We did some basic touring around Bangkok. The BTS skytrain system was easily navigated and we had a station less than 5 minutes from our hotel. As the third large city we have visited in Asia, we found Bangkok to be the most clean and least polluted. With numerous shopping centers and restaurants, we did our share of shopping and eating. There was shopping for everything from market goods to luxury automobiles. That's right, you can stop at Siam Paragon for a CD, pair of shoes, oh, and a Maserati (located on the 5th floor). It is surprising to get off the escalator and find a sporting goods shop sandwiched between the Lotus and Lamborghini shops.
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| Our Korean BBQ Dinner--Quite Tasty |
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| Although I still had to do the cooking... |
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| Possibly THE best dessert we've ever had. Sticky Toffee Toast. That's right, it's French Toast, more like French Loaf. I think it was half a loaf of bread...but tasted like a sticky bun, sticky and gooey...we may need to franchise this in Canada! |
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| Halfway up the 7 floors of the shopping center |
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| What else would you expect to find on the 5th Floor? |
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| The Market Floor |
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| Would you like a fitting room? Or a shower curtain in the corner of the shop... |
The 2011 Thai New Year, Songkran, is celebrated on April 13. We were in Bangkok for the New Year's celebrations (our third New Year this trip), which involves sprinkling of water on Buddha's and the hands and shoulder of one another, bringing good luck and prosperity. Also, it was tradition to cover one's self in talc or clay in a purification ritual. The Songkran celebration has been adapted to a very large water fight in the city streets, and mixing talcum with water and smearing it on others' faces. It is unexplainable how many people mob the main streets that close for the water fight that lasted all day and well into the night. The sidewalk was somewhat of a safe zone with endless street vendors set up selling water guns, talcum powder, food and cold beer. We enjoyed the celebration early in the day, but had an early night before our 4am departure to the airport.
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| I made Andre buy a beer so I could take the photo |
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| Andre eating a street dog, post purification |
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| Silom Road |
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| The sweetest water fighter we encountered |
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| The street view from the skytrain above |
