Bangkok, re-re-visited

OK, I can't remember how many times I have visited Bangkok. Its almost like a yearly affair either for business meeting or for shopping excursion. However, no matter how many times I come back to Bangkok, I always found something new to go to, some new place to visit, new eateries to try.

This time around, I found another new place worth mentioning, Its none other than the riverfront Asiatique.

It is not so much as a place to find something extraordinary to feast on that you should come here. Rather it is a new hip place with waterfront view. Frankly no matter where you end up dining in Bangkok, it almost quite sure to be OK.

Location : Bangkok

Ayutthaya Ancient City

I was wondering as I begin this blog if I should label the place as Bangkok or Ayutthaya. Technically, Ayutthaya is not located in Bangkok but really, who would come here unless you go to Bangkok. If you scroll down the places that I've explored, you'll know that I'm a fan of ruins. As a fan of ruins, I should definitely be here because the Ayutthaya Kingdom is one of the most important ancient city in this part of the world.

By the time I've finished exploring this place, I realised how some countries really did a damn good job in preserving the remnants of the ancient civilization under their care. Ayutthaya pales, so pale in comparison to the likes of Angkor Wat and Borobudur. There's not much information you can gather about Ayutthaya ancient city. So you just hired a driver and go there, and hope he brings you to the right temples. 

Anyway, here are the few temples / wat that I managed to cover in my sort-of-1-day-tour. 

1. Wat Mahathat is the reason why we came to Ayutthaya.

This Buddha head trapped in between tree roots is a sacred ground in Ayutthaya. Legend has it that the Buddha statue is destroyed in the war and that over the years, the tree roots pulled the head of the Buddha up from the ground. Not sure if that's true.

This Buddha head is the hot spot in Ayutthaya

This is a pull-back from close up.

You will not missed the Buddha's head because there's where everyone is standing / queuing to take a picture.

In fact, they placed a bench for people to sit and pose! So here we are ... Ayutthaya!

Wat Mahathat

Wat Mahathat

2. Wat Yai Chaimongkol is also one of the most important or must visit wat in Ayutthaya. Located not far away from Wat Mahathat, it is slightly bigger and structure are still quite intact. It was built sometime around 1300s by a Siam king for monks who had returned from Ceylon.  

Sleeping Buddha in  Wat Yai Chaimongkol

Wat Yai Chaimongkol

Buddha images in Wat Yai Chaimongkol

Behind me the main chedis (stupa) of Wat Yai Chaimongkol

3. Next up, Wat Phanan Cheong is a temple looking all oriental and Chinese. The story goes that, once there was a Siam King that has asked the Emperor of China's daughter to be his wife. She travelled from China to this area by boat. When she arrived, the King was not there to greet her. She was heart broken. She waited for a long time but the King did not come. Finally, she killed herself. The King was very sad, so he had this temple built for her. Well in actual fact, if this does happened, China would have launch a war at Ayutthya, don't you think? 

Buddha statue inside the temple

Chinese writings carved at the door

4. Finally, we also visited the Wat Phra Si Sanphet 

One of the chedis / stupa of this wat which is located within the ancient royal palace ground.
So I presume this is a temple for the royalties.

There all altogether three chedis believed to have kept the ashes of three Kings

Me and the Chedis

Oh, did I mentioned that Ayutthaya is about 1 and a half hour drive from Bangkok? Its probably 2 and a half hour if you are caught in traffic jam back to the city. If you are a fan of ruins, its probably worth your 1 day trip when you happened to be in Bangkok. 



Location : Ayutthaya, Thailand
Date of travel : March 2014

Bangkok Revisited

So, aside from my post-holiday disaster in the post-flood Bangkok, here are highlights of my recent travel to my absolutely most favourite annual holiday destination.

1. I found a new must-go restaurant. You know for times and times again, we have been going back to Ban Khanita or Cabbages & Condoms which is like the touristic place. This time around, my brother has brought all nine of us to this place which was introduced by this Thai colleague of his. Located in Huai Khwang, Nan Thong restaurant took about 45mins taxi ride from central Bangkok but the ride is absolutely worth it. The food is superb, the price is unbelievably reasonable and the atmosphere is uniquely Thai!

2. Madame Tussauds has arrived in Bangkok! No, I did not go in. You know, went to one, went to all. But for those who has not been to a wax museum and take photos with celebrities; now, you don't need to go to London or Hong Kong, there is one in Bangkok.

3. Finally, I'll like to reveal the holy place of my annual shopping-without-thinking pilgrimage which is none other than the 'Platinum Fashion Mall'. OK, there you go, I've said it. For many years, I have discovered this place from a local friend of my girl friend. And we have been indulging in it quietly. But recently, it has been out in the open so, there you go. Don't go Chatuchak, don't go MBK, just go Platinum. This is the place when you don't even think about bargaining because it is so cheap, this is the place where you wish you can bring them all back because the design is so good, this is the place where we mere mortal gets to buy DVF, DVB or what-haves-you inspired clothes. So this year my shopping activities has cost me a total of  ... jeng jeng jeng ... USD185 for 22 pieces of clothings.

So, this is my short Bangkok revisited trip.

Location : Bangkok
November 2011

The post-holiday disaster at a post-flood Bangkok

Last week, despite all warnings and advice not to go Bangkok due to their recent recovery from the few months long flood hitting the whole country, I went nevertheless.

I can explained. First, it was almost monumental to be able to gather the entire family, the whole nine yards (I mean, people) to be free at the same time. Secondly, we managed to book a beyond believable cost of air tickets like 6 months ago. How much do you think it cost to fly nine people from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok? It cost less than USD700!!! And finally of course, I am very doubtful that if we cancel the trip, we will be able to get the same price in the future. So, we went.

And I hate to say this, those people were right! All of us fell sick. In fact not just sick but so sick that I couldn't even switch on the the computer. I was down in bed for 3 whole days which almost never happen to me. My poor 5 year old boy runs a 39.2 celcius temperature one night. So, lesson learnt!

However, although with all the post-holiday disaster at a post-flood Bangkok, I did have my fun. See, Bangkok is like my holiday hometown. I have to complete these 2 missions before the year ends :
1. my annual shopping-without-thinking pilgrimage,
2. my annual do nothing but massage-day-and-night ritual.

Without completing these two missions, my year will not be complete.

So, now I can have peace.

Come to Bed!

Bed Supper Club in Bangkok is apparently rated as one of the world's best bars and so I cannot passed the chance to go clubbing there while I was in Bangkok. Located in the trendy Sukhumvit area, you cannot missed the club as the structure looks like a space ship. I was too busy queuing up, so I didn't have the chance to take a picture of it. I downloaded the below picture from the website.

Is this cool or what?

Someone told me that Tata Young owns this place but I do not know how far the truth is, and who cares anyway? What I do care is that the cover charge is actually very steep. Well, since this is like the most posh and upmarket club in Bangkok, we obligingly paid the BHT700 per person that comes with 2 drinks. Mind you, I can actually get 3 pair of shoes in Siam Square with the same amount of money. Well, anyway, for the rest of the night ... you know what happens.

Partay!

Partayyy somemore!

The music : Good

The environment : Pack but Good

The crowd : Trendy, upmarket and Good

Summary : Good, Good, Good.

Location : Bangkok, Thailand

Date of travel : Sept 2007

Cabbages & Condoms

OK, you're probably wondering what did cabbages has in common with condoms. Yeah OK, I'm talking about one of the most famous restaurant in Bangkok. Located in the trendy Sukhumvit area, this restaurant is managed and run by PDA. No, not 'Public Display of Affection', this PDA stands for 'Population Development Association'. Basically the proceeds or rather profit of the restaurant goes into funding a lot of very worthy projects such as AIDS/HIV projects or other education programs.

Before I visited this restaurant, I heard about a lot of misconception about it. People thought it was encouraging or promoting the sexual trade in Bangkok as they gave out free condoms when you leave. However, if you find the time to read some of the posters they posted around the restaurant, you'll be relieve knowing you're not promoting sexual trade but rather helping in the smallest way on population and community development.

Anyway, here are some of the very interesting and unconventional decors you can find in Cabbages & Condoms.

Position ideas!

Armour Suit

Condoms Haute Couture

Condoms Tree

Condoms Lamp

And, most importantly the prices that they charges are very reasonable and the food is delicious!


Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Next, Come to Bed!

Massage, massage, massage

You know, in Bangkok or Thailand in general, you must never never missed the opportunity to have a massage. Be it a whole body massage or head & shoulder massage or just plain foot massage. Why? Because it is very very good and very very cheap.

There is no way that you cannot find a massage parlour in Bangkok. It is in every damn street, in fact sometimes a few in the same street. You can even find it in the night market for crying out loud. Most of the time, I always opt for the foot massage because I can then chit chat with my friends while enjoying a good massage and laugh at each other when we're force to put on hideous bottom like this ...

For ladies, beware of some of the parlour (OK, most of the parlours) who offer 'extra services'. So, opt for those that you can find in the main street and preferably with glass frontage to show that they got nothing to hide. If you enter into a massage parlour where you get to choose the masseurs that sits in a aquarium-like room, you're probably in the 'extra-services' ones.

Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Next, Cabbages & Condoms

The market, the river and the Grand Palace

I have been to Bangkok countless times for work and business. Every time I'm here, I tried to find something new to eat, something new to experience and something new to see. Trust me, it is endless and that is why Bangkok has been rated by many fellow travellers as their favourite destination that they'll go back again and again and again. In this blog, I'm going to touch about some of the places that I have visited as a tourist in this beautiful city.

1. Chatuchak Market

OK, if you haven't been here, you haven't been officially to Bangkok. This is a weekend market similar to Bazaar but they have like more than 1,000 stores. You name it, they have it. Their home decor is to die for - cheap and unique. I have seen so many tourist shipping furniture back, something you don't see a lot in other places. I almost bought a puppy. This is just a place where you can go crazy shopping and probably lost in it as well. Point to take note though, wear your flip flops and singlet because it is very very hot.

2. Klong River Ride in Chao Praya River

OK, this is a bit lame but no matter how many times you have sit in a boat or gondola or 'sampan' somehow it brings you very different experience in different countries, different weather and probably different smell from the river ... OK, you get the drift. Anyway 'Klong' means boat in Thai.

To be honest, the boat ride in Bangkok has nothing much to offer or has nothing distinct about it but it did passed through some some awesome sight such as this Wat Arun which is famously known as the Temple of Dawn.

Or as you're about to drift off to sleep, suddenly you saw this lady next to your boat! She isn't sitting on the river. She is in another Klong trying to sell us some souvenirs. Probably this is known as 'floating seller'!

3. Grand Palace
You see, when King Rama I decided to move the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in the 1700s, he wanted to build a grand palace as the kings residence and administration centre. Hence the gigantic, magnificent and over the top grand palace. From afar as you go towards the grand palace, you will first get a glimpse of the gold dome-like tower structure. It is a very big contrast to the modern city surrounding it so you kind of get this little excitement to wanting to go in so badly.

Tourist Scam Beware!!! Anyway as we get of our taxi near the entrance to the grand palace, we were stop by a guy standing opposite the entrance and he told us that they are having some ritual ceremony and will only reopen at 2pm. We were directed to visit a jewellery centre which is obviously some tourist scam but we didn’t realised it then. Well, at least I only bought a semi precious ring. (Sorry, maybe I have this shopaholic sucker face in me). After the ‘jewellery visit’ scam, we head back to the Grand Palace. Now, I was stop entering the Palace because I was wearing a sandal which according to the Thai culture, very unrespectful. I have to buy a pair of socks at the entrance and wear it with my sandal (what a bloody fashion crime they made me commit) and then we FINALLY got in.

Okay, after all the sweat and money, I must say I am still quite high spirited … because the whole damn place is in GOLD!

Obviously the king is not residing here anymore. It has been turned into a money-making hot spot.

Behind me is the Wat Phra Kaew temple within the palace complex but they were having some ritual ceremony (so the guy outside did not exactly lie altogether) and so I didn't get to go in and see the Emerald Buddha that the King still comes in to worship every month. Damnnn!

Apparently some of these buildings behind me is still being used today as the administration of the royal household or something.

In short this palace truly represents and embodies one of the most grand monarchy and kingdom in this region. Do you know Thailand is the only country in South East Asia that has not been colonised?

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Date of travel : Oct 2004