Our Bangkok Trip!

okay here it is. the bangkok post i was looking forward to do!



finally the 5 of us had decided to take a break away together. since everybody in the family is always so busy with his or her schedule, taking time off at the same time has always been something rather tricky. so this trip was exactly what we needed. some place and time to bond. my brothers took part in the 23rd international king's cup tourney and my parents decided to be there with them. so i spent most of the early days of the trip with jean.

we were lucky to have met some very nice people throughout the entire trip. jean and her family, included. all this time i actually thought that bangkok's a very backward place but when i finally set foot there, i must say i was pretty impressed. like kl, they too have many skyscrapers and ginormous exquisite shopping malls. and guess what? in bangkok, it's actually safe to walk outside on the streets alone. once, i even walked from the apartment all the way to the skytrain and then to siam paragon ALL BY MYSELF.

come to think of it, i never really realised how many things i did in bangkok. days just seemed to pass so fast and before i knew it, it was already time to say goodbye to aunty sue and family. i went from visiting the great royal palaces and temples to pampering myself with sessions of thai massage. jean brought me shopping till i was all stinky and sweaty. but i dont regret it one bit. i even attended her graduation day at her university which was a grand thing in thailand. we also got to catch dr indhuon's piano recital. which was such a breath of fresh air!

here are some of the pics!

#1 that's aunty sue on my right and uncle ric on my left.

#2 me with some local thai boys from the cultural show.

#3 the calm and beautiful lake of the rose garden

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#7 fellow scrabblers who we bumped into at the rose garden that day.

#8 watch the paddy grow!

#9 i found this miniature cow so cute!!

#10 this old man was put there just so tourists can take pictures with him. so kesian right..

#11 elephant show which was so cool!! they could hoola-hoop with their trunks!!

#12 now meet jean :)

#13 jean's chulalongkorn university.

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#15 aunty sue and sister. i had to speak to her sister in cantonese the whole time i was there. it was so broken it made them laugh all day.

#16 family pic at jean's graduation rehearsal.

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#18 we even went to a local photo studio to take some pics for fun.#19

a couple of months ago after reading pinkpau's post on the chatuchak weekend market, i just knew i had to go and check it out myself. on saturday, jean's driver had driven us both there. i was amazed by the various different stuff i could find at that market. and at prices so low you wouldnt believe your eyes. i remember asking one of the shopkeepers idiotically if the coloured glitter pens she sold could actually work as they were going at a dirt cheap price of 20 baht per set. but she didnt understand a word i said. so i figured i should not ask too much and just got on with my shopping.

i ended up sweating like a pig. it's like the hottest place on earth.

#20 welcome to chatuchak market!!

#21

later that evening, jean, uncle pat and i went to watch dr srikaranonda's piano recital at a local church. the repertoire comprised mostly of four-hand pieces, which she, her husband artas and daughter asta played together. after the concert, i decided to go up to her and told her how much i enjoyed myself at her concert. then she asked me about my piano. she told me that she will most probably be a member of the jury in the chopin competition end of this year. and apparently not many thai students are participating this year as the entrance fees are getting too expensive.

#22 the family trio. idhuon, artas and asta.

#23 my ribbon came off :(
guess who i bumped into? look it's tarin's mom! what a small world. doesnt she look so slim now? she told me all about her way of losing 15kg altogether. quite amazing..

#24 jean dr indhuon and me.

#25 my family with jean's.

#26

Our Visit to the Grand Palace Complex

#27 the golden buddha. its made entirely of solid gold. there's quite a story behind it.

#28 those huge monuments behind me are called stupas. where ashes of great men are kept.

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#32 everything is so gold there..i dont understand why. wouldn't it be nicer if they're all pink and violet in colour?

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#34 last but not least, my most favourite building of all! the chakri maha prasat hall!!

im so happy i finished my post! now i can enjoy viewing all my pics on my new blog. all in all, i really had a good time in bangkok and im sure everyone did too. i would really want to go back next year.