Sunday, November 8, 2009

Day 3 - 22 Sept: Goodbye Again, Bangkok

It was an early flight at 9.30am, which meant we were to be in airport by 7.30am and we were up by 6am for a quick breakie.
.
Here are pics of our last and reluctant breakfast on the last day...




and here... are the damages done...

I so love this pair of heels... it was on 70% discount from Jaspal and made of very soft leather. I paid S$40 for them and the usual price was 2900THB. Great FInd, Great Buy!
I bought all these earrings for less than S$30 altogether from different shops in Siam Square and Bonanza Mall. Mum got some necklaces for herself.. but I chose them for her of course! *proud*
.
J only managed to get 2 shirts.. S$70 in total from X-Act. I used to love X-Act when I was smaller and slimmer. *lol*
.
I wonder when will be my next bangkok Trip????? *long sigh*

Day 2 - 21 Sept

I'd better be good and disciplined - sit down to finish this trip's journal before I completely forget about the nitty gritty details.. as always.
.
Alright! Day 2 I awoke to the burning body of J... he felt unusually 'hot' to touch and when I asked he admitted he had runny stools and tummyache throughout the night. He also turned pale and looked really tired. I suggested him staying in for the day.
.
We went down for breakie and he was really burned out. Poor Thing! My parents and I came to a conclusion that J was sick while the 3 of us were not - we ate the birds' nest and ginseng tea!!! He did not!!!!. *lol*
.
I left him to rest in the hotel while Mummy and me made our way out to town. Daddy was going to meet his friend somewhere so, it was just Mummy and me! I brought Mummy to experience Bangkok like she has never experienced before! I brought her around by Train!!! 3 mins from our hotel was the train station Ratchadapisek and I knew we had to change to BTS (skytrain) at Asok. She wasn't impressed. *lol* Mummy is a frequent visitor to Bangkok and she only travelled by Taxi! *atas!!*
.
So, good that she agreed though reluctantly!
.
We went for slow walks at Siam Square, Bonanza Mall, MBK.. a few of her favourite spots. I bought quite a number of stuff and she did too, doubled my harvest!!! Mummy had a task at hand, she was looking for 'super yoyo' for my nephew and niece as she had promised them. We were scouting frantically for them BUT ended up buying some other yoyo! *lol*
.
After a few hours, we sat down for both our favourite MK steamboat. During lunch, Mummy filled me in on recent happenings around the house and my maternal grandma, who was recently acting slow and quiet. Mummy took the time to air her frustrations and we spend a good 2 hours talking.
.
Here's some good shots of Mummy at MK. WE enjoyed ourselves not having to worry about time. She has aged and the wrinkles... reflect how life take its toll.

See how happy this lady was...


2 of us only feast about S$16... isn't it amazing! I love BANGKOK!
.
We were out since 11am and we set out back to hotel at about 5pm.
.
Remember the man who was sick? Well, he called to tell me he went for Thai massage in the hotel and even ordered a Beef Burger by room service and was actually enjoying his time in the room! Gosh...
.
When we returned to the hotel, Daddy was already back and we decided to call a doctor in, just in case J couldn't get well enough to take the flight early next morning.. The doc came and the house call cost 4400THB.. extortion! But well, the insurance will pay for it. Doc said he was having stomach flu, gave him some meds for the tummy and fever. His fever was a whopping 39.2 degrees.
.
J couldn't get up to eat with us and so Daddy, Mummy and I went downstairs to have the porridge buffet again.. and we retired early as we'd need to be up early and be in the airport by 7am.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Day 1 - 20 Sep

Didn't sleep very well as we'd got rooms with twin beds as the bigger-bedded rooms were far apart and we would not be able to have rooms side by side.
.
J woke up really early and I was disturbed and could not go back to bed. So I prepared myself and got ready early.
.
It was 9am. I wondered why no one knocked on my door! I knocked on theirs and heard Mummy scrambled to the door and told me they were still asleep and so J and I went down for our daily bread first! Excited and hungry, we were glad it was a non-working day! *satisfied*




We had our yummy-licious spread and went back to the room after an hour. we were to meet to venture out at 11.00am. Strange my daddy seemed to prefer taking things slow. He ordered a taxi and we headed to the Erawan Shrine. I had a gut feeling Daddy would not drive to Siam. I remembered how he hated driving anywhere near there! True enough! *giggles*


Our first stop was the Erawan Shrine. Everyone had something to ask for. It was a hot day though and after that we went into the building next to Erawan Shrine, Mummy called the building 'Sogo'. Her intention was to visit a local goods store somewhere upstairs as they provide delivery service of the local goodies you purchased, to your hotel. Here she was going mad! *lol*
.




We spent about S$80 buying the local goodies; for our families, relatives etc.
.
There was a shop on level one that was to me, Naraya-look-and-feel-alike store but their things were slightly cheaper. I got this bag for only 200Baht. I wonder if this is the Bangkok Sale Season but there were sales and discounts signage everywhere! Jaspal was having 70% sale as well, Mummy went unleashed and started her spree - this was her first stop and she'd got herself 3 tops. Me, satisfied with my buy in the same shop - a pair of leather wedges for 890Baht (S$32++) and the usual price was 2599Baht! Lucky lucky me! And they have shoes my size!
.
After this 'Sogo' mall, we walked across to Central World where I needed to replenish my contact lens! I bought 10 boxes and saved S$110. Each box costs S$39 in Singapore and over there, only S$18. J encouraged me to get more. As usual, they did not have enough of what I wanted and I was told to return after an hour as they gather the goods from another shop din the mall. So, we took this opportunity to walk around alittle; walked into XAct; a local brand and all 3 of them bought 2 pieces of tops each! J got 2 shirts, Mum 2 tops and Dad 2 polo-tops!
.
Amazing! We rest our feet after that! Here's us chilling out!
.






Alittle over an hour, we collected the contact lens and headed on foot to Siam Square. We had wanted to go to our favourite Som Tam! *evil smiles*
.
In order to guarantee seats, we'd usually go to Som Tam between 2.30 - 3.30pm. This time round with Daddy around, we had our usually Garlic Chicken Wings, Spicy Thai Pork Soup, Mango Salad and Daddy's recommendation; Pork Neck and Spicy Friend Minced Pork! They were actually very good, tender and non-oily! Whoa... this meal was indeed, spicy! J was grasping for water! I love the soup!





The meal cost us S$24! Can you believe it? *satisfied*
.
After Som Tam, we took slow walk through Siam Square, Bonanza Mall and then to MBK. I managed to get myself a few pairs of earrings! Love them as they were so pretty and cheap! Mum got herself more stuff - shoes, shoes, necklaces, blouses blouses!
.
At MBK, Mum and me went crazy over bras.. there were bra sales everywhere! I bought 2 from Triump that cost me S$120 and Mum? She got 2 from Wacoal!
.
After that my feet were heavy and sore. J was already resting in MacDonald's and we gathered there before taking a taxi back to the hotel.

The traffic was pretty smooth and we were back in the hotel by 6pm to rest about an hour.
.
At about 7.30pm, Mummy knocked and said Daddy will take us to Chinatown! I was excited! I asked, "Seafood?" She said, "YES." Yeeha!!! Happy happy me! Not that I love seafood BUT I loce Thai Steamed Fish!
.
We took a taxi to Chinatown and ate at the restaurant next to the one J and I went with my parents-in-law last year. I heard this restaurant is more expensive BUT perhaps, more to Daddy's liking? Whatever it is, I am happY! We had Prawns, Vegetables, Fish Maw Soup, Fried Osyter Egg and my favourite Thai Style Steamed Fish! I always LOVE and absolutely LOVE Thai Style Steam Fish! Lotsa garlic and lime and the soup was sour, spicy and delicious! I couldn't get enough if it!




.
The dinner was good and I was glad I did not have any rice but ate losta fish and oysters! *over the top*
.
Mummy was bugging Daddy for Birds' Nests and Daddy brought us into a shop. I asked why not have those by the roadside and his response was, "What makes you think those by the roadside are any cheaper?"
.
So we went here. Extravagant dessert! I am not a Birds' Nests fan! But it was interesting to watch how they would show you Bird's Nests of different grades and make you select and the prices (per bowl) were stuck on the container when you select! I chose the cheapest! To me, they are all the same! Mum and me took the 500Baht (S$20) per bowl and Dad wanted to try something else, took the 600Baht one. Thank goodness he didn't choose those way off ones. my heart would be bleeding for him if he'd choose others! I felt it wasn't worth it! Perhaps I am not a fan that's why. J was not a fan either and chose not to eat any.




They served us a cup of Ginseng Tea each, 3 half-boiled eggs and some honey. When our Birds' Nests arrived, the lady said the eggs were meant to be added into the BN. I'd rather not. Eeek! Dad added his. Mum did not too! Guess we were not adventurous enough! The 3 bowls of nests cost Daddy 1800Baht (S$75+-)!!!!! My heart was so pain!
.
After that we headed back to the hotel. End of Day 1! We were all FULL beyond words and breakfast was set at 9am the next day too!
.
It was also through this night that I felt there was something wrong with J.
.
His body was unusally hotter in this night and by morning, he was having fever! I would say, rather high fever. He was weak and aching all over. Poor Guy! I knew as he had got up to use the bathroom a few times throughout the night.
.
Sigh... falling sick on a short holiday? *giggles*

Night 1 - 19 Sep 2009

Jetstar 3K513 that was supposed to arrive in Bangkok at 8.30pm was mercilessly delayed and we only touched down shortly past 9pm.
.
2 of Daddy's local friend waited for us at the airport JUST to hand him a car so that we could get around with ease for the next few days. So nice of them.
.
We checked into the Chao Phya Park Hotel at Ratchadapisek about 30mins drive away. We also managed to get rooms that were side by side, though we requested for linked rooms that were not available.
.
We put down the luggage and had a few minutes to freshen up before dinner; famished.
Here's some pictures of our room. This room was, however, not as nice as the one J and I stayed in during our first trip in Bangkok back in 2007 where we had an all-glass and see-through bathroom then. Perhaps that was the deluxe room daddy got for us back then. Anyway, this hotel is good and quiet not like those family hotels in Siam; this is more or a business hotel. The breakfast spread was fantastic compared to the usual ones we had in budget and boutique hotels.
.




Daddy had mentioned this Porridge Buffet back in 2007 but we hadn't got the chance to eat and this time, we finally did as we were all tired too. It was already 11pm Thai time which was 12mn to me in Singapore time - I was way passed my bedtime. *ashamed*


A huge, white and clean buffet line. There were a few types of porridge to choose from and they called it Boiled Rice there.
  • Normal Boiled Rice
  • Boiled Rice with Potato
  • Boiled Rice with Taro
  • Boiled Brown Rice
Yummy and healthy buffet at 250Baht per person. The variety was amazing and the food, fresh and cooked on the spot after you picked the combination you wanted. For example, you'd picked your own vegetables, mushrooms and whatever you'd like to fry together and hand them over to the chef who will then fry them into a yummy dish. There was also noodles and kuey teow soup cooked the minute you asked them to. Very interesting concept!
.
Here are the pictures.




There were also chef there cooking whatever you requested for. I asked for a bowl of traditional that kuey teow soup! Here he was cooking!

A good mix of chinese dishes + thai goodies. A very different porridge experience for me.
Even the variety at the dessert line was good! You can make your own local hot or cold desserts, western ice cream mix, mixed fruits and all!


We retired after the good dinner, or should I call this supper? *lol*
We agreed to meet for breakfast at 9am the next day.