Another Christmas at Khao Yai

We decided to spend Christmas night in the vicinity of Khao Yai National Park. The area is developing rapidly and offers many interesting dining and shopping opportunities.

But, first, a little Christmas at home:

Miss Pim made this great 3D Christmas card. Water color and ink.

iPhone!

Khao Yai National Park is about 90 kilometers (55 miles) from our home. The area outside the park to the north is full of commercial development including condominiums, resorts, restaurants, wineries and shopping centers.

Our first stop was at The Great Hornbill Grill at the PB Valley Khao Yai winery. The food is good and there are nice views of the mountains and vineyards.

For dessert we stopped at Terano, a nice little restaurant in the manner of a French Chalet. Note the lovely Vanda orchids

Nice views of the mountains from Terano.

And, yes, they had a white Christmas tree.

Provence Khao Yai is a new development which promoted itself this season with a "Provençal Flea Market". Not much to buy when we stopped in, but the hay display was amusing.

This is the main Christmas tree at The Greenery resort. We just stopped in here to have a look.

The Castle restaurant at the new Thames Valley resort. The restaurant has just opened. The resort will open early in 2014.

Guest rooms at Thames Valley resort: "...an English-style countryside hotel. Inspired by the charms of the green belt running west out of central London along the River Thames corridor...."

Thames Valley resort.

Finally, we check in to our room at the Balios Hotel.

Next to our hotel is the Palio shopping plaza.

Cafe Burgundy is a new place in Palio that features a nice selection of imported beers.

I had a Delirium Christmas beer from Belgium.

Palio

Palio

Fireplace room at the Balios hotel.

Balios hotel.

Christmas dinner at The Castle, Thames Valley resort.

Yes, that's Yorkshire Pudding.

Checking out of the Balios hotel.

Primo Piazza, another Italian-style shopping plaza. (This place was formerly known as Primo Posto. It has been enlarged, remodeled and renamed. It just recently reopened.)

Lovely view from the piazza tower.

Not much open here yet; just a few restaurants and a souvenir shop. 

Lovely day for cappuccino on the square.

The Grill House, yet another Italian themed venue. 

We finally made it to The Chocolate Factory. Nice Christmas display of their wares.

The Chocolate Factory