Bangkok, Thailand: Chatuchak Weekend Market and Siam Square Shopping!

Retail therapy while on vacation signals the culmination of a wonderful vacation. Well, at least for me.  It is like an added bonus, the icing to the cake, and a rewarding experience at the end of every trip. And I am grateful every time, because at the end of every trip, I am blessed to have extra money to spend to allow me to buy and experience their culture of shopping  so that I will not go home empty handed.

CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET

And yes, Bangkok is known as one of the best shopping destinations in the whole world. And when you say bargain hunting for shopping, it could get pretty synonymous to Chatcuchak Market in Northern Bangkok. Chatuchak Market is a weekend market and is considered as one of the largest and most spectacular markets in the whole world. Yes, how awesome is that?

Bangkok, Thailand: Dusit Zoo

One of the compelling reasons why I wanted to visit Bangkok was because I wanted to fulfill my lifelong dream of riding an elephant! I was so near in finally ticking this item off my bucket list as we were supposed to ride the elephants in Samphran during our last day in Thailand. BUT… (yes, buts at the start of a statement could get pretty dangerous) BUT because I overlooked and miscalculated our remaining days left and still added an extra day in our itinerary, it was too late already when I realized that we’re not going to have that last day for elephant rides anymore. (insert heavy, heavy sighs here)

Bangkok, Thailand: Khao San Road and Patpong

Of street food, street shopping, street parties, street massages… Bangkok has it all!

Bangkok gives a certain sense of warmth and familiarity that it easily welcomes all its eager visitors from all walks of life. And yes, we managed to visit backpacking hub of Bangkok, Khao San Road, where we encountered a melting pot of nations converging and immersing merrily in Thai culture. Patpong, on the other hand, was a different kind of experience, which was purely adult in nature as it was Bangkok’s red light district after all!

Bangkok, Thailand: Chao Phraya River Cruise

Going on a cruise has always been one of those things waiting to be crossed out in my bucket list. I always dream of going on a Carribean cruise or a cruise similar to it . But upon learning that a Dinner Cruise along the Chao Phraya River was possible to do during our Bangkok trip, I immediately researched on it and consulted several travel review websites if the experience was worth it. It was a step closer to fulfilling the cruise dream, not quite but almost. Much of the reviews showed much appreciation towards the dinner cruise. So yes, we gave it a try.

I could say that anything related to new and novel experiences make me act on such impulse and excitement. Being spontaneous as I am, ding ding ding, I immediately considered, “Why not try the cruise?” PLUS, I am dying to see the beautiful temples magnificently lit during the night!

Bangkok, Thailand: Grand, Glorious, Golden Temples of Bangkok

Sawadee ka! After such an awesome adventure in Cambodia where we surrendered ourselves in amazement towards Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and the whole Angkor Temple Complex, we made it safely to Thailand, “land of the free”.

We woke up to another day of eager exploration as we walked on foot under the scorching heat of the sun and travelled using their public transportation system. We explored the temples along the Chao Phraya River and were astounded with the grandeur and beauty of the Thai temples—mostly characterized by the glorious color of gold!

GRAND PALACE

We started off with the Grand Palace, which gave us a preview of traditional Thai culture and beautiful architecture. Past monarchs of the kingdom resided in the Grand Palace, but today, it’s used for ceremonial occasions of the country. Not all parts of the palace grounds are open for tourists and visitors. But fret not, because the areas accessible to the public would not be a disappointment.

Crossing Borders: Thailand-Cambodia

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” –Helen Keller

Inspired by the drive to make each day count and see the world one day at a time, we decided to take on another adventure—this time, in Cambodia and Thailand (our fifth and sixth country together respectively). And  truly, we experienced the best of both worlds in the two countries. Cambodia and Thailand are so unique in so many different ways, but we openly embraced the respective diversity of their culture and people. And it’s so cool that a single border manages to remain witness to two completely different cultures, with completely different sets of values and people happening at the same time.