21st June 2014
After a good rejuvenating massage session ( where Jessica and I fell asleep while waiting for the adults to be done ), we were sent back to the hotel to have a short rest and to satisfy our growling stomachs. We ate at the hotel's cafe and there was a wide selection of local delights in their menu. Presentation of the food was pretty impressive and the taste did not lack as well!
Nancy, the tour guide actually recommended a few activities to occupy ourselves at night such as the ladyboys' performance, river cruise and a play which portrayed the history and culture of Thailand. Everyone wanted to have a relaxing night instead, so we agreed on going for the White Orchid River Cruise.
Many ships and boats of many sizes and attractive outward appearances provide different dining and cruising experiences. Some blasted music as an opening before the guests went onboard. Some even had short musical and dance welcoming performances which definitely livened up the whole atmosphere by the well-known Chaophraya River.
Nancy and I! I regret for not asking her about her details on social networks. Sigh.
Elvis Presley impersonator.
The interior of the ship!
I was anticipating more of the food though.
The ship was about two to three storey high and you could even choose to dine at the deck of the ship where you would be able to observe the spectacular view of many historic buildings and tourist attractions along the river such as the Wat Arun and Rama I Bridge. The downside of it is you would be unable to witness the entertaining ladyboys' performances happening in the ship. I used to be quite afraid of them which I don't know why. Probably the confusion about their genders had led to fear. Now that most of my fears have been overpowered by my fear for clowns ( whom I always hoped to bump into one in Genting Highland when I was a kid because of their balloon modelling skills. But not anymore. ), I find the ladyboys really attractive and beautiful instead. My self-esteem plummeted right away. You probably wouldn't be able to tell their genders until they open their mouths and start to speak.
A really good clarinetist.
She was even more beautiful after she removed her makeup..
As for the food, some were really delicious, some were average and some were probably the worst I had eaten. Well, you can never expect much from a normal cruise that has to accommodate more than 400 guests. Having a good company is more important than anything else because they are the ones who make everything worthwhile, right?
Tom Yam was surprisingly good. Mum had two servings of it.
I'm a big fan of Japanese food and these sushi were the worst I've ever had. I'm not kidding.
The cakes and jellies were disappointing... Why did all my favourite food taste so bad that day?
The night ended with people dancing and letting their hair down. The little kids who danced on their tiny feet were so adorable!
22nd June 2014
I was so hyped the night before because I was looking forward to the highlight ( at least to me ) of the trip; the Chatuchak Market! But before that, a hearty breakfast is important to start off your day. So as usual, we had our breakfast at the hotel before leaving.
We walked to the nearest skytrain station at Phloen Chit and took a ride to Mo Chi station. Personally, I don't like taking cabs when I travel. I'd rather walk if it's a walking distance. Exploring on your own and asking the locals when you lost your way is pretty fun, no? You'll probably also find some interesting places and things unexpectedly by doing so.
As you can see, Mo Chit is only 8 stations away!
This sign got me excited.
The market occupies the whole stretch of pathway.
One of the world's largest weekend markets, Chatuchak Market is divided into 27 sections ( if my memory doesn't fail me ). I think it's almost impossible to cover all 27 sections in just a day. So it's better if you do a research on the market before going! The market has more than 10,000 stalls and just like many other markets, all sorts of things were being sold there like decorative items, handicrafts, clothes, plants, accessories and many miscellaneous stuff. All at dirt cheap prices! And yes, food. The local delights there are a must-try. Cheap yet appetising. I shall let the pictures speak for themselves.
I thought this was just a plain crepe until I saw a sausage in between after I bought it. It was good though!
They sure attracted a lot of attention from many people.
Mango rice; a classic Thai dessert. Definitely a must-have when you're in Thailand.
The fruits were reasonably priced as well, except the durian..
Mum was craving for tom yam. A random shop we went to served really sumptuous tom yam glass noodles with a generous amount of seafood.
Try the orange juice from this stall if you feel dehydrated. It'll replenish your thirst almost instantly. The juice was really, really sweet! This stall can be found at many places in the market.
Jessica and I came across with this stall selling frozen bananas coated with chocolate. It was situated just beside the orange juice stall.
We tried the almond one and it was simple but goooood.
Char siew ( barbequed pork ).
Stumbled across a stall selling huge fishcakes!
The chilli complimented really well with the fishcakes. I miss this already..
The texture of the garlic bread was really soft and it was served hot. Yum.
Fried quail eggs which I did not try.
The highly sought-after Thai coconut ice-cream that everyone is crazy about when one makes a trip to Chatuchak Market. I read a review on tripadvisor that the coconut ice-cream in Section 4 is the best. It's located next to a stall that sells Thai milk tea. I can't vouch for that because that was the only stall that I've tried. You may choose any toppings that are available to go with your ice-cream such as peanuts, corn, red beans and nata de coco. A coconut ice-cream is also complimented with a small cup of coconut water. But dad just helped himself by refilling the cup for many times because we were thirsty.
The adults and their massage session again...
True?
Dad accompanied Jessica and I to explore more of the market. We tried the red ruby dessert to quench our thirsts. It didn't suit my taste though...
Many small alleys in every section. Mostly selling clothes and accessories.
I would really eat more if I had the stomach space to do so..
Then everyone went back to the hotel to shower and rest after a long day of non-stop walking under the blazing sun and eating in the market before going to have dinner ( there's nothing much to do, is there? ).
We took a tuk-tuk as it started to pour heavily in the evening. We went to a random nameless place that was situated near the hotel to have our dinner. The array of seafood and vegetables displayed probably have caught the adults' attention. The food there was considerably cheap but it was mediocre and wasn't as good as I thought it would be. As usual, dad ordered too many dishes.. I guess he was spoilt for choice so he just settled it by ordering everything he thought that might be good.
After a not-so-fulfilling dinner ( thank goodness for the food I had in the market ) , we took a walk around town. Mum's friend suggested to go to a sky bar to chill and we went to Red Sky at Centara Grand, near to the Central World shopping centre. From its 55th floor, you can enjoy a stunning 360-degree panoramic view of the city. Unfortunately, due to the weather, the outdoor bar was closed.. but we managed to take a glimpse of the veiw.
23rd June 2014
Time certainly went by in just a blink of an eye. We had our last breakfast in the hotel before checking out of the hotel.
Checked in at the airport and we had lunch in S&P at the departure hall.
It was indeed a short spontaneous trip. Nevertheless, I appreciate it and did enjoy myself. Nothing makes me happy besides traveling and food especially with a good company. I will definitely go back to savour all the delicious local delicacies once again and I'll make sure that it will be an even better trip the next time I'm there. You can say that I'm not easily pleased, but I only want to make the most of what I love to do, if that makes sense.
Till then. Khob khun ka!
