Bangkok Day 3: Super Tired

8 Mei 2010

We had a restless sleep, in my opinion i didn't sleep. We were extremely tired after long hours of walking yesterday, the hot weather, the humidity all get together to make our day miserable. We were still up in 4am, trying hard to sleep, and having restless sleep afterward.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Woke up in 8am, feeling unbelievable tired and sleepy. Our plan today is shopping in Chatucak Weekend Market (open from Friday (limited for wholesale only), Saturday and Sunday (for wholesale and retail). We left the hotel at 9am, took a short walk to Ratchathewi BTS Station (read: "Ratchadewi"), we're heading to the Mo Chit Station (which is the end of BTS Station) then we took a walk to Chatuchak Weekend Market. The market itself can be reached by MRT and BTS (the easiest way), and bus or taxi. There are plenty of Taxi, waiting for passenger in front of the market (If you shop too much and end up with huge and giant stuffs or boxes. BTS and MRT won't let you bring those large packages, you should take taxi).

Chatuchak Weekend Market is a huge market, selling anything, you name it. Clothes, Food, Animal, Souvenirs, Antiques, etc. We spent 4 hours, and we only went through not more than 1/4 part of market. We bought souvenirs, mostly t-shirt, pretty lampions, accessories. There was a delicious Teh Tarik (i thought it was Thai Ice Tea, but it's Teh Tarik). It is an open air market, so the temperature was bloody hot at noon.

Walking in the small aisle, seeking things to buy, there are so many choices, it's fun actually.

I plan to browse one shop and find other shop to compare the price,

when i decided to get back at the first shop, with so many identical shops, aisles and alleys,

i did not remember where the first shop was.

So, forget the idea of price comparison (unless you have a super photogenic photographic memories, which i don't), your best price will come through a good bargain.

done shopping, we got back to the hotel. tired and happy.

Wat ArunWe planned to see the sun sets from Wat Arun. In Bangkok the sun sets around 6.30. We went to Bona Niwet by Bus No. 2, and took Taxi to the Pier No.8 - Tha Tien Pier (In front of Wat Pho).

It only took us 3 THB for the boat that will take us across Chao Phraya River. We waited in the windy pier, and enjoy the sun sets with the view of Wat Arun across the river. It was lovely. The ride only took 10 minutes, when we arrived in Wat Arun, the night started to fall. I love Wat Arun at night, the temple is glowing. We sat on the grass field in front of the temple, enjoying the wind that brings the monks prayer inside the temple. Amazing.

Suan Lum Night Bazaar

We took the last boat and leave Wat Arun at 8 pm, and took Taxi heading to Hualampong station. We took MRT to Lumphini Park and had dinner in Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The night bazaar is large area of small shops, sell souvenirs, clothes, dresses, furniture, etc. It has a large food court with live music, we were too tired to walk around the night bazaar so we decided to sit in the food court and had dinner. I ate Tom yam that contains something i hate to eat. Yuck!

Sukhumvit

Feeling extremely tired, we decided to go to Sukhumvit area, and to have Thai Foot Massage. I thought Sukhumvit will be modern, but back to my first opinion about Bangkok, it's a little bit dusty and rusty (for the building) with the giant concrete (for BTS) completely block our view to the building and the sky. We left the Sukhumvit MRT Station by Taxi (we can take a walk, but we're just too tired) and stopped at Soi Nana which according to LP, is one of the red district. Well, for me it is more like Middle Eastern or Arabian village, lots of middle east people with shops, cafes and foot massage.

Soi Nana looks like Ampel (Arabian district) in Surabaya,
surrounded by shops with Arabic letter.

Shemales on the corner of the street

We walked around the block and bought Durian before having a Thai Massage (which i have to put outside the room while having foot massage). I love Thai Food Massage, they use some kind of mint balm (similar to counter pain) it feels good on my tired foot. It cost us around 120-150 THB.

We can get into the hotel after finished eating our Durian outside. Because the Hotel won't let us bring the smelly fruit and Kaki Berbulu loves the fruit but he hates the smell trapped in our room.