It’s the last day of 2011. As 2011 comes to an end, I can’t help but look back on this year with amazement and gratitude. This year has been given me a lot of wonderful memories, and awesome adventures. I may not have blogged about all the travels I’ve done for this year, but I certainly have a lot of pictures stowed in my hard drive. Let me give you a glimpse of my 11 memorable adventures of 2011.

1. Got lost in Bangkok, Thailand (read my Bangkok adventures here, here, here, and here)
   

   Elephant Ride!

2. Finally saw hot air balloons at the Hot Air Balloon Festival
   

   16th Hot Air Balloon Festival

3. Had a nice view of the Pyro Olympics
   

   Amazing ending for team Portugal

4. Celebrated my 25th birthday with family & friends
   

   My 25th Birthday

5. Experienced Singapore with my family
   

   at Singapore

6. Chilled at Boracay with my Ateneo girls
   

   Two rainbows at Boracay

7. Adventured at Coron, Palawan with the Awesome Outing Group (AOG)
   

   Underwater adventures at Coron

8. Bonded at Laiya, Batangas
   

   with the girls at Laiya, Batangas

9. Zoofari-ed at Subic
   

   Tiger!

10. Food tripped at Sonya’s Garden with the boyfriend
    

    The ultimate healthy buffet at Sonya's Garden

11. Relaxed at Bohol with my family and the tarsiers.
    

    Relaxed with the tarsiers at Bohol

I’m hoping 2012 could match my 2011 adventures. I’m excited for the new year!

Happy New Year everyone!

To China Town

What could be worst than getting lost in a foreign country whose language you don’t speak? Well, it’s getting lost in that country’s very own Chinatown. Our last day in Bangkok was dedicated to another day of shopping. This time, we wanted to check out the products at Chinatown. Also, my bf wanted to find this specific Tamiya car store which was supposed to be located in Chinatown. Knowing only two landmarks – a bridge and KFC – identifying the location of the store, we still headed to Chinatown. We figured we could ask around.

lost in China Town

Asking around proved to be quite a challenge. It was like a mini charades game every time we tried to ask where we could find a KFC and bridge. After an hour of searching, we did find a KFC but no bridge in sight. Communicating the concept of a bridge proved to be the ultimate challenge.

After searching for this specific store for over 2 hours, we decided to stop. We weren’t getting anywhere to near to finding the place. If we were on Amazing Race, we would’ve lost. So much for wanting to join that show. So after the failed hunt, we decided to just go check out the other Tamiya store, where he actually had an address and direction.

the malls!!

After he got to splurged on his Tamiya toys, it was my turn. We headed to Platinum Mall. It was huge. Too bad, they don’t allow you to fit the clothes. But if you’re petite, you probably won’t have to. Most of the clothes here are only available in one size; it’s the assumption that one size fits all. Fortunately, there were tons of bags and shoes selections to distract me from the lack of available clothes that fits me. But then again, I was already on a limited budget. So despite all the bags I wanted to take home with me, I only managed to buy one for my mom.

taxi to MBK and eating at MBK

Afterwards, we made our way to MBK. We already visited the mall the previous day after our Ayutthaya trip. We were going back so I could buy the bag I found the other day. Because of the price, I had to sleep it through before making the decision. And well, I couldn’t get it out of my head so I just had to get it.

By the middle of the afternoon, we dashed back to our hotel and packed our things. I landed in Bangkok with just two bags – a big one and a carry on – and leaving with three. Next time, I’m really packing light.

the adventure to the airport

I don’t know what got into our heads and decided to just take the train to the Airport. We read about the new Airport Skylink and how it would save us a couple of bahts. Fortunately luck was on our side and we were always there just before the train leaves. Still, there was definitely a lot of running involved.

And just like everything else, this fantastic vacation has to end. I’m looking forward to going back to Thailand soon!

Ayutthaya is an hour away from Bangkok. It’s a province of Thailand wherein you can find the ruins of the old city. I had didn’t know about this place until I saw it one of the must see places in Thailand. The amazing pictures I’ve seen and reviews I’ve heard enticed me to see the place.

However, it was almost scraped out of the itinerary when I couldn’t find a tour package I liked. Knowing the troubles of going out on your own in a foreign country where you can’t speak and understand the language, I wasn’t about to go off alone. Fortunately, I discovered Tour with Tong and her reasonable packages. And despite the short notice (just 3 days before the actual tour date), I was able to book a car and driver to take us to Ayutthaya.

We would've been so lost if we did this tour on our own.

On the actual date, Tong’s driver arrived at the hotel on time. Unfortunately, the driver she sent spoke very little English. Thus, it took us quite some time to communicate with him where we wanted to go. Conversing was really like a game of charades. The pictures I downloaded off the net to identify the places didn’t help either. In the end, we just told him to bring us where he usually brings tourists.

at the Bang Pa In Palace

The ride to Ayutthaya was about an hour long. The first place our driver took us was Bang Pa In Palace. It’s the summer palace of the Royal Family. The place was enormous. The area was probably the same area size of the Grand Palace. The architecture of the whole place has a very European feel to it. Though there were still some landmarks where you could see traces of Thai culture.

The sights at Bang Pa In Palace

When we were satisfied that we’ve got to see the whole place, we decided to head back to our driver and go to our next destination. I very much wanted to visit the Floating Market and the Elephant Village but we didn’t know how to communicate that to our driver. Fortunately, we met an English speaking tour guide. He was kind enough to tell our driver where we wanted to go.

The Elephant Village

The Elephant Village and Floating Market experience was quite fascinating. Riding an elephant was scary but you’ll just have to trust the elephant guide and the elephant itself.

Elephant Ride!

The route was relatively short; they just took us around the ruins area. The whole ride probably just lasted around 30 minutes. It was still well worth it.

trying to look calm while the tiger munches the bottle

After the elephant ride, I also got to carry and feed a tiger cub. A very VERY HUNGRY tiger cub. The cub was going on a feeding frenzy the whole time I was carrying it.

Ayutthaya's Floating Market

Afterwards, we checked out the Floating Market. It wasn’t exactly the floating market I imagined, but it was still amazing. It was more of open area food court, where you’ll find normal stalls, and boat stalls. Here, we got to eat one of the best thai desserts ever. I also found one of the most deliciously spicy bagoong (shrimp paste) I’ve ever tasted. If I ever get the chance, I’ll go back here again just for that.

Food food food!

We went crazy trying to taste everything. It didn’t hurt that the food prices were relatively cheap.

The Sights at Wat Maha That

Once our stomachs were satisfied from the food trip, we continued on with our tour. The next stop was Wat Maha That. You’ll find here the head of a buddha sticking out of the roots of a tree. The image was fascinating. It’s curious how the head got there, and the body just disappeared.

Wat Lokaya Sutha / Reclining Buddha

Then we went to Wat Lokaya Sutharam, where we found another huge reclining buddha, which faces to the east. This particular reclining buddha is called Phra Buddhasaiyart (based from research I did online). There wasn’t really anything else there aside from the buddha and the altar for offerings.

The chedi at Wat Yai Chaimongkhon

Afterwards, we went to Wat Yai Chaimongkhon. The main highlight of the place is the giant chedi where you can climb up and explore. Still, there were interesting sights in the area.

Interesting sights at Wat Yai Chaimongkhon

Here, we found the 3rd reclining buddha. It wasn’t as big as the others when compared to the first two we’ve seen. Moreover, people were sticking coins at the back of its feet.

We also discovered several rows of buddhas where the majority were wrapped in gold cloth. I wanted to ask someone what’s the significance of the gold cloth but finding someone who speaks English in this part of town was kind of rare.

Sights at Wat Yai Chaimongkhon

Then, we finally climbed the huge chedi. The stairs weren’t as steep as Wat Arun’s thus the climb was relatively easy. What was interesting about this one is that once you get to the top part, you’ll find a sort of cave. Inside, you’ll find a sort of well surrounded by buddhas. People were were getting strips of gold from the buddha, then trying to drop this strips of gold inside the well. We deduced that it was some sort of wishing well.

After we were able to see the whole area of Wat Yai Chaimongkhon, we decided that it was time to go. The temples, chedis and buddhas were starting to look alike; you see one you’ve practically seen it all. This was probably the effect of being templed out; it was overwhelming but amazing at the same time.

Overall, the whole Ayutthaya experience was definitely a one of a kind experience. Visiting this place is definitely a must if ever you find yourself in Thailand and with time to spare.

My feet was already sore from all the walking we did on our first day, but I wasn’t about to miss out shopping in Bangkok for anything. I’ve heard so many stories and reviews on how fun it is to shop in Bangkok. There were so many good deals, especially if you know where to shop, and how to haggle.

Chatuchak / found a cute dog guarding the stall with his owner

So for our first shopping adventure, we went to Chatuchak. Chatuchak is huge. You’ll get lost in the sea of stores and people if you don’t have a systematic way of shopping. And if you’re not used to shopping under the sun, then be ready to. This place reminds of Divisoria, a shopper’s heaven and hell back home. Chatuchak was also a heaven and hell for me – heaven, because of all the great products at bargain prices, and hell, because of the heat and the language barrier.

Hungry Shoppers at Chatuchak

It was a shame that we only had a few hours to shop. There was no time to window shop here. Once you see something you really like, you better be ready to haggle and buy it. Yeah, you have the choice of thinking about and coming back if you’ve finally decided to buy the item. Though, chances are you won’t be able to find that store again. We got there around 9 am, and by 12 noon, we haven’t gotten around to seeing everything yet. Good thing there were also food stalls there because all the shopping and walking made us hungry.

Shopping at Chatuchak

And no, you won’t see any picture of the several plastic bags containing our Chatuchak finds. All the plastic bags became such a hassle to carry that I bought a bag to put them in. Lesson learned: when shopping in Chatuchak, bring a special big bag to place the items you bought. If you are shopping with your girl friends, don’t forget to take advantage of the wholesale deals. The price per item gets cheaper when you buy them in bulk.

At the BTS; just left Chatuchak

After shopping and walking around for nearly 5 hours, my legs and feet gave up on me. My left toe had blisters already, while my leg muscles had cramps. Though to be completely honest, it was my wallet and its lack of baht that triggered the exodus from Chatuchak. Leaving was the only sane option.

front of the King Royal Garden Inn

After freshening up and fixing shopping finds, we decided to check out Siam Paragon. Siam Paragon is one of Bangkok’s bigger malls. It’s not as huge as the malls we have in Manila, but it’s big enough. There were lots of people, probably because it’s the weekend before the Chinese New Year.

seeing red at Siam Paragon

There were lots of Chinese-themed decorations outside of the mall. When we got there, there was an exhibit and a show about something. We never really found out what it was about, only that there were many people watching.

The boyfie with Jackie Chan & an interesting restroom sign

Inside Siam Paragon, I saw several familiar brands and shops. It really could’ve been any mall the in Manila. We would’ve blended in but I don’t recall taking pictures inside the mall was a normal habit for locals.

Looking around the mall, I found several interesting shops. I resisted the urge to buy anything in the shops, but there was one pair of boots I couldn’t resist. And since I brought reinforcements with me, I was able to buy it. You may get glimpse of me wearing it when I post about the day 3 events.

at the BTS

And before I go into another shopping frenzy, we decided to head back to our hotel. Plus, we needed to sleep early because we have another long day ahead tomorrow. So check back for Day 3.

Twelve days has passed since I came back from my Thailand trip, and I still have a hangover! Touring, shopping and going all around Thailand is one helluva experience.

When I got to Bangkok, my first impression was that it was just like Metro Manila, only cleaner and more orderly. The Sathorn road traffic below really looks similar to an EDSA traffic scene.

Bangkok "Traffic" / looks similar to how Metro Manila traffic looks like

However, after going around and getting a glimpse of Thailand’s city life, Bangkok soon became less and less like Manila. There are shrines and altars situated in some unlikely places, street vendors selling strawberries and various spicy foods, and tuktuks ‘cruising’ the traffic jammed road.

For our first day, my friends and I decided to tour the must-see places in Bangkok – The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. And since we’re all trying to save our money for shopping, we opted not to avail of any tour packages and just go there ourselves. Good thing our hotel was just right beside the BTS; it made commuting and getting to places really easy.

Our first stop was supposed to be the Grand Palace. Unfortunately, there were several tuktuk drivers that tried to scam us. They kept telling us that the Grand Palace was close and that our only choice was to ride their tutktuks to Wat Pho. That would’ve been okay IF they weren’t charging us THB140 per tuktuk! Because of that we ended up walking on and on just to avoid them, and well, we ended up in Wat Pho anyway.

At Wat Pho

The place was amazing. I haven’t been in a Buddhist temple before, thus, everything seems so new to me. It would’ve been nice if we had a guide that could’ve narrated the history of the place. Unfortunately, we were on our own on this one. There were several times that we chanced upon a group with an English speaking tour guide, and overheard several snip-bits of the temple’s history.

Pang Nak Prok & drawings of the Human Anatomy

Initially, I thought that Wat Pho was going to be small place, where you’ll just find the temple with the giant Reclining Buddha. I was wrong, there was so much to see. But, of course, I don’t think anything could top the huge reclining buddha. I’ve never imagined that it would be that tall and long.

[Wat Pho Entrance Fee: THB50]

Reclining Buddha

After that, we decided to go back to the Grand Palace via tuktuks. The tuktuk ride was an adventure in itself. I’ve always thought that the most dangerous vehicles can be found in Manila, I guess I was wrong. The tuktuk ride was some sort of a roller coaster ride. After that, I never rode the tuktuk during my whole stay in Bangkok.

Everyone says that you cannot leave Bangkok without going to the Grand Palace. And they were right. The place was amazing.

at the Grand Palace grounds

The place was shinning and shimmering in gold.

intricate details, fascinating artwork found at the Grand Palace

There were also lots of artwork, and very fine intricate details. I would love to say a more refined, and articulate description of the entire place, but I can’t. You have to be there.

The Emerald Buddha

I could just imagine how their royalty lived before. It must’ve been something. And yes, I was able to take a picture of the Emerald Buddha, but I was outside when I took it. I think I exhausted my camera’s zooming feature.

sights at the Grand Palace

The place is perfect for taking pictures. I couldn’t stop.

one of the guards at the Grand Palace

Here’s one picture with one of the palace guards. It must’ve taken great discipline just to stand there all day without moving, while pesky tourists takes pictures of you.

still at the Grand Palace

There were definitely lots of things to see at the Grand Palace. When you think you’ve seen the entire place, you’ll suddenly find yourself in a totally different area. It was huge! If we weren’t so  tired and hungry, we would’ve probably checked out everything.

[Grand Palace Entrance Fee: THB350]

view of the Grand Palace grounds

After the tiring tour of the Grand Palace, our next stop was finding food. It only took us a few minutes to find a restaurant just outside the Grand Palace. It wasn’t an authentic Thai restaurant, but it’ll do as we were hungry already. Afterwards, our next stop was Wat Arun.

Wat Arun

This temple was amazing. The view was breathtaking; it’s especially exquisite when viewed on the boat. What’s great about Wat Arun is that you can climb it. What’s not so great about it is the steep stairs and the terrifying way down.

the ups & downs at Wat Arun | find me in one of these pics!

Climbing up the stairs of Wat Arun was not easy. The steps were high and narrow. It was more like climbing a ladder rather than a stair. But then, the real challenge for me was going down. It was the thought of not being able to go down and my legs betraying me that made it difficult. If you’re afraid of heights, I strongly suggest to hype yourself up for this, and make it some sort of getting-over-your-fear challenge. [Wat Arun Entrance Fee: THB50]

After the long tiring day, we decided to treat ourselves and try out one of Bangkok’s fancy restaurant. Fortunately, the Blue Elephant Restaurant is just right beside our hotel. So we headed over there and tried out their dishes.

Fine dining at the Blue Elephant

The restaurant had a very classy, romantic and antique feel to it. Though some people may find it intimidating. As for the food, all I can say is that it was definitely good. If I wasn’t on a budget, I would’ve ordered more. My only peeve was that the drink Blue Mai Thai tasted like medicine mixed with vodka.

After dinner, we wanted to experience Bangkok’s night life. Initially, we had Bed Supper Club in mind. It took us probably around 30 minutes searching for the place in Sukhumvit Soi 11. However, upon getting there, we found out that there was an entrance fee. Unfortunately, it was just too pricey for me, especially after the fancy dinner we had. So thanks to me, we had to find another place. Unfortunately, most of the bars we passed by were either closing or full already. The Australian was one of the few bars that were open and had available tables.

The Australian pub & bbq

And this is the story of how we ended up in an Australian pub while in Thailand. The place was okay. If you’re looking for a place to chill while listening to music, or watching a game, then the Australian is for you. I can’t recommend it for their food because I didn’t try any. But their cocktail drinks were good. My favorite was their Sex On Bondi Beach drink. However, the prices of the drinks were kinda expensive. But then again, I was converting everything to pesos, and comparing the prices to the drinks in Manila.

We stayed until the pub closed at around 01:30 AM. It was quite early compared to the 02:00 – 03:00 AM closing time of  most bars here in Manila. But it wasn’t really a good idea to be out so late, especially when we plan to shop at Chatuchak the following day. Still, that didn’t stop us from looking for a 24-hour McDonald’s.

We finally found our McDonald’s after walking for several blocks, and discovering that “5-minutes away” in Thailand really means you’ll be walking for 20-minutes.

And that’s it for Day 1. It was definitely a long and adventurous day.