but in the end we decided to do it ourselves as a day trip. So we rented a little Fiat and drove the few hours to Delphi. The drive was gorgeous since it was spring, and yellow wildflowers were in bloom along the roadside! By the time we had a late lunch in the cute little town and got out to the site, we virtually had the place to ourselves, which I love!

A few highlights of the Delphi’s Sanctuary of Apollo were walking the Sacred Way, seeing the omphalos (navel) which ancients believed was the center of the world, the beautiful Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo which would’ve housed the oracle, the theater, and the stadium where the Pythian Games were held. The view above the theater with Mt. Parnassos in the background was spectacular. We also stopped by the Sanctuary of Athena, whose circular tholos with three standing Doric columns was one of the famous Delphi photos I’d seen before visiting. Pilgrims who traveled to Delphi also worshiped Athena in addition to Apollo. I’d highly recommend finding time to visit Delphi if you can fit it into your Greek itinerary!

If you’ve been to Greece, do you have any to add to this list? Which one do you most want to visit?

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Casa Battlo- A Fond Foodie Memory in Barcelona- www.afriendafar.com #barcelona #gaudi #casabatllo

A Fond Foodie Memory in Barcelona, Spain!

September 1, 2015January 18, 2016Leave a comment

Barcelona, Spain TAPAS Memory

As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana, one of the food items I craved the most was cheese. Laughing Cow is only an acceptable substitute for so long. The drink item I missed the most was red wine that didn’t come from a box. So you can imagine how a trip to Spain when I lived in Ghana was the best possible place for me to go! We ate at many delicious restaurants, but the one that I still remember by name was recommended to us by our hotel and is called Ciudad Condal. We went for lunch, and even though we had to wait a while, it was worth it. All the tapas we ordered were delicious, but my favorite was the Queso Camembert Crujiente. It’s a baked camembert covered with crushed almonds on a stick served with a raspberry sauce! With a nice glass of house wine to go with it, I was one very satisfied foodie!

What’s your favorite food story from your travels?

One Happy Traveler

A Few Practicalities

Closest Metro Station: Passeig de Gràcia

Nearest Gaudí Site: Casa Batlló

What Else is Nearby: The area is known for its high-end shopping!

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

The Pastry Experience You Can’t Miss in Paris: Baking Macarons

August 27, 2015January 18, 20165 Comments

Bon Appetit!

“I think this is my favorite thing we’ve done this entire trip. Yes! This is the best thing ever!”

Baking Macarons in Paris - www.AFriendAfar.com

My husband and I treated my mother to a trip to France last month. We had the most amazing food and wine experiences, from meals that we raved about so much that our neighboring diners had to order the same thing, to biking through vineyards and tasting all the wines Burgundy had to offer. In Paris, we had a few specific opportunities for Mother-Daughter “foodie” time. We spent one afternoon in the Mariage Frères tea room, enjoying pastries and tea, after a morning in the Louvre. Our favorite experience, however, was when we took a macaron baking class from La Cuisine Paris. Even if you only have a few days in Paris, you have time for a cooking or baking class!

The Pastry Experience You Can't Miss! Baking Macarons in Paris - www.AFriendAfar.com

La Cuisine Paris is located in the 4th arrondissement, just a block from the Hotel de Ville, and a short walk from the Notre Dame. When you step inside their darling shop, you’re greeted by their friendly, English-speaking staff in a simple, but chic room with branded aprons and classic baking supplies. After greeting the other students in our small, intimate group, we headed downstairs to the kitchen. Much like the wine caves we had spent the previous days exploring, the cellar we’d be baking in also had a rounded, cavernous roof. That’s where we met our wonderful pastry chef and teacher for the day!

Let it be known that I am by no means an experienced baker. I tend to bake things that start in a box and only require a few extra additions. So when your teacher started explaining all of the steps in our macaron recipe, I might have panicked a little. Thank goodness my mom was there! She’s the baker in the family!

Not to worry though, La Cuisine Paris has even the most inexperienced bakers covered. All of our ingredients were pre-measured, and our wonderful teacher walked us through each step very slowly. We all took very detailed notes on our recipes, and she provided great explanations for each step we took. She was right when she said that licking your fingers is an occupational hazard. Just look at that meringue! I could have eaten the entire bowl!

Our class was split into two different filling flavors – white chocolate with espelette pepper and praline. Both were delicious, and we might have kept licking our fingers when we were filling the cookies, too. By the time we filled our boxes full of overflowing macarons, we had already eaten “the slightly broken ones” until we were full.

Baking Macarons in Paris - www.AFriendAfar.com

All in all, it was an absolutely amazing experience, and I can’t recommend it enough! We only had a few full days in Paris, and we are so glad that we squeezed this wonderful two-hour experience in. Just make a reservation online and head over toward the Île de la Cité for a quick class before visiting the Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle. They have other classes as well, from making the perfect french baguette to cooking entire meals with ingredients from the market!

This post is part of a collection of our guides to France. Click here to read other great stories from France.

Meagan Martz at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Two National Parks of the West: Joshua Tree & Hawaii Volcanoes

August 25, 2015January 18, 20164 Comments

As our dedicated readers have realized by now, I am quite enamored with the National Parks of the US. In fact I have a goal to visit them all! If you missed it, there was an earlier post on National Parks and Seashores of the East as well as Camping Out West. To celebrate the 99th birthday of the National Park Service (can’t wait for the 100th), I’m bringing you more inspiration about a couple of National Parks of the West. Our country is so beautiful so hopefully this post inspires you to add at least one more park to your list.

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park wasn’t really on my radar until last year when my husband and I were deciding where to travel on a long weekend trip. It’s only a two hour drive from LA and 45 minutes from Palm Springs, but you feel like you’re a world away from civilization once you get out in the desert. Joshua Trees are so named because they reminded early Mormon settlers of the prophet, with their branches raised heavenward. You’ll also see yuccas and ocotillos in this meeting place of the Mojave and Sonora deserts. We entered the park via the Southern entrance at Cottonwood Visitor Center and were instantly amazed by the vast desert scenes along the stretch we first drove. Our first stop at Cholla Cactus Garden introduced us to cholla, which look like you’d want to hug them, but don’t try!

Most of the scenic stops are concentrated on Park Boulevard and include Jumbo Rocks, Keys View, and the one-mile Hidden Valley loop trail. There’s plenty to do including hiking, biking, and rock climbing. Don’t miss the short Skull Rock Trail near Jumbo Rocks, where you’ll see the famous rock that looks like a skull, or the sunset, which is pretty spectacular in the desert. Make sure you plan your visit during the cooler period (October-May) and bring lots of water since it’s the desert, and cell phone signal is hard to come by.

Hawai’i VolcanoES National Park

My husband and I honeymooned in Hawaii in October 2013, and one of the main reasons I chose the Big Island over Kauai was a desire to go see a volcano! Because of the government shutdown, it was touch and go for a while as to whether the park would be open during our stay, so you can imagine my immense relief when it reopened! It absolutely did not disappoint. I loved seeing the fumes from the lava during the day, but the highlight was to see the lava glow from the vent within Halema’uma’u Crater at night from the Jaggar Museum. Driving Crater Rim and Chain of Craters roads through the park allows you to see all the different scenery available in the park- from the caldera to the desert and more.

My favorite activity was hiking the 4 mile Kīlauea Iki loop trail which takes you through a rain forest and then onto the crater floor where you find a lava lake, steam vents, cinder and spatter cones. Many people do the national park as a day trip from Kona, Hilo or elsewhere on the island but we really enjoyed our stay in the town of Volcano, and because of the weather (lots of rain), it afforded us the opportunity to enter the park multiple times.

Which of the two parks in today’s post sound most interesting to you? Any recommendations on which national park of the West I should visit next?

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Quote of the Week

August 24, 2015Leave a comment

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Shot of the Week

August 21, 2015Leave a comment

This is just one of the many beautiful views our friends Audrey & Josh had while hiking to the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge in Northern Ireland. Every 100 feet or so the view shifted just enough to make it yet another stunning panorama!

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

Everything You Need to Know about Chatuchak Market in Bangkok

August 20, 2015January 18, 20162 Comments

If you find yourself in Bangkok on a weekend, Chatuchak Market (or Jatujak or JJ) is a must! It’s Thai shopping at its finest, which means it can be crazy, overwhelming, and exhilarating. Crazy because it’s only open Saturdays and Sundays, and it’s popular with both locals and tourists so it’s always packed. Overwhelming because it’s one of the largest markets in the world and the largest in Asia, and you truly can buy anything here. And it’s exhilarating because you can find some absolutely stellar finds for a bargain! Some of my favorite “sections” of the market include antiques, home decor, and handicrafts, but there are also books, clothes and pets.

Here are a few tips to help you have an amazing experience!

Hours

Depending on the season and your schedule, go early to beat the crowds and the heat. The market opens at 9am and closes at 6pm, but sometimes vendors pack up early, so keep that in mind as well.

Getting Around

If you want to be more strategic with your shopping, plan ahead of time using Nancy Chandler’s map of Bangkok, which includes a color coded map and guide of the market. The map can be purchased on the Nancy Chandler website, but it’s also available in bookstores and news agents in Thailand. It’s also extremely valuable when exploring other parts of Bangkok. As a bonus, the beautifully illustrated map can be framed and used as home décor. Even with a map, make sure you let yourself get wonderfully lost since you never know what treasure you might stumble upon. (Note: This is not a sponsored post. We’ve owned a few copies of the map between the two of us, and we think it’s so very helpful.)

Take Breaks

Take a break from shopping to enjoy a treat, such as mango ice cream

There’s a ton of delicious food and sweet treats to devour, so grab something and find a place to rest your weary feet. Also, make sure you stay hydrated especially if it’s a hot day.

Just Get It

If you see something you want, buy it! Don’t make the mistake of assuming you’ll see the item and regret not getting it. The last time I shopped at JJ, I wanted to get sticky rice baskets and saw some but passed them by. And of course I didn’t see them again and kicked myself for not buying them in the first place.

Speak Thai & Use Cash

Learn some basic Thai shopping phrases to use to bargain but also to be polite. Many people do speak English, but you can get a better price sometimes by speaking Thai. Also, though credit cards are accepted by some vendors, cash is preferred and will usually guarantee a better deal.

Here’s a little inspiration for you as you contemplate whether make Chatuchak part of your Bangkok experience:

: Elephant bell on hill tribe textile

: Burmese puppet

: Thai teapot set on indigo textile

Stephanie at A Friend Afar

http://www.AFriendAfar.com

A Friend Afar

Travel Tips from Friends Who Know

Category: Destinations

Bangkok Boutique Hotel Review: Phranakorn Nornlen