Sunday, December 21, 2008

A trip to the Land of Smiles

Heya all!
I know i've been neglecting my blog for quite awhile eversince my exams ended..that's cuz i have been rather busy travelling,going places,church activities and all..never really rested until now.Lol.As a matter of fact, i just came back from an entire day spent at church having fellowship, games,food, and loads of fun with my form four CG members.(The pics will be up in facebook soon! =D ) Hence, the delay in updates. My apologies yea. Just came back from Langkawi two days ago..that part will be in another blog post. hee hee. Busy right? =P

Alritey, im spilling all about my trip to Thailand---the Land of Smiles! Keep ur ears..i mean eyes.. opened okay.=)

Day 1 (9th Dec)

My family and I departed for the airport at around 5 a.m in the morning.Super early right. And i only slept like less than 4 hours the night before.Haha. Thankfully, i got to catch a nap in the cab. (that rhymes..ha) So we checked in all the luggages and bla bla bla...skip the boring part which i think no one wants to read about....fast forward to..........

us in the airplane already. That's my bro and sis.=))

Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. The place where the thai protests took place. Our trip was nearly postponed but thank God we managed to go there as scheduled. Surprisingly, Thailand is not "messy" and chaotic as seen in the newspapers. Eveyrthing seemed perfectly normal. Again, really thank God there were no problems during our visit there,lest we get stranded.

11.00a.m+

We checked in at Holiday Inn,Silom. It was really nice of them to allow us to check in so early..cuz that's not the norm for most hotels..A really fantastic first-class hotel with awesome rooms to boot..as you'll soon see..



Part of the reception area.


We booked two rooms.One for my parents and sis, the other for my bro and I. The great part is that the rooms are linked.It's the first time im seeing a a plasma tv in a hotel room.=P Really cool i'd say.


My queen sized bed. My bro has another one at my left. The pic is kinda blurry though..using hp cam..














The washroom's basin area. So classy and elegant,i like.=P


The bathtub! Really loved it. Too bad i didn't get to use it cuz i was always so exhausted at the end of the day.Lazy to wait for the water to fill up the tub and all..might as well just get a quick shower instead.

Aha. This is a better shot of our beds.=D

The study table.=)


The hall way leading to the door.Posting these pics really brings back memories.Haha.


Kitchen area. Not very huge but good enough to make a cup of coffee or maggi mee. =)

Oh ya..they have a really cool weighing scale too! One that gives you an exact reading of your weight.I know gals' weight are suppose to be confidential, but for the sake of this interesting pic, i shall just pretend to ignore it.Haha. But i can tell you I'm happy just the way i am.=)))


Time for a cuppa coffee before heading out for a long day's walk.

Well,what can i say? A 5 star hotel will always be a 5 star hotel. It's simply a class of its own. Thanking the Lord for His special treat for my beloved family.=)

2p.m+
Our first stop.
An art gallery located just down the streets of our hotel.Simply amazing! They have loads of classic art pieces..some originals..some replicas of the real stuff..but equally as ''real''.( Check out my facebook for more pics..kinda difficult to upload everything here actually.)

Dropped by at an ice cream kiosk which sells reaaaaaally tasty ice-creams with waffles! Sorry no pics of ice creams here! haha. But mine was a minty chocolate one.=P


Stopped by the over-frequented food chain.McD. Haha. Just to get a quick bite..cuz the weather was rather chilly and we all started getting hungry.


They have this thingy called Mc Cafe,although I'm not sure what it sells.Looks pretty interesting though. And taro pie..
a yam flavoured pie which was also found in Hong Kong.Wonder why they don't have it in Malaysia??

4.30p.m+


Arrived at a place called Jim Thompson's silk factory. (He was an american entrepreneur and the founder of thai silk industry.) And later we headed to his house..which was turned into a tourist site after he got lost at Cameron Highlands for many many years and was never found until this very day. Some believe he didn't lose his way cuz he has been there before..so it still remains a mystery as to why his body was never found. Err..if u wanna know more about him..click here then. hehe.


One of the very exquisite furnitures.This looks like those olden days bed used by chinese people..those we see alot in chinese dramas..haha. Bro posing.=D

Next up, we went to Jim Thompson's house.Entrance fee was RM30 per person. It was really huge and carefully maintained..mostly made of teak wood.Too bad we couldn't really take photos in there.We had a tour guide who explained the meanings of each part of the house and its furnitures to us. There were some really priced possessions such as a 100 over years old buddha statue of blessing which Mr.Thompson bought from Burma.There were also terracota like statues whose hands were unfortunately broken.. and loads more.

Overall, it was a meaningful visit.At least i got to discover something new.=D Honestly speaking, i have never heard of Jim Thompson until i went to Thailand. Haha.

Mum, bro, sis and mua at the terrace.
The garden is reaally beautiful too! Very well maintained.
7p.m

Siam Paragon
The largest shopping mall in Bangkok, or is it in Thailand? i forgot. Anyway, they call it the world class shopping phenomenon and i guess that's true. You have everything luxurious from Hermes to Chanel to high street fashion such as Zara. Surprisingly, i couldn't find Topshop! Then again, Malaysia doesn't have H&M yet.( a label i'm so eager to explore)



Oh..on the way there we saw this really AWESOME Christmas tree made out of guess what? Coca-cola cans!

Couldn't resist taking pics with it.Nyehehe.

They even have car displays..not the Proton kind okay..haha.. its Lambhorghinis and Lotus and Aston Martin we're talking about here.

and that's Zoe posing with a Lambhorghini.(if i am not mistaken) For guys..and even gals who are mad about cars..u can admire more of the same kind in my facebook once i'm done uploading.

Did i mention the toilet in the mall is really sparkling clean and niceeeee?

****

We were really hungry by then..and decided to go to this restaurant called MK restaurant which was highly recommended by dad's friend who tried it before.



Mainly serves steamboat. Perfect for the chilly weather.^^ (it's about 22 degree celsius in Bangkok..Just the perfect temperature actually.Not too humid and not freezing cold either. In fact, its one of the things i love most about Bangkok---the WEATHER! )


Feasting time!!! Slurrrrrp ;P

First time seeing green mee? It's a rather common dish in Thailand though.They normally serve it with four main seasoning---fish oil, chilis, vinegar and even sugar, all of which you are required to pour and mix yourself. I think my family and i ate more than 5 rounds of the same kind of dishes during our stay in Bangkok..except that the mee is brownish-beige in colour.(something like wantan mee's mee..except there's no black gravy..more lika Hakka mee actually.)
Really delicious and best part is, its also cheap.

*****

On the way out from Siam Paragon, i saw this really funny Ronald McD showing a 'Sawadee Khap' gesture. hahaha. Simply adorable man!

9p.m+
Outside Siam Paragon, there were so many pretty lightings and decos. All set up for the yuletide season! Really warms my heart to see families and friends gathering around,taking photos of one another..and enjoying the occasion.=)

Dad was the photographer again..so he's not in da pic. Love you all! muacks! <3 style="text-align: left;">
****

We took an MRT back to our hotel. A very interesting train ride cuz we got lost the first time..stopped at the wrong station but thankfully with the help of our ''tour guide'' a.k.a my dad, we managed to navigate our way back to Silom. Haha. One of the best part of travelling with my family apart from the fellowship is that we have dad as our tour guide. The only tool he uses is his eyes for observation and maps. I'm seriously impressed with his sense of direction even in a foreign land. Even during Hong Kong last year, he brought us to many places which we would otherwise not have been to if we followed a tour group. Plus, tour groups can be quite a hassle cuz you have to wait for one another and they usually rush through the stops for the sake of covering more places. That's not really a holiday already isn't it? Holidays are meant to be savoured and enjoyed. hehe.


10pm+

Suan Lum Night Bazaar
Another shopping haven where you can get loads of stuff for a cheaper price as compared to those in shopping complexes. Here itself, i bought a pair of gold-white sandals and two dresses, plus a red waist clincher. Yippie! haha. I just get so elated when it comes to shopping..as with most girls.haha.

Don't have any pics cuz i was too occupied with shopping..haha..part of the reason..and another..cuz my hp camera can't take good quality pics when its dark.You can google it if you wanna see how the place looks like..It's unlike our night markets..More sophisticated in a way..cuz each shops occupy a small corner in a long shop lot, with a narrow walk way in between them. The arrangement is quite innovative.

That's the end of day one at Bangkok! Tired.
Fell in love with the cooling weather already~

Day 2(10th of Dec)

Today, we're gonna take a boat ride via the famed Chao Phraya river to the many piers along the way..


On our way there, we managed to buy some fried bananas which didn't look like bananas. At first, i thought it was some kind of thai delicacy.=/ It tasted weird..the texture is also not to my liking..
*****



We just had to take a pic in the boat.=D Excited wert..

We had a total of about 10 piers to choose from, but dad wanted to stop at Maharaj pier first to see the Grand Palace where the King used to live.

I tell you, it was majestic! It baffles me to think that people in those times could build such state-of-the-art architectures.




The intricate finishings on the wall of the palace.


A closer look at it.


This is not the real Angkor Wat of course..its just a mini model.Pretty cute huh.


That's yours truly. ;P
Sawasdee~

After Maharaj pier, we waited at the jetty for the next boat to arrive.This would bring us to Kao San area--- a western budget travellers haven. Almost everyone here are caucasians except for shopkeepers and people who operate businesses here..asian tourists are rarely seen.That's why travelling on our own is really fun.. we get to explore the less frequented places by tour groups.=)


We stopped by a roadside kiosk which sells really aromatic coffees! It's a wonder they have this kind of kiosks in Thailand..a sight I don't recall seeing in Malaysia.



After that, we bought some roti canai-like food from this stall.


A very ingenious way of wrapping the roti canai.

Didn't really take many pics in Kao San..But i can tell you it's a really unique place.The budget motels only costs around RM39 per night. Wow right?
Went on my shopping spree again, and bought a rainbow coloured dress and a few t-shirts.=P

*****

After Kao San, we took a boat to Yaowaraj pier to visit Chinatown!
One of the most popular items you can get at Chinatown is the crazily cheap jewelries and accessories cuz all the shops are wholesalers. =)

My mum, sis and I shopped till we dropped! And they were so many varieties which made it harder to choose from. In the end, we just grabbed whatever we felt was pretty cuz my dad and bro was starting to get really impatient. Guys are really not shoppers...=/ Haha

Later, we sat a Tuk-tuk back to our hotel. Yay! Finally get to ride on a Tuk-tuk! But pity the man who drove us cuz 5 of us had to cramp at the back..must've been heavy.But thankfully tuk-tuks are engine operated so its not so bad. hehe.

Kinda forgot where we had our dinner but that's the end of day two already!

Day 3(11th of Dec)

Highlight of the day is going to Pratunam area for shopping and Platinum fashion mall for even more shopping! weeeeeeeee!


Just had to take a pic in the toilet before heading out. Haha.


We headed first to Pratunam area for more shopping today! It is something like Petaling street but the stuffs are muccccch cheaper cuz they are basically wholesalers. Bought two waist clinchers here and loads more. Honestly, like most of us already know, Bangkok is a real haven for shopaholics. Most of the boutiques in places like Bangsar import stuffs from the wholesalers here and sell it for double the price.So i might as well just purchase as many as possible here..haha.

Next, we went to one of the coolest shopping malls ever! Platinum Fashion Mall. Can hardly believe it! They actually have something called a fashion mall? I can hear shopaholics like me screaming already. =P


The stuffs in there are also at wholesale prices. And i happened to see loads of shops selling stuffs which i've seen in Malaysia! So this is where they get their stocks from la...

Sis and I bought these gorgeous bracelets at a steal!
I also bought a patent bag and a dress and stuffs..really shop like gila..=P

Didn't really get to take much pics cuz the place was crowded and i preferred to concentrate on my shopping instead.Hahaha.

=)


Day 4(12th of Dec)

Our final day at the Land of Smiles. Sad sad.
In the morning, we walked to a place called..i-forgot-what..and we had our brekkie there.


One thing i discovered about Thai people..They REALLY love their King. Practically everywhere i go, i see posters and drawings and pictures of the King.
This shot was taken in the stall where we had our breakfast.

On our way back, my coffee-loving parents decided to stop by at a shop which sells really yummy coffees as we soon discovered..



My cup of latte. Great taste! (like the fern leaf too.)
And this only cost like 40 baht..which is equivalent to RM4.


Am gonna miss this tasty orange juice! 100% orange-made ya know.


One final shot in front of the toilet mirror before checking out.

While waiting for our cab to the airport, dad decided to treat us to buffet lunch this time.

Caesar salad.

Didn't take much pics of the food..but you can check em out in my facebook.Most of the pics are there.

Saying my goodbyes to Holiday Inn.Your service is really top notch~ thumbs up!




My family =))) Notice that bro and dad were wearing the same t-shirt colour.haha.

Zoom zoom and away..back to KL!

Gorgeous sunset.(pic taken from inside the plane)

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Really thank the Lord for such a wonderful trip to Thailand. Will definitely want to visit it again! And thank Him too for keeping us safe in our going in and coming out.=)

Be prepared for a pic that might really scare you........
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The power of a shopaholic =P
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Featuring...the stuffs i bought from Bangkok.....



That's alot. But the total price of the stuffs i bought are even cheaper than the total of two Topshop dresses.
And another thing i learned----how to bargain! haha.I've never really had the guts to bargain before this..but in Bangkok..i did alot of that.Yay! a tiny accomplishment.^^


2 comments:

My Stories said...

Super a lot of stuffs bought there in Bangkok it seems. Oh yea, the car where your sis zoey is posing with is a Porshe 911 turbo. Not a lamboghini. Lolz.

Abigail said...

Hahahaha.. proves how ''much'' i know about cars.Haha. Yea..shopped till we dropped,literally. =P