Reminiscing Bangkok

It was in November 2004 that our family first experienced going out of the country, aside from my mom. My mom had a workshop to attend in Bangkok, Thailand. And it was great that her mileage with Philippine Airlines was enough to get tickets for me, my sister and my dad. We are really excited because we are going to Bangkok with her!

The plane ride was 3 hours. Then we took a taxi from the airport. Bangkok has lots of skyway, eliminating traffic. We stayed for a week in Holiday Inn Silom, where my mom’s workshop is. Because my mom was busy with the workshop, we only stayed at the hotel. My sister and I enjoyed the pool, although we only stayed at the shallow part because we both don’t know how to swim.

Our hotel accomodation only includes buffet breakfast for two, while there are four of us. So everyday we take turns on who would be eating breakfast with mom. Good thing that there is a grocery store across the street where we bought milk, cereals, noodles and bread. Food at the hotel is expensive, so we always go out to eat. Beside the hotel was a restaurant that serves delicious food that we could afford. Sometimes we also order chicken at KFC.

Along Silom Road was a commercial shopping center with thai restaurants. There are stages around the open dining area where culturals dancers perform every once in a while. We also ate at a chinese restaurant in a hotel when we met up with my mom’s chinese friend. There’s this electric pot on every table with plain soup, then there are lots of refrigerator in the restaurant where you could get the ingredients that you want to put in your soup. There is also an ice cream corner where you could make your own desert. Yummy!

There was also a night that we had a river cruise with my mom’s officemates. The food and the scenery was really great! Bangkok’s attractions by the river looked really beautiful at night. It was also my first time to hear of, to see, and to eat a dragonfruit.

 The invigorating air, the cooling breeze, the scenery at once sleek, scruffy and spiritual…  the Chao Phraya river is up there with the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, one of the city’s most indelible sights. Not only that, it’s super efficient ferry network - not to mention river cruisers, dinner cruises and long-tail boats - means it is also a picturesque gateway to many, many others. Unmissable.

Above is a picture of a tuktuk. This is the equivalent of the tricycle here in the Philippines. The tuktuk took us to tourist destinations around bangkok and also to jewelry shops that we think they get commission from the tourists that they bring there to shop. One of our destinations was the Wat Intharawihan.

The Wat Intharawihan is the temple of the tallest standing Buddha. It is 32 meters tall and 10 meters and 24 inches wide. Ouside the temple are vendors selling birds: free the birds for good luck.

Another temple we visited was the Wat Phra Kaeo or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha located inside the Grand Palace.

Regarded as the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand, Wat Pra Kaeo enshrines Phra Kaew Morakot (the Emerald Buddha), the highly revered Buddha image meticulously carved from a single block of emerald. The Emerald Buddha (Phra Putta Maha Mani Ratana Patimakorn) is a Buddha image in the meditating position in the style of the Lanna school of the north, dating from the 15th century AD.

We weren’t able to see the huge reclining Buddha because of me. We had to go back to the hotel because I started to feel sick - dysmenorrhea. boohooo.

This is the Grand Palace. It’s so beautiful! The structures of the temples in the palace are amazing!

 If there is one must-see sight that no visit to Bangkok would be complete without, it’s the dazzling, spectacular Grand Palace.

Built in 1782, and for 150 years the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government, the Grand Palace of Bangkok is a grand old dame indeed, that continues to have visitors in awe with its beautiful architecture and intricate detail, all of which is a proud salute to the creativity and craftsmanship of Thai people.

Another must see is the Vinmanmek Mansion. It is the world’s largest teakwood mansion. I saw a huge diamond in there!!  As big as my two fists combined, or maybe even bigger!!

Vimanmek Royal Mansion is the world’s largest building made entirely of golden teak. Moved from Ko Sichang in Chonburi province, it was rebuilt on the grounds of Dusit Palace in 1900 by the command of King Rama V. It was recently renovated by H.M. Queen Sirikit, and made into a museum paying homage to the late King. As well as antique furniture, there’s glassware, porcelain, old photographs and memorabilia from the late King’s reign (1868 - 1910).

We also went shopping in Bangkok. Bangkok is the shopping capital of the world!!! - kidding *hehehe*. Along Silom Road was a night market. My sister and I bought shirts there. MBK Mall or Mah Boon Krong is the place to be if you are looking for bargains.

The multi-storey MBK, or Mah Boon Krong, is probably Bangkok’s most legendary shopping mall, popular with both tourists and locals. Eight floors packed with 2,000 shops that sell everything from clothing, fashion accessories, handbags, leather products and luggage to furniture, mobile phones, electric appliances, cameras, stationery and DVD’s (and then some). MBK (launched in 1986) is a beehive of activity, especially on weekends, when half of Bangkok converges to shop for bargains. And plenty of bargains are to be found here!

My mom gave my sister and I thai baht for shopping. Sadly, most of my shopping budget went to pasalubong for friends and teachers. My mom bought me a North Face backpack that I could use during campings. I was an active girl scout at that time. That is the only thing remaining from my shopping in Bangkok *hahaha*. Hey, that was alreay 6 years ago!! I love the dried langka (they call it dehydrated fruit) that you could buy in Thai Fruit in MBK. Whenever my tita goes to Bangkok, I ask her to buy me this, yummy! I would love to go back to Bangkok for shopping! Oh well, Divisoria is always there for me anyway.

Next time, I’ll tell you about our trip to HongKong.

-Erica