The Mini Traveler
- Amber
- I take mini adventures occasionally and share them here. (:
- However due to limitations of my finances, I can MAINLY share local adventures unless I go overseas. ;)
- May you enjoy your little bloghop adventure! Cheers! ;)
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Thursday, June 4, 2009
Bangkok- Chinese New Year 2009
Hello my dear readers,
I apologize TERRIBLY that I have not update this blog at all. In fact this is a post that I have promised everyone months ago but failed to blog it because I just have so much things to do, being an IB student like the Extended Essay, ToK Essay, countless IAs and every other nonsense. So I am so sorry! But the good news is that the post that everyone has been waiting for (or maybe not) is finally here! And the second piece of good news is that since it is the June Holidays, I have more time to spare to walk around Singapore and update this blog more often. Say "Yay!" because it's a super long post! I took like a damn long time to upload and squeeze my brain juice to write this!
To anyone who wants their blog/ blogshop/ website linked, just tag me on my Chatbox. (: Remember to leave your link.
Many loves,
Amber
(Personally one of my favorite pictures of the murals found at the Golden Palace, Bangkok. The monster is really cute no?)
Day 1:
We arrived at Thailand, Bangkok Airport. The strangest thing is that I actually led my parents around the airport because it's their virgin trip there but my second time in Bangkok Airport. (my first time was in 2008, transfer flight to Chiang Mai)
Upon arriving at the airport, swarms and swarms of taxi drivers, travel groups literally swarmed around us, asking us if we needed a tour or a taxi. Unfortunately for them, we had to find the tour agency who will send us to our serviced apartment-- Centrepoint. This got us waiting for 2 hours in the airport because the other family had forgotten about finding the tour agency and went for duty-free shopping. So finally the family was found and we set off from the airport and into BANGKOK CITY! :D
What amazes me is the blending of the periphery and the urban areas in one city. That's certainly one thing that you cannot see in Singapore. Upon hitting the core of Bangkok, I had the opportunity to snap photos from the mini van due to a heavy jam that left us stuck in the same spot for 10 minutes! >.<
A roadside stall shot from inside the van. Nice eh? I love how the stall just stores everything. There are many of these roadside stalls in Bangkok and I must say some of them do actually look quite yummy! And they are actually quite crowded too. I wanted to try them but then my mum got pretty ill so we didn't try any of the stores in the end.
Back to the serviced apartment, it is located in a very shabby corner of Bangkok. I love how we are able to exit the serviced apartment through a shop. It's so private! And not to mention, the serviced apartment we lived in is just so classy and the pool and sauna is really lovely! I suppose serviced apartments are actually much more cosy as compared to hotel rooms. Hotel rooms have that certain foreign feel about it whereas the serviced apartment just seems so welcoming! And not to mention, the view from our apartment during the sunset is just superb! The only thing that seems unpleasant was the fact that we are facing a shabbier apartment next to ours. Not that it's an unpleasant sight, I just puzzle over the huge contrast.
The view of sunset from the balcony of our serviced apartment.
I guess we did not do much in Day 1 because by the time we reached the serviced apartment, settled down and stuff like that, it's pretty late. :( So we walked to the nearest shopping mall and ate at the food court there. As how all food in food courts are (ok I know I am stereotyping but...), the food was not that nice. :( And by the time we finished eating, all the shops were closed and everyone was going home. So we walked back home and bought fruits (oh the Jackfruit is certainly the best I ever tasted!) and I saw my favorite food: STEAMED CORN! The corn is so BIG, SWEET and JUICY! I wish we actually have more of that in Singapore because it's really delicious! :D I don't know if it's chemically treated or not but I never tasted corn like that before.
Day 2:
Nothing much! Shop! Shop! Shop! Shop! Shop! We memorized the terrain of the city and we walked our way from shopping center to shopping center. In the morning, we took the Tuk-tuk (ok I don't know how you spell it) around the city area. However, we realized that we were not brought to our destination so we ended up in some secluded area and walked back to the city in the end. Oh wells. I guess it can be that scary when you are alone in a foreign country. And don't get me wrong, the driver was not some baddie or anything, I think he just didn't know what we wanted. I love the Paragon though. The sports section just made me melt so much. They have so many sports equipment ranging from running (the usual) to even DIVING! Diving equipments in a department store! How often do you get that? So we walked until our legs almost break before we head for dinner. Dinner is a pleasure! We ate a Teo Chew Restaurant. The food is so good that we almost want to come back next year just to eat it (but no money ^^)
Day 3:
I guess out of all the days, day 3 is actually the most fruitful day of all! We actually engage a taxi driver to drive us around the scenic places in Bangkok since we are all sick of shopping. :D I am just going to upload pictures and caption them because this is starting to feel like some extended essay on Bangkok.
The Golden Palace
2 handsome demons guarding the entrance/ exit. They are really really huge! :D
Yet another 2 guarding the entrance. A bit like the 2 lions you see outside every temple eh? And now you should know why it is called the Golden Palace. The main building is just covered with gold. It is amazing that it is so well-preserved. :) And that my friends is called sustainable development.
Another of my favorite mural on the wall. Very mystical and well preserved. I love how these murals tell a story. (:
I love how they use colored mirrors around the whole palace. It just makes it look so sparkling and grand! And just look at how intricate the carvings are! :D
I guess I am lucky enough to catch this scene of a woman praying. Kind of culturally significant. HAHA!
One of the guards. They aren't exactly what I would call "happy" people. But that's their job of course. HAHA. :D
And this is my favorite part of the palace. It's new and modern and yet the old architecture is still preserved and maintained. I love how the colors blend in so well with each other. Don't you?
The River Ride
Our boat! The best boat ever! Our boat uncle can steer very well! Wheeee!
The obaa-san from the wet market. I actually bought a lot of souvenirs from her! But then my mum misplaced it at the spa and then we lost them ;'( Sorry people, that's why I bought elephant magnets for you guys. >:( But kind of cool when you actually come so close with her sailing back from the wet market. When all else fails, maybe I shall migrate there and sell stuff there too! :D
It is after we met her when we actually saw a dead alligator. *shivers* I wonder what will happen if the boat capsized. I think we will be eaten alive by alligators. And the water is so murky, it's impossible to see what's beneath you...
Look! A river shop! :D So cute right? I wonder how people park their boats and buy stuff.
And looking at this just makes me feel quite horrible about myself. To think I complain my head off when people are living in conditions like that. Ok it may look like big houses but it's just a squatter site. So people, don't complain about how life is a bitch when things don't go well for you.
And it amazes me how they still are able to enjoy life...
An extremely old sofa, and newspapers as shelters. And they are a friendly lot waving at out boat too! :D What a simple, happy life!
From the river ride, they stop us at a very very dilapidated zoo. I guess my favorite animal is the Bengal Tiger but I am unable to take a picture of it because it is pretty much locked up in meshed up wires. But it's really really handsome. Rawr! I want to date a Bengal Tiger now. xD
The dead reptile thing we saw in the river is approximately the size of this. Do you know why I shudder at the thought of our boat capsizing now?
Now there Mr. Iguana, don't be a grumpy old dude! BAHHH! SMILEEEE! :D :D :D It refuses to smile and only allowed me to take one good shot of it before scampering away. Hmph :/
And then we u-turned and took a ride back to the jetty! Certainly the best river ride I ever been too. :D I learnt so much about Bangkok after this ride.
And then comes to the last night in Bangkok, we watched the Cabaret. The taxi driver managed to get tickets for us even though I was underaged to watch it. And the reason I am underaged to watch it is because it is not a normal cabaret but it is a cabaret performed by transvestites. How exciting! And the disturbing part is that those "women" really put normal women to shame. They are absolutely stunning! Sigh... The magic of PLASTIC SURGERY!
Very grand right? I love the setting, it's like going back to the 1940's Shanghai to watch a show. I love the ambience!! :D
The opening act. And remember, whatever that is female WAS male.
My favorite act! He is so funny! This is unfortunately for you, male. He just cross-dresses that's all. He is extremely funny and I was just laughing away at his acts. :D Wish I took a picture with him at the end of it but I was a little too shy. :D
Something about the legends in Thailand. I love the costume! It's so exotic. But somehow it reminds me of some ghost story. Hmm, I wonder why.
I love the setting! The pink flowers are just so pretty! :D And it's not melodramatic at all. (:
Day 4:
Very unfortunately, we have to catch the plane back to Singapore early. So the taxi driver fetched us back to the airport and we board the plane back. And I must say that I like Cathay Pacific more than SIA. :D Next time, I shall take Cathay Pacific planes. ^^
AmBeR at 4:11 AM