Escape to relax

A fashion star does thousands of kilometres by year to accomplish his professional commitments.  When his agenda allows him, he does a break and search for rest in some corner of the world. Nox has joined Andrés Velencoso in his last vacations, in Thailand.  

“An all vacation’s week for me...? That’s difficult! When I have some free days, I go visit my family in Gerona.” For Andrés, one of the male fashion biggest names, a week at his own, disconnected from his BlackBerry, without calls from his agents, it’s a luxury that he can offer to himself only a few times. But sometimes it happens… Although it won’t be a total disconnection because Nox had glued to Andrés in his relaxation week, with the desire of telling everyone how the small vacations of a publicity and fashion star look like. Time available? One week. In the mind, the desire of disappearing in a corner of the paradise; the chosen place, Thailand, based on the island of Samui and with a stop at Bangkok.

The trip starts in Madrid. Used to the best, Andrés decides to travel in the Royal First Class of Thai Airways. “It´s not the same travelling 11 or 12 hours when you can lay down or travelling in a less comfortable way. “It’s my vacations, and since I don’t have that many, I like to have the best”. The way the air-crew treats the people and the aeroplane’s comfort are a preview of the paradise. “It is my first time in Thailand… It’s going to be great”.

Thirteen hours later, Andrés registers in the Banyan Tree Club Suites, that has incredible services offer that he will not be able to have all. “It was a calm trip, right? Now a quick shower and then class, because I’m running late”.

Although resting was his first idea, - “I wanted to stay in a hotel with spa” – Andrés knows himself well and knows that he is unquiet and curious by nature. “Because of that I planned a trip that combines pleaser with things to do. And this time I choose cooking and scuba diving”.  Big fan of Thailand’s food, Andrés didn´t hesitated on choosing those classes that they have at the Blue Elephant. “It is a great experience because you arrive as a tourist, but end up with the feeling of getting to know better the country’s culture. Getting to know the aliments and how to cook them gives you lots of clues”.

Between classes, he still has time to enjoy his days in Bangkok. “The traffic is chaotic, but the city is full of life. And people’s amiability is amazing. No one gets bored in here? “. Crossing the markets by foot, mixing with people, wandering, eating at same places as they…” This way you don’t get wrong”, he comments.

Traffic jam forces him to decide on travelling in “tuk-tuks”, three wheels motorcycles that are as cheap and effective as dangerous. And this way he arrives to the Chinese street, multicolour, intense in proposals and fragrances. “Only if you come to these places, you realize you’re in another world. If you stay in international hotels you can discover Asian luxury, but to get the full picture, you have to go to where the quotidian life takes place or where people have fun”.

“More than going to museums, and since I don’t have much time, I decided to visit the Royal Palace”, a city inside the city that adds lots of architectonical and historical precious things. Andrés, following the ritual, doesn’t want to go away without giving an offer to Buda. “I pay tribute to the essence of Buddhism with incense, candles and flowers that mean life’s fragrance, is perishable character and the ephemeral character of beauty”. To eat, a Thailand’s food restaurant next to the river (Supatra River House).

Two days in the capital don’t allow too much, but the model’s rhythm is intense. “You can’t leave a city without seeing is night life, which offers you another vision of the city and the people”. And if during the day Andrés visits the more traditional places, by night he chooses a more cosmopolite environment. “My proposal is to start with a cocktail at the Sirocco bar (at the State Tower terrace) seeing the sun set. To dinner, the Bed Supperclub, a place with restaurant, club, gallery and theater. For last, a drink at Vertigo in the terrace of Banyan Tree hotel”.

Happy with his first visit to Bangkok – “It’s an amazing city, by day and by night, it will be worth to come back here” -, the next and last destiny is Koh Samui, an island that is part of a 30 km archipelago next to Surat Thani coast. With amazing beaches and a population dedicated to coconut culture and to the every time more rentable tourism.   

“People told me good things about this island” comments a happy Andrés. “Besides, here is the object of my desires, the Sila Evason Hideaway&Spa”. And he doesn’t get it wrong; the hotel stands out for everything: place, architecture, service and a spa that offers treatments, massages and quality therapies.

“I adore dedicating myself to resting”. A precise exit to make an immersion and to see the incredible bed of the ocean. “I don’t need more. Its four days that give me energy for the rest of the year. It’s pleaser for pleaser, with the feeling that your mind and body gets profit of everything: the environment, the food, the beauty of the place and the cares that the expert hands of the masseurs give to your body”. Asked about if paradise exist, Andrés answers: “If exists, it’s in Koh Samui”.

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Translation by Silvia - thank you hon!