26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
//wordless
{Bangkok} My shopping loots
26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
My favourite and most expensive single piece of clothing. Got it for 1316฿ (~S$57) after 50% discount at a local designer label sale at Amarin Plaza.
Others:
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PS’ random notes:
1. I still think I haven’t shopped enough. :X
2. Did I just buy 49 items in 5 days? o.O
{Bangkok} Places to shop!!!!
26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
I’d be honest – shopping is my main motive for the trip. I’ve heard enough of how people enjoy shopping in Bangkok and NOW IT’S MY TURN! Muahahaha.
Platinum Fashion Mall
This is my favourite, favourite, favourite mall. We went there on 3 separate days just to comb all 7 storeys of the building. I got most of my buys from Platinum because I don’t really have a need to haggle for price here.
Siam Square
Siam Square is also my favourite. I love the clothes here, but I didn’t buy a lot because most of them are local designer clothes and they are not exactly very cheap.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
We were lucky. It rained in the early morning we were supposed to go to Chatuchak, and the whole day remained cloudy (although a little humid). (I was apprehensive of visiting Chatuchak in sweltering heat.)
I don’t particularly enjoy walking in Chatuchak… First, the place is like a freaking maze. And not to mention I am not really skilled in haggling for price (nor do I particularly enjoy it)…
My favourite corner is where all the art works are.
I found Captain Jack Sparrow!!!
MBK
We ate there and we bought some food stuffs there…that’s about it.
Suan Lam Night Bazaar
When we were there at about 10+pm, some of the shops were already closed. Those that were opened were mostly selling the same things.
BUT the food is not bad. I had yummy fried egg and kang kong!!!
Gaysorn Shopping Mall
Spotted some Thai designer labels here. Some of the clothes are nice but I didn’t get any. I love the interior of the mall!
Folded paper cranes forming the shape of a heart
Another view
Display of a shop
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PS’ random notes:
1. I don’t really dare to haggle for price. The most I did was to ask for a 50฿ (~S$2) discount. Haha.
2. Sellers in Platinum usually don’t accept haggling. There are 2 prices listed: Retail & Wholesale (depending on shops, normally 2 pieces up) and those are the prices that they are sticking to. In a way, this place suits me better.
3. You need to buy something or donate some money before you can take a picture with Captain Jack Sparrow. He looks really cool!
{Bangkok} Seeing and doing~
26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
We were supposed to make a trip to Ayutthaya (2 hours train ride from Bangkok) but this idea was scraped in the end because a) train schedule seems a bit rushed, b) travel time seems a bit long, and c) I we have not finished walking the shopping areas. Haha..
Nonetheless, we still managed to see a part of Bangkok (minus the shopping). :D
Calypso Cabaret (website)
It was one of my must-do things in Bangkok – lady boys show. I booked the tickets online from their website at 900฿/pax (~S$39). The show is held in Asia Hotel.
My view from the stage. We’re seated at the first row! Tickets come with a complementary drink.
They are doing lip-syncing for most of the performances but there are a couple of funny moments. I enjoyed it. :)
You know, I feel like the boy in the picture here. They may once be men, but everyone of them is oozing womanly vibes in their actions now. 惭愧…
Wat Pho
It has to be one of the grandest wat I’ve been to. Every detail is so intricate, photos don’t do them justice. I would’ve love the place more if the weather is not so scorching hot. ><
Look at all the reflections from the tiny mirror tiles!!! Stunning.
It is also home to one of the largest reclining Buddha images.
The sole of the reclining Buddha decorated with images made from nacre. I’m awed by the details and effort put into every single image.
There are a number of cats in Wat Pho! I spent a considerable amount of time trying to play with them. :3
Grand Palace
They were pretty strict with what you wear in Grand Palace. Those with “inappropriate” attire will have to don on sarongs/shawls/pants before they are allow entry. We went prepared, so it wasn’t much of an inconvenience for us.
Most of the attractions in Grand Palace disallow photography, which is a downer for me. Still, the exterior is majestic and impressive.
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PS’ random notes:
1. Spotted this toy rabbit that a tour guide tied on the top of his stick (instead of a flag). It’s cute!
2. The weather was so hot the day we visited Wat Pho and Grand Palace that we were sweating buckets. And we went in the early morning! (I thought I will turn a shade darker right on the spot.)
3. I haven’t seen any stray cats on Bangkok’s streets, so it was a pleasant surprise for me to find kitties in Wat Pho! I wonder what they eat? I mean..are they being fed meat in the Buddhist compound?
4. The reclining Buddha in Wat Pho is 46m long. (I got this info from Wikipedia.) It is so impossibly huge!!!
5. During the lady boys show, one of the performers accidentally flashed her boobs for a few minutes! (I think it’s not done on purpose.) I was so nervous for her because she didn’t look like she’s aware of it! She may once be a man but all girls deserve dignity ok…
{Bangkok} On transport
26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
It’s no secret that traffic in Bangkok is bad…
…but that being said, public transport are also not really cheap. For the two of us, sometimes taking a taxi is a more viable choice because there is not much difference in $$, and we get to have aircon to ourselves.
Anyway, our hotel is near to a BTS station and an MRT station. Which is pretty convenient.
BTS ticketing machine. It dispenses thin cards like our old travelink cards.
MRT token to be used like EZ-link. Just tap and go.
We also took the Chao Phraya river taxi.
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PS’ random notes:
1. People in Bangkok are not particularly gracious when taking trains too (like Singaporeans). As in, they will just squeeze in the train without waiting for all passengers to alight. But if there is any good point, it’s that people do queue up in an orderly fashion while waiting for trains, especially in stations when there are a lot of people (e.g. Siam).
2. I don’t know about MRT, but BTS during peak hours are also packed like sardines with rather long waiting time.
3. Some guy standing beside me tapped me and asked me to sit on an empty seat when I was wearing a long dress. I do hope he’s being gentlemanly and did NOT think that I’m pregnant.
{Bangkok} Getting cheated (?)
26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
Okay, technically speaking…we weren’t really cheated per se because we weren’t coerced into any unpleasant situation. But it was almost there.
Lucky Buddha that is only opened for viewing for “today only”? Check. Cheap tuk-tuk ride? Check. Bring you to a shop you never requested of going so the tuk-tuk driver can get a petrol voucher? Check.
In our case, we met 3 separate people who seemed unrelated to one another, but on hindsight, should be working together. (How can there be so many coincidences, right?)
Lucky for me, I have Mr. Piggy around. <3 He just flatly refused to leave the tuk-tuk and the driver has no choice but to drive us to our requested destination.
Anyway, we just paid for our transport on tuk-tuk. It wasn't much and I really did enjoy the ride. It was fun! Missed the tuk-tuk trips in Chiang Mai (when the drivers are straight forward and just quote a price for your destination)!
Yeah yeah, we’ve been to the “Lucky Buddha”. I like the place, I just don’t like being lied to.
{Bangkok} Food! /nomnomnom
26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
I don’t mind the food in Thailand if they are not overly spicy. (I’m ashamed to admit that I have a very low tolerance for spiciness even though I am a born-and-bred-in-Singapore Singaporean.)
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PS’ random notes:
1. Food are much more straight forward in Bangkok (S.Thailand) than in Chiang Mai (N.Thailand).. At least they don’t try to look harmless when they are ultra spicy… (If it’s red, it’s spicy. End of story.)
{Bangkok} On lodging and massage
26 August 2010 – 31 August 2010
[Bangkok]
I have been to Bangkok before but it was years ago…at a age when I haven’t started appreciating clothes and shopping yet. So…this trip is fun for me…I haven’t bought so much clothes at one go in my life before. Hohoho~
I want to say a huge thank you to Mr. Piggy for being such a wonderful company! He was not impatient with me for shopping, and he also shopped himself (although the clothes we bought are like 5:1), which took the shopping guilt off my shoulders. :3
(Actually, I wouldn’t have gone to Bangkok with him in the first place if he was the type of guy who abhors shopping. :P)
We spent our 4 nights in The Inn Saladaeng, which is a small and cozy business hotel near Sala Daeng BTS station and Silom MRT station.
There is no actual breakfast provided, but there is a snack and drink bar which is free for self-service any time of the day. (Although there are more sandwiches/fruits in the morning.)
The hotel is located along a fairly quiet street that is a short 5 minutes walk from the main road. It was nice and peaceful and night. :) The pavement is not exactly very nice to walk on though, so it may be a problem for someone who is dragging a suitcase along. We took a cab, so it was not much of a problem for us.
I did some googling and found Health Land Spa and Massage, which seems to be pretty popular among Singaporeans. We went to the Sathorn outlet as it was nearest to our hotel.
This place is pretty big! We visited twice, and on the first day we went, we were brought to a room on, get this, level 7! The lift door opened to a corridor that looked exactly like what you can find in a hotel.
Inside the room:
First time, we each had 2 hours Traditional Thai Massage at 450฿/pax (~S$20). On the 2nd time we were there, we had 2 hours Thai Herbal Compress Massage at 750฿/pax. I don’t know how to describe this, but Thai Herbal Compress is shiok… Should’ve done this the first time round as well! <3
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PS’ random notes:
1. Sala Daeng is safe, but the area seems like it is more for gays. a) I saw a discreet massage parlour with the sign “Massage for Men by Men”. b) At the night bazaar along the main road, there were more pirate DVDs for gay porn (compared to the traditional porn). It was interesting (and not scary at all) to be in the environment. :)
2. The massage at Health Land Spa and Massage is not bad, but the staff (including therapists) are not particularly friendly or nice. Maybe it’s a Bangkok thing?
3. The hotel room is small (reminds me of my Tokyo days when we can only open one suitcase at one time) but I love the fact it is not expensive, brightly lit and clean. If only there is a bathtub…
4. We were surprised to find out that the hotel only accepts payment in cash, on top of a 1000฿ deposit (refundable after check-out). I’m not sure if there is any misunderstanding, but anyway we paid 5600฿ (4 nights) + 1000฿ (deposit) in cash on check-in.
5. We were given a free upgrade for our hotel room from Standard to Superior. <3
Follow me in my [sometimes] nonsensical thoughts, musings, and occasional girlish squeals of mundane stuff.