| It was just NY and myself... we left Hubby at home, and we headed out to Bangkok. Very exciting!  We got there in the evening... so the sun was already gone. But there was a lovely Mercedes Benz waiting for us to take us to the hotel. We had called for a car service (we didn't realize it'd be such a nice car!) It had individual everything: seat warmers, tv screens, these weird massage controls (we didn't know how to use correctly,) and of course they provided us with cold, bottled H20. Very nice! We rode in style... (only to find out that it was about $100 for that sweet ride. HAHA!) So as soon as we get there and check in... I took pics of the room!  So here it is...  
Oh geez... xanga sucks... they said that I've hit my limit of photo downloads for the month! How on earth am I supposed to keep my readers captivated without pictures?!?!? Sheesh! So that's all you get to see of Thailand... my shower and bathtub. HAHA! That really sucks... sorry guys... So I guess I REALLY will give you the short version. (The pictures will have to follow later, once I get home I'll email links to all the different places that I went to!) So we checked in and then made our way quickly out the door to grab some dinner. We were told that there was a night market very close by, so we hopped in a cab and went straight there. It was about a five minute ride and only cost 35 bhat... practically a dollar and some change. Very nice... so we get there and start walking around, only to realize that there was aisle, after aisle, after aisle of shops! It's like little spaces, like a swapmeet, and some on the sidewalks as well. And they were pretty much the same that just recycled. A place with fabrics, a place with shoes, clothes, swimsuits, souvenirs, knick knacks, etc... and somehow, we still ended up going through about half the place before realizing that we were REALLY tired already and still hadn't had dinner! So we finally found this area of restaurants. And there was this cute outdoor restaurant all lit up with lights so we headed in there. NY wanted to order a bunch of dishes... SO yummy! We both had Thai iced teas, which we realized we didn't have to say, THAI iced tea... when you're in Thailand, it's just iced tea. HAHA! Then we ordered a king prawn dish, and morning glory (my new fave green veg,) mango salad with coconut sticky rice, and rad nar. It was so delicious! We had leftovers we packed up to go and went back to walking around! I bought a few things to bring home for gifts... Then the next day we decided to check out the typical tourist spots... so the Concierge told us how to take the train to the edge of the river... then we hopped on a boat that took us upstream. It was pretty fun! And I took a bunch of pics (that xanga won't let me share with you!) So our first place to hit up was the Grand Palace. Sorry, kind of don't remember the details... but basically the King used to live here til he decided to move to a different town (for some reason that I can't remember, I know, not a good tourist...) so now it's just open to the public for viewing. The real palace that he lives in is not allowed to be visited! So we went there and they have a dress code. Covered legs and arms, well, just a sleeved top. So if you were in a tank top, they'd make you put something on. So of course, I was wearing shorts, so I had to "borrow" something... we walk into this room where you can rent clothing. I borrowed a traditional Thai silk skirt. Which apparently, these days women don't wear these clothes except at their weddings! :P Hahah... So I paid 100 bhat (only about $3) and I wore this skirt into the palace grounds. We walked around, it was SO hot! We were dying... so we faded fast. I just took as many pics as I could... then we headed out. Haha! We decided to go to the Reclining Buddha next... and we rode in a Tuk Tuk. It's like an open cab, no doors, but much smaller than a car. It rides on 3 wheels. Then we took a bunch of pics of the buddha and then again, got hot and tired and left. Hehehe... We went back on the boat and tried to stop off at a flower market area... but we missed the exit. So we just had to head back home. We washed up cause we were nasty! It's so hot and humid there you can't bear it after awhile. Then we tried to find another place to go to, but they someone in the lobby suggested the night market and we were thinking, we've already been there! So a lady at the front desk gave us the name of a good, local restaurant in Siam Square. We had a jerk of a cab driver that took us to the square, didn't know where the restaurant was, so we figured we'd find it and just got the hell outta the cab. We walked around and didn't see anything... finally just went into a little restaurant with young peeps in it. It felt like kind of a more fast food joint... but after getting the food, we were thinking, wait a sec... we taste kind of a Chinese flavor. Haha! But it was still good... so then we walked around just a bit and headed back. As we're walking towards the front to grab a taxi... we see the restaurant we were told to go check out. Oh boy! was I angry! It was right there and the cab driver had passed it. And the menu looked soooo good! Oh well, too late... But we ended the night on a good note! We had decided to walk from the train station earlier that day, and kind of got lost. But in the mean time we noticed this massage place right next to our hotel. It was inside a strip mall and looked nice and clean and more like a place we'd go to in the States. The other places we found weren't so nice looking, and didn't have AC! Yuck! :P So on our way back we stopped in and decided to get a foot massage... SOOOO nice!! And only 300 bhat... a little under $10!!!! For a whole hour!! It was great! Dude! We gave them a 100 bhat (about $3) tip... sheesh! A $13, one hour foot massage. We were happy again! :D Next day we decided to do a tour guide trip... that way we could make sure to see elephants! :D It was less than $100... we got a guide that speaks English, a driver, and technically two destinations were on the menu. We picked the Floating Market, and some Zoo where you're supposed to be able to ride elephants. Boy did we get our money's worth! It was more like, we paid our money and they took us to as much as they could within about 10 hours. We started the day @ 7:30am. OH! I forgot to tell you guys about the breakfast that was included with our room cost... The hotel had a WONDERFUL breakfast spread... the regular stuff, like eggs, bacon, sausages, etc... then breads and pastries... some Chinese Congee, and some Thai noodle dish and soba noodles and some non-sushi rolls... and yummy yogurts (yum! mango!) and much more! And they had THE best fresh squeezed juices I've ever had in my life! YUM! So that's the way to start your morning... So we started with a place that does stuff with coconuts... they made this sugar made from the milk... it was yummy! And then this place had an orchid farm attached so we looked at that... and of course a HUGE souvenir shop... And we had mentioned to our guide that we wanted to ride on an elephant.. so instead of doing it at the zoo, he told us there was a place that for a higher price, you can actually have a half hour ride through a local area, well, he said forest-y area, but it was more like just the country side. BOY was it fun! SO cool! We literally rode on an elephant! Can't wait to show you guys the pics! And can't wait to show you their peep and poop! :D HAHAHAH! It's hilarious! We had sooooo much fun! Way worth the 700 bhat (approx $22) per person! Then we drove again to a place where we hopped on this really low motor boat... shaped more like a thin, long row boat. We zoomed our way through this water way, pretty much through the backyards of the locals! It was cool... it took us to an area with the floating markets. It's where the stores are actually floating... they're on boats! Or more like canoes! This is so not the same telling you these stories without pics! :( Sorry guys! And then we were offered another ride inwards to the real stores, but we didn't want to pay MORE money to ride for a longer time on this yucky looking water, just to see the same products being sold. So we decided to skip that part. But I was MOST excited for the fruit... they have fruit that we will never see in the States. So first, I tried Durian, which is a VERY stinky fruit. Singapore has a sign at the Immigration booth that says "NO DURIAN!" It's funny... And then I bought this little sampler of different fruits. (But I saved it for later to eat in the hotel where I could actually take pics of them!) Then we headed out in the car again to a place where they make wood carvings... VERY cool! They have these 3-D wood art pieces, it's amazing! I have great pics of these! We saw people carving... I can't believe that these worker bees can do such detailed work that must require so much concentration, while all these tourists are buzzing around them and taking NUMEROUS pics of them and their work. It's crazy! So then we head out to the zoo... and finally have lunch here (it was included with the cost of the tour.) And then headed in... and the first thing we see, are these two enormous tigers, chained up and WAY sedated... they had to be! They were WAY too tame! Apparently, you can pay 100 bhat and get a picture taken with them! So cool... of course we had to! ;) So we get to hold their tails (which was VERY rough! Like those front porch mats, d'ya know what I'm talking about?) And they give us a polaroid. It was awesome! :D And then we watched a cheezy magic show in this little arena (it was the opening act to the elephant show.) Then we watched the elephants... they danced, they played soccer... oh, and they did this re-enactment of the fight between the King of Siam and Burma. Then at the end they have these booths that you can buy bananas or sugar canes and feed the elephants! So fun... of course I had to! ;) And NY just took pics for me... Then we went to the crocodile show, but it wasn't so much fun for us, and it was HOT and too many people around there... so we cut outta there early... out towards the center courtyard where the elephants were being brought out! Fun! And then we ran into this little baby elephant... it was SOOOO freakin' cute!!! So of course we took pics of it and with it... it was born in August (same as me! :D heehee!) which means it's only 4 months old. AWW! So cute! And then it nudged me, which really was a hard shove! And I pinched my arm on the railing... :( But it was too cute to get mad at! Haha! And it took a bite of NY's sweater... that was funny too. So next stop was the Gem Gallery/Manufacturer. Supposedly the finest rubies and sapphires come from Thailand. And this is where they make fine jewelry. And again, don't understand how they can do work that requires detail and a steady hand, while all these people are walking around them, staring at them, talking and taking pics around them... it's madness I tell you! ;) hahah... Then we went into their store... it had some very beautiful pieces. And they try to interest you in buying stuff, but no way I could afford anything in there... and then another souvenir shop... then we exit and go to one last place. The guide told me this was where to buy silk. And I thought my sis would like it... so I thought maybe... It turned out to just be a tailoring shop. But apparently it's cheap, and quick service. They quoted us @ 88 US dollars for two pairs of pants or blouses, with our choice of fabric and pattern, fitted, sewed and sent straight to our hotel, no having to come back and pick up! Wow, that's a pretty good deal huh? And to think... this is what I've always wanted for pants! But it was too sudden and unexpected. I couldn't decide on anything that quickly. So we just looked around at some of the silks and they really did have some beautiful stuff... but it sounded so expensive so we passed on everything and just headed back to the hotel. Fun filled day! Very eventful! We got back and I took pics of all the fruits and ate them! :D Well, sampled really... and I found my fave! It's a mangosteen. Nothing like a mango! It's more like orange slices, but it was sweet and tangy. It was good... Then we tried to decide on something new to do, but just went back to the night market to keep it safe and eat at the same place again. Still yummy! :D Walked around a bit and called it an early night. Next day was the last... we just ate breakfast and headed back to the massage place.. I had my first Traditional Thai massage. It was GREAT! And a funny experience. They get all up in your business and then they walk all over you (which the gal was NOT light!) Sheesh! But it was still a good massage and quite an experience. Then we hopped in a cab and headed to the airport. And I forgot to tell you guys the funniest thing ever... so they're having Presidential elections in the next week... and BY LAW you are not allowed to serve/sell alcohol or purchase it during this time. So of course, we went there on the best weekend ever! The weekend when they couldn't sell alcohol. Good thing we didn't try out the night life there. I can't imagine what it would've been like, dry! It's crazy! I wonder what all those foreigners looking for a good time were doing. So funny... we had a good laugh about that one!! And that was my Thailand experience... it was great... except that I had to throw away my lotion cause they caught it... it's one hundred and FIFTY mL, which the allowance is 100 only. Sucks... Hong Kong didn't notice it, but stinking Thailand did. I was bummed about that. Oh well... I bought a new one.... |
Are they joking? More like smokin' crack!! And it didn't look like it was all that, so we said screw it...
