Bangkok - Day 1

It wasn't my first time to Bangkok, it was my second. I anticipated this second trip to Bangkok for a very long time ady. Needed a trip so badly - needed to reward myself after a stressful semester in college. This trip was almost jeopardized due to the political turmoil in Bangkok. We were so lucky that the situation calmed down just right before our trip. With both my close friend - Alicia & Bernard, we arrange a small 'tour group' (consist of only me and Alicia.. haha), and led by Bernard, a person who been to Bangkok numerous time, but never as a tourist. So here it goes...


Day 1

With Air Asia, even the poorest me can fly! Haha!


LCCT - Low Cost Carriage Terminal (obviously)




I was so dizzy during the flight. Should have take air-sick pills. Malu-nyerrr~

Arrived safely at Suvarnabhumi Airport and proceed to Eastin Hotel & Spa by taxi. An advice for future visitors to Bangkok - only take taxi with meters! Upon reaching Eastin, the staff greeted us with broad smile on their faces saying "sawadee-kap" (for the guy staff), while female staff greeted "sawadee-ka". And while waiting for check-in at Eastin Hotel & Spa, we were asked to proceed to a café and were served with a welcome drink.




Cheers!

We only waited for less than 5 minutes and were then brought to our respective room. My first impression was “Wow… very clean.. very.. comfortable.. very nice!”.

I was then awed by the size of the Plasma TV, which then I saw a keyboard beside the TV, and was told that the Plasma is also used as a monitor. The staff showed us how to surf the web via the piece of technology that I was just surprised with. A-cheh.. I macam come out from jungle lah. What to do.. have been ages since I go out and see the world.







We did not waste much time in the hotel room. Bernard has arranged a brief itinerary for us - we can finish doing shopping, makan seafood and go to all places of interest in 4 days time! And following the itinerary, so we walk to nearby shopping mall (at least that’s what Bernard claim to be, very near only lah, can walk). To me, it’s not very near actually, I walk and grumble at the same time, and Bernard was teasing me about how vulnerable I am. Since there’s so many taxi out there, we should take a taxi instead lah.. true? Haha!



And taxi services there are superb. Wherever you go, you need not worry about transportation. I can see that the number of taxis in Bangkok exceeded number personal owned cars! And the taxis (all is Toyota Corolla Altis) comes with many different colors, ranges from yellow, pink, purple to green. The drivers are very courteous too. Taxi condition is very good, very clean and tidy. Unlike Malaysian taxi drivers who cough or pick their nose while driving, taxi no air-con, very smelly etc. Yucks..


View of Baiyoke Tower II - the tallest building in Bangkok

Arrived at Central World Plaza, one of the biggest shopping mall in Southern Asia. Didn't do shopping at all, was still in a warming up phase. Haha! Found a nice Japanese Restaurant and decided to have our 1st meal there, ironically. The place is nice, food is nice, nothing much to comment about really.


Picture taken by Bernard with his Olympus. View of Central World Plaza.






...soft shell crabs

... grilled salmon with teriyaki sauce


... very 'fung fu' ler?


In front of Toy 'R' Us - Sawadee-ka!

With our bloated stomach, we definitely need more walking. And Siam Paragon is just nearby! Siam Paragon gave me a feeling of Pavillion – very high class, and gave me that uncomfortable feeling when enter to those building because I feel like I don’t belong at those high-end places.


.. a temple we saw on our way from Central World Plaza to Siam Paragon


A cafe at Siam Paragon.. nice interior!


Nice picture taken by Bernard


Wow.. dare to step in? Na... maybe later!

Usual hang out place.. that's more like it!


Look at Pizza Hut's menu in Bangkok.. I bet you couldn't get it here
Then we go to MBK Centre, one of the oldest mall in Bangkok. It’s like a combination of Low Yat and Sungei Wang. And Bernard was the happiest man alive when he got his mobile phone casing changed which only cost him 150 Baht, and which would have cost him at least RM100 here in Malaysia! He did most of the shopping there, spending more in buying luggage bag – shows that he’s very keen into shopping in Bangkok, eh?



Tired and with our leg felt like we’ve walked for days, we took a tuk-tuk back to the hotel. That experience in tuk-tuk (not my first), was a very scary one. The driver drove like a mad cow and we hold on the side bar very tightly, just in case he corner too fast and we fly out from the tuk-tuk. Phew~




Exhausted.. but still manage to smile for the camera when tuk-tuk stopped for the red light
Took a nice warm bath in our ‘nice nice de’ bathroom, did some 'self-admiration' with the help of Alicia bro's Olympus, then out for dinner!






Alicia, please don't sue me for this. Nice pic are meant to be shared, agree? Haha!

Bernard brought us to dinner at Baan Klang Nam II Seafood. It's a very nice restaurant located by the riverside. And there's a amazing view of a bridge - sorry I didn't get the bridge's name or the location of it. It's a very informal ambient, with dim lights, riverside environment, it's a really nice place to dine-in. And that's where we were introduced to Teck Sheng. A friend of Bernard who have been staying at Bangkok for almost 2 years due to work reason. And he's just the ideal person who can recommend us to just the right place to eat, shop and play!


And if you don’t take seafood when you’re in Bangkok, then you’re missing out hell a lot of things! Teck Sheng ordered many specialties from the restaurant, and dishes that I enjoyed most if the tom yam kung and dessert - the mango sticky rice! The tom yam is different, because they put coconut milk (santan) inside, with some coconut flesh. It’s different, and nice in its own way. I tried many mango sticky rice here in Malaysia, but the one in this Restaurant… yum… speechless. The sticky rice is so ‘lemak’, with santan (I guess) and garnished with sunflower seeds.




Scallop.. look like tou fu in this photo. I'm not very familiar with Alicia bro's Olympus.





Don't judge a book by its cover. Look dry and not that temping? You'll change your mind when you try it. Baked only with salt, the taste of the fish - so fresh!


MY favourite~ Highly recommended when dine in Baan Klang Nam!

Nightlife in Bangkok must not be missed! According to the itinerary, we were supposed to go to Bed Supper Club after dinner. At Bed Supper Club, you sit -eat -chat, on a bed – instead of sofa. But the entrance fee itself cost 800 Baht! So we decided to give it a miss and to Q Bar instead. In Q Bar, we were seated at a upper level, some sort of open air section, and with trees surrounding the area, I felt like I'm in a tree house! It's a really nice place! Unfortunately, it was pretty early that time when we arrived, so there's nothing much to see or do, too early to be happening. Sat there for around 1 hour, then the guys ditch us for other shows. Me and Alicia went back to hotel ourselves and call it a night – while those guys go for ‘must not missed’ show in Bangkok.


At Q Bar, obviously I haven't got my hand on the night mode function.
Bangkok - Day 2 will be published soon.. *wink*