23/3/07, Fri
I’m back from my BKK trip! But I dont want to be back le….
It is ONE long awaited trip which I’ve finally made it together with my 2 of my best chummies (we have known one another for 15 yrs!!!) OMG, can you imagine how old am I now, hee… and it is a trip that has finally materialize after all the talks & planning since Aug last year, haha.
Most happy of all, it was during moi birthday! What else could I ask for….
We stayed at Baiyoke Sky Hotel, supposedly to be BKK tallest hotel, but the service was only so so….
infact the front-desk service staff’ acted quite aloof & lukewarm. What happened to the friendly Thai people??! And also, the hotel lobby is not on the ground floor. Its on the 18th, if I did remember correctly.
Our room is on level 46, therefore, first of all, we have to take the lift up to the lobby, then, take another lift up to our room. For daily buffet breakfast, we have to take another lift up to the 76th floor.
Sounds confusing?? haha, I was at first, but somehow got used to it during my stay there.
Despite the swopping lift inconveniences & so so service standard, the only few consolations was that the room was damn big…
Imagine after adding in the extra bed (3 of us share a room), there was enough space for us to play a game of badminton, lolzz..
Plus the view from our room was awesome. The breakfast buffet spread was also quite sumptous, with lotsa variety to choose from. There were Thai noodle soup, japanese sushi, prata, omelette & toast, waffles, cereals, porridge, sweet rice cakes, sausages, fruits, corn soup, ….. sounds more like a normal buffet hor, hee… Yummi!! Infact, this is the only thing that was quite worth it, as its included in our travel pkg, hee….
Not to worry about the hotel location though its not conveniently linked to their sky train. Coz you can always take a taxi which cost about 100baht (S$5) to most of the location we go. Just remember to etiher bargain for the price they quote or requst them to switch on the taxi-meter.
Hitching a tuk tuk is almost the same price. I really enjoyed the tuk tuk rides, was so fun & fast ;D
On the first day morning, after makan breakfast, we headed to MBK for some shopping “warm up” first, but was disappointed to find the things there to be expensive and not “bargainable”, hmm…. I spotted a pair of bikinis which I find it kindof ex loh, which cost about 350baht (S$16). But I really like the colourful strips design, and bought it anyway. This is also my ONLY purchase at MBK.
After sometimes, our tummy growling, we pop by a shop which supposedly specialise in Sharksfin & Birdnest soup. We decided to give a try.
I ordered the supposedly Top-Premium birdnest soup, which cost about 1,100baht (S$50) but was aghast to find that they did not pick the birdnest clean enough before cooking. Was actually quite turn off to find many small specks of feather inside the soup. The Sharksfin was not so costly, about 350baht, but can hardly taste any big chunks of it…. hmm…
Anyway, guess it shall be the first & the last time there ;p
After lunch, we shopped at several other popular places such as the Siam Square, Siam Center etc… too many names I can’t remember clearly, but its all within walking distances of MBK, just cross the overhead bridge and walk further down.
Along the way, there are also alot of small shops and shopping complex where we head to find good bargain. But izzit me or what, I find things there are not so “bargainable” now, which my gf agreed too…
they were also generally not so friendly anymore… hmmm…..
Anyway, after a tired shopping trip, we dragged ourselves back to our htl to rest and relax first, before we bathe, change and head to the Pathuwan Night Market, which is just downsides OPP our hotel!
In the end, there was nuthing much to shop le… hmm… just alot of people. Something like our pasar malam.
From the Pathuwan Night Market, we head back to our hotel to change into something nicer, and we hail a taxi to go to The States Building, where there is a SKY BAR situated at the highest level.
The view from the bar outdoor was breathtaking. Service was excellent. Perhaps you may say that “of course, it was a classier place”, but thats precisely! Bcoz you paidfor the service, and it did made us feel good as customers. The wait staff were polite, & courteous… hmm, totally unlike at our hotel!
Anyway, we ended the night, chilled out, chit chatted and enjoyed the beautiful night scenery of BKK city.
The 2nd day morning, we went to Cha-tuk-chak Weekend market, coz it opens early in the morning but closed at 6pm. Shopping there was damn hot & stuffy, cant seem to stop sweating, like in sauna, haha.
But we really shopped till our hearts contents. I would really advise to just wear singlets, spagetti-strip tops, and shorts. Anything that will not suffocate u and its airy enough. Plus flip-flops. Or maybe even sports wear material, bcoz it dries up faster, wahaha…. you may want to drink more H2O, but I would advise to do it only when you are very thirsty, coz its like a maze there, and difficult to find toilets.
Also to facilitate and find your way, there are maps available at the information booth. In fact, all the sections there were numbered, but no guaranteed can find back the stall where you want to buy your missed items, haha. Coz too many small shops around, doubt a normal person can remember which section the shop is at. U get what I mean? So the moral of the story: Be decisivie in buying and don regret 
One thing to be caution during shopping, alway keep a lookout for your wallets & money. As pickpockets there are aplenty.
Best to avoid a haversack, just a sling bag will do. As its very crowded there and the walk ways between the rows of shops are small, you will tend to neglect your belongings and give them easy access.
The tidbits there also makes us go crazy, wahaha… most of them you can hardly find in Sing. And we also have a hard time bargaining with the tidbits stall auntie. The funny thing was, we spotted the stall earlier, and got over excited, started to choose the different variety by the packets and boxes…. then my gf asked how are we going to shop with this heavy load?? And in the end, we strike a deal with the auntie, by placing a 100baht deposit and will come back for the rest later on. If in the event, we did not go back, she also stand to gain and not lose anything. Some smart aleck we were, hee….. but hey, with the map, we managed to find the stall ok!
Shopping at CTC was the most fruitful. I spent most of my $$ there, hee. We lugged all shoppings back to the htl first, coz we really need to take a break and get some air-con. BKK weather was scorching hot. Heard that March to June is usually the hottest season.
Back at the hotel, we rested, displayed all our purchases all over the hotel room floor (datz how spacious our room is) and took a pic of it.
SATISFACTION! Lolzz… Well, most of them were bought for kins and frenz.
Next, we head out insearch of the authentic thai food. We went to Central World Plaza. Its a new place, with all the high end boutiques and resturants. Many of the shops are not even opened yet. Guess not quite the place for us shopping after buying so many cheap things.But we ended up eating at one of the resturant there. Well, we were drawn to the nice decor. The food was not really authentic, the tom yam soup more sour than spicy. I find it so so only.
We spotted the boutique NARAYA. According to my gf, its the so call branded in Thailand. Well, I’ve never heard of it, but find the quality not bad. Great as gift ideas also.
Oh, btw, its selling alot of different designs & sizes of bags & pouches. Think ladies will like it, coz I see alot of ladies & aunties in the shop. Ahem, me & gf are ladies hor, lolzz….
The prices are not very ex, about 60baht (S$3) for a small coin pouch to less than S$10 for a set of pouches with 3 different designs.
We spent quite awhilez in there, indecisive over which design, which size, which colour to buy etc…. haha.
Our last stop of the night was Suen Lam Night Market. Its meant mostly for tourist I guess, as there were money changer, ATMS, Foot-massage shops. And also the layout of the shops are more neat and clean there. Just when my $ is running out, I get to see alot of things that I want to buy… $ Not Enuf, haha.
Luckily one of my gf acted like our “money changer”, coz she hardly spend, so we borrow from her first and return her in Sing Dollars. But to take note, the shops there closed early at about 1am.
We went there only after taking the Ferris Wheel ride and makan. That was our supper, and much more tastier.
Finally, we headed back to htl to pack our stuff and prepared to go home the next day. Sob Sob.
The hilarious thing was, we tried all ways & means to stuff everything. Yes, you heard it correctly, EVERYTHING!! including tidbits into the luaggage. Wahaha!! I was damn fraid my luaggage would explode that after struggling to close it, I do not dare to open it again the next day. ;p
Finally after 2 hours plus flight, it was Home Sweet Home. Can finally have a good sleep.
Meanwhile, still sorting and editing my pictures. Will upload them in my next blog.
Ciao!!! (^-^)
