2008年6月28日星期六

Siam Paragon

My last day in Bangkok was fully dedicated to shopping. We shop in Pratunam Day Market, Platinum, Isetan and Siam Paragon. I didn't bring my camera along, hence the only two photos that I'm sharing here, were taken by Yee Hau.

We had our lunch in Siam Paragon food court. Man! The decoration does not look like a food court to me at all, at least when I compare with Singapore shopping malls' food court. The food? Fantastic! I like the Pad Thai so much! And it was SO delicious, even the fishes want to eat that! :)


There goes the end of my trip to Bangkok. It is a very chaotic place, not for a total relaxation, but just nice for me. As I like chaotic place like this, crazy huh? :P

街边按摩

从River Kwai回来以后,我们在酒店梳洗,然后到Chinatown去。在那儿走啊走的,我们很是失望,完全是个不值得去的地方,街上除了都是一样的海鲜摊、燕窝、鱼翅、糖水,什么都没有。不爽!不过,还是有奇事发生了。我们看见一头小象!主人带着小象,让游客拍照,然后赚钱……可怜的小象。

在Chinatown失望以后,我们回到Pratunam。我很想尝试在街边按摩是什么样的感觉,于是就很勇敢“酱”,在街边按摩一个小时。哇!那脚底按摩真的不是盖的!又痛又痒,搞到本小姐又喊又笑,按模师都拿我没办法。如果是在室内的,我肯定喊更大声!

按摩的时候,还是有一段小插曲。有两位日本女人想按摩,可使日本人的英文又不好,泰国人的英伟也不好,结果三人在我身旁鸡同鸭讲了很久。我忍不住就大声说:“三じゅ分99baht”意思是说,三十分钟,99baht。日本女人谢了我,也像我一样躺着享受。毓豪说我鸡婆!



在忍痛!哈哈哈!



啊!!!我的脚!!

River Kwai

I don't have much to talk about River Kwai as my knowledge of this place is closed to zero. I came to know about this place through a movie my father once watched and talked about, "The Bridge on the River Kwai".

The only surprise I had, was I don't know the trains are still using the bridge! I felt lucky for not walking on the bridge yet when the train came along... Pheww...


It'll be better if she wasn't holding a camera













Yee Hau thinks it looks like "chat zhai"



Met this dog when I was walking on the bridge









Tiger Temple (Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua)






Tiger Temple位于Khanchanaburi,距离曼谷大约有2.5小时的路程。入门票300baht,想把老虎的头放在脚上、想同老虎一起睡在地上就得捐出1000baht。对了,本小姐都做了……各位想看老虎的朋友也别忘了穿上有袖子的衣服,别像我一样被砍了一件T恤。

我一直喜欢老虎,知道有这样的一个地方以后,我一直很努力把这个地方排在自己的行程里。我终于还是做到了,没有后悔。可是,却很同情在那里的老虎。在出发前,我看了很多部落格,都有人说老虎是被毒昏了。可是,我还是抱着一线希望。让我失望的是,我想博客们写的都是真的。

虽然我知道老虎是夜间动物,但是,在动物园里看过的老虎,都没那么昏。它们好像没清醒过,任由庙里的自愿者翻来拉去。看了很可怜。自愿者坚持老虎们只是太累了,我想可能这些老外自愿者也被毒昏了!

很失望,觉得这件所谓的庙宇,不过是把老虎当作摇钱树。我离开以后的第一个念头,就是写信於WWF投诉。不管怎样,我们还是照了不少相……感觉,很矛盾。我想,我大概不会介绍朋友到这个地方。

以下都是我们和老虎的合照。毓豪的Guide拍的照,比我的好多了……我多半时候并不知道他在照相。






The Floating Market (Damnoen Saduak)

I bet everybody had heard of floating market before. There are a lot of floating market in Thailand itself, there are some that only operate on weekend morning in Bangkok itself. Lots of tourists being cheated by travel agencies to such floating market.

So, please take note, the 100 year old floating market that you would want to visit is not in Bangkok. It is located at Damnoen Saduak, west of Bangkok. And the journey from Bangkok would take about 1.5hour. Take note of this.

I took a day tour that brought us to floating market, tiger temple and bridge of River Kwai. I was afraid that I would be cheated by travel agencies, so before I flew, I read a lot of travel blogs and forums to find out what is the reasonable price for such a tour. I found that a reasonable price is 1,500baht.

I've got my tour at 1,400 baht per person without any bargaining. I was surprised. I tried to bargain for lower price but failed. When we're in the mini van, I found out from all the other AngMohs were paying at least 2,500baht. Pheww... I was lucky.

Floating Market is nothing but CHAOS! There is always very bad traffic jam, so remember to keep your fingers off from the edge of the boat. Our boat was constantly being pushed and pulled away. It was fun though, to see how people make business.

I didn't get to eat on the boat like Kia Hooi did. I just don't want to risk my DSLR. Hahaha...


Look at the striking red of this boat!


The decoration on the boat


Even nicer decoration


We bought food when we get off from the boat

The delicious goreng pisang recommended by Kia Hooi

Serious traffic jam down there

Just can't get enough of the pisang

A weird view that I don't understand why I would take that

On the boat that provided by tour agencies

In our mini van, waiting to depart to next destination

When you're on the boat, looking around the neighbourhood. Please remember to watch out of anything being thrown out from the houses. Yee Hau had almost hit by a bag of rubbish that was being tossed from a window! We shouted so loud, I bet people were laughing! Hahaha! Just beware :P

Next destination: Tiger Temple

2008年6月26日星期四

Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn)

从Wat Pho出来以后,我们先到7-11歇脚,借冷气,喝水。然后,就在Chao Phraya River边缘的店屋走走。不小心走进了一条小巷(放心,这回没看见什么),黑暗中有把声音说:"Take photo 20baht"。原来,不小心来到别人家的后巷,后巷就那么巧在Wat Arun的正对面。大概是好多摄影发烧友让这位大姐赚了不少钱吧。不过,这一带的生活和卫生条件确实很差。可是,我并没让他赚那笔小钱,而走了。

在不远的Tha Tien Pier买了船票,一个人才3.5baht。就这样,我们渡河去。

下了Wat Arun Pier看见这告示牌。老兄,你放心吧,我不想自杀,我不会吸酒的。


Wat Arun的梯级,可能有接近45度吧。上下楼梯都是件困难且危险的事,况且,我是带着这么一个大个的相机。不过,当我看见来来往往的旅客时,我就不觉得自己厉害了。有人背小孩、有人带老人、有人还带着一大堆摄影器材……我那小小的E510算得了什么。只好勇敢往上爬!


看看那一点点的彩虹……





危险动作


Wat Arun唯一的合照


我尽量拖延下去的时间。因为我要等待的是日落,也因为我知道下去比上来还要难!由于我不断的拖延,我看到了非常让人佩服的一幕。这两位老兄,不知用了什么样的勇气和力气,把这样一堆都是大大件的摄影器材搬了上来。我站在旁边鸡婆了很久,可惜老兄的电脑老是detect不到相机,我们路人甲乙丙丁都没机会看到底他们想照的是什么。(电脑是Asus的)

In the name of art...





好不容易让我拖啊拖的,终于都6点了。我们再买船票,回到Tha Tien去等日落。



Tha Tien jetty


The sun had finally set... But...


Wat Arun顶上的云层太低太厚,夕阳的光线完全不能把这漂亮的古迹染成红色。我非常不死心的站在对岸等,等待一阵大风把云层吹走。结果,一等就等到7点。我只好放弃。肚子实在太饿了!


遗憾


回酒店梳洗以后,我们在出发。因为天空飘着一点点的毛毛雨,我们躲进Isetan里走走。竟这么“不巧”的让我发现内衣裤有大减价,比马来西亚和新加坡都便宜好多。哈哈哈!太好了!


Isetan,看我那红彤彤的脸!

从Isetan出来,发现那几滴毛毛雨简直是骗人的。也因为迟了,我们也取消了到Pat Pong的念头。在Pratunam Night Market走走。发现,这里的东西大致上比好多地方便宜,也不怎么需要砍价。那不是更好吗?

走回酒店的路上,我们如常地光顾这烧烤猪肉的档口。猪肉烤得刚刚好,非常香甜!我们每晚回酒店必会先在这儿买几串烤煮肉吃了再回房间。现在想起来都非常回味哦!


烤猪肉的大叔

待续:
Floating Market

2008年6月25日星期三

Wat Pho

从Grand Palace出来以后,我们想到Kao San Road去感受一下背包客的天堂,顺便想用午餐。谁知,我俩上了“贼车”,被带到什么Standing Buddha,珠宝店等。最炸得的不是我们的贼车,毕竟兜风兜那么久也不过是50Baht,而是在庙的后巷看见的事情。我这个人就是鸡婆,反正你都把我载到这里来了,不是四周围看看咯。结果,我大概是推开了一扇从来都没人开的门,竟撞破两人的好事!真是天下什么奇事都有!竟有人在庙的后门……

不管怎样,兜了风,司机还是把我们安全送到了背包客的天堂。其实这里也没有什么特别,就是洋人特别多。吃饭的店,好多都是卖着各色各样的西餐,看了不想吃。不过最后还是让我找到了泰国餐,就高高兴兴的吃了起来。还在这里买了九对耳环!


等待上菜的时候很无聊……



无聊……



在Kao San游荡了很久,也不小心就荡出了这个地方,我们叫了Tuk Tuk, 往Wat Pho出发。

Wat Pho说穿了不过是个睡佛。收费也不便宜,外地人看一个睡佛要付50Baht。不过既然来了,当然是看看。在庙里竟碰到两只猫在……而且很久,竟有游客就坐在那儿一直看。今天到底是干嘛?!

好了,废话说完了,照片。



有谁可以告诉我槟城的睡佛多大?




墙上的雕刻




不伦不类,不中不西
















看那道阳光刚好洒在屋顶上……




离开前,用不同的角度看看这地方