Location

The Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok is located at the banks of the Chao Phraya River. On my first visit to Bangkok, I was enthralled by the busy activity in the river — while it’s not the prettiest river to look at, I love how the locals use the river as part of their daily commute. It’s a river that’s teeming with life.

Though I often stayed in places away from the river, I love going there and riding the river express to Khao San Road or to visit the temples. I suppose as someone who lives in the city where the river is underutilized, this is somewhat a novelty that I indulge in when I travel.

It was my first time to stay in Bangrak, and right after checking in, I was eager to explore the area, specially after reading that there’s a great restaurant that serves duck nearby. The area behind the hotel has plenty of shops that caters to the needs of the locals, rather than the tourists, and restaurant and food stalls frequented by office workers. It wasn’t a posh neighborhood, and the main road is really very busy, so you get a real feel of the local vibe.

Transportation to and from the hotel

For first timers to Bangkok, the hotel’s location by the river is ideal: it is right next to the Saphan Taksin BTS station, and within comfortable walking distance to the Sathorn Pier, which is the central pier of the Chao Phraya River Express boats.

The proximity to the BTS station means that you can conveniently go to the city center via the SkyTrain, while the pier means that The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Po, Wat Arun, and Chinatown are just one boat ride away.

One note about the BTS though: there is no elevator going down to the ground level (at least, not near the Shangri-La exit), so if you took the train from the airport, you’ll have to lug your bags down the stairs. Also, it’s the Krungthep wing that is nearest to the BTS, so if you are staying at the Shangri-La Wing and are just about to check-in, they can arrange to have their tuk-tuk bring you to the Shangri-La Wing lobby. It was a really nice way to experience riding the tuk-tuk in Bangkok without having to worry about getting charged an exorbitant amount for a short ride.

If you’d rather take the taxi though, the concierge can arrange for a taxi to come pick you up at the lobby. I was told that the hotel has its fleet of taxis, which means you won’t have to wait long for a ride. When a car comes, whether it’s a taxi or an Uber, the bellboys would talk to the driver to make sure that they know where your destination is. It’s a simple gesture that I really appreciate.

Deluxe Balcony Room

My room was a Deluxe Balcony Room on the 20th floor. Like all my previous rooms at the Shangri-La, it was spacious, has everything I needed for the short stay, and have a very luxurious bed.

The bathroom, as always, was equally spacious, with a separate shower and tub. The shower stall has both the hand-held shower nozzle, which I prefer, and the overhead rain shower head, which others like, so it’s a victory for both camps.

In this room, however, my favorite is the balcony. I had a beautiful, unobstructed view of the river and the surrounding Bangkok skyline. I can see the sun as it rose from the horizon, and had a glimpse of the splash of colors in the sky as it sets. I spent hours just sitting out at the balcony, munching on fruits and fudge as I watch the busy river traffic below. There was even a constant breeze, so it was pretty pleasant sitting outside.

Horizon Club and the Krungthep Wing

The Horizon Club rooms of the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok is from the 21st floor up in the Shangri-La Wing. Guests staying in these rooms have access to the Horizon Club Lounge, and have the option to have their breakfast there. They can also enjoy whole day access to the lounge, and evening cocktails and canapes.

The Horizon Club Lounge

All the rooms and suites in the Krungthep Wing have a river view balcony, and guests have access to the exclusive Riverside Lounge, and enjoy complimentary breakfast, afternoon high tea, early evening cocktails, and refreshing beverages all throughout the day, whether at the lounge or by the poolside.

Krungthep Wing Room

Shangri-La Hotels recently launched their Love Journey Deals where you can enjoy up to 40% off the published rates for certain months of the year. I checked the rates, and you can get a room in the Krungthep Wing for THB4,000+ per night, which is a pretty great deal! This is a limited online offer: you can get this rate only until November 11, 2015!

Coming up: Dining at Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok

For five days and four nights in a major city, this is a pretty cheap trip.

A lovely welcome at HI Sukhumvit

He drove and drove, and we started joking that this songthaew is our ride all the way to Bangkok. It turns out that it would just drive us to the border, where the bus is waiting. We alighted at passport control, and there were signs that we had to pay the exit fee. Most of us in the group didn’t know about it, and we were all wondering how much it is, since there are none written in the signs. The Canadian girl who was ahead of me in line paid 20 baht, since she’s out of kip. When my turn came, I asked how much, and was shown the 2,500 kip printed in the ticket. I did a quick math, and something doesn’t seem right…

We were guided to the place where the bus was parked. It was the standard double decker bus, but this had the uhm, most interesting design. Santa Claus and his reindeers were painted along the side of the bus. Things got even more interesting when it got dark and red and green lights flooded the interiors. There were even lights under the bus.

View from the top

We waited for 30 minutes for other passengers. Once they have settled in their seats, we drove over the Friendship bridge towards the border in Nong Khai. We were in Nong Khai for another 30 minutes or so, waiting for everybody to clear immigration (including the bus crew who seem to have taken a lot of time there). We boarded the bus again, and by 7:30pm, we are back on the road. We had yet another stop for dinner. Dinner was included in the bus ticket, and it was pretty much just an eat-all-you-can fried rice. Drinks are not included, so you’d need to buy your own from the restaurant. The dinner stop was only for 30 minutes, and as soon as that 30 minute was up, we were headed south.

Like most long-distance buses, the VIP bus had a TV on board. It had a 30+ inch LCD TV. The movie for the night was Fast and the Furious and the Star Trek movie. The FF movie was in English with terrible English subtitles, while the Star Trek was one of the better quality shot-from-inside-the-cinema videos. I’m not sure if that’s how the actual movie was, but the dialogues during the first part doesn’t seem to be English at all. I got frustrated and tuned it out by listening to my happy music on my Walkman phone. Oddly enough, the dialogues of the movie became English after a while.

It was so ironic that the one time that I had to take the night bus, I hardly got any sleep. The bus was really comfortable though, and I had two seats to myself, but I for some reason, sleep eluded me (even if I hardly slept the night before). I kept turning around in my seat, finding a comfortable position, but failed miserably. I was able to doze off little by little, but by 4am, I looked out the window and was surprised to see that we were nearly in Bangkok. The poster for the VIP bus said that the arrival in Khao San Road is at 6am, and I was counting on that since my hostel’s reception doesn’t open until 7am.

It’s traffic in Bangkok any day of the week

We arrived at Khao San just a few minutes before 5am. Walking down the lenght of the street, there were still plenty of people in the streets, drinking. I walk past them, towards Centre Point Plaza, where I go for Internet in the area. I knew it was open 24-hours, so I figured it’d be a good place to pass the time. Two hours and 80 baht poorer later, I make my way out into the sunshine to grab a cab that would take me to Sukhumvit.

There were plenty of taxis waiting along Khao San road. One driver asked where I was going, and I showed him my map to Hostelling International Sukhumvit. He said 300 baht, and I quickly said no and walked away. I heard him muttering, mocking me and saying “Too much? How much do you want? One baht?” I’ve been here several times, mister. For that price, I can already go all the way to the airport. I walk to Tanao road, where I know I can hail taxis that would use the meter. True enough, I get one with a driver that automatically turns on the meter, even if it was evident that I was a tourist. I showed him the directions given by the hostel, and we were off. Since it was early morning on a Sunday, there were hardly any traffic, save for some areas. We were averaging at 70 km/h, and 30 minutes later, we were at Sukhumvit Soi 38. The meter reads 115 baht, less than half of the 300 baht the other taxi driver was asking.

The hostel was already open, but my room wasn’t available yet. They let me stow my luggage in the storage and I was directed to the 5th floor rooftop common area where I can take a nap while waiting for the guest who is using the room I booked to check out. The rooftop had a view of the Bangkok skyline, and there are plenty of seats so you can hang around, as well as a couple of mats for sleeping or lounging. Unfortunately, this is also where the washing machines are, so there are some guests who go up here to use the machines or the staff who are doing the housekeeping. There’s also the din from the traffic below, but it wasn’t as loud as the daily traffic noise that I had to sleep through back at home. I was able to get a couple of hour’s nap before I headed down to check the status of my room, and to freshen up before heading out to meet Mikoy and his friends.

Rainbow over Bangkok

Mikoy is one of the Couchsurfers I met at the walking tour of the Chinese and La Loma Cemetery. That time, we had been talking about our plans on visiting Cambodia and Thailand. Luckily, he read my entry yesterday about heading back to Bangkok, and left a comment that they’re also in BKK and would love to meet up. I quickly sent a text, and got a prompt reply, even at six in the morning. After a couple of misses, we were finally able to meet up at Central World. It was so great to see some familiar faces and hear stories about their own travel. I swear, Mikoy should get the best haggler award.

Today was a particularly good day, even if I was feeling a bit sluggish due to lack of sleep. It was great to reconnect, and meet new people. Plus, I love my current hostel. My room is lovely. The single room I booked was re-booked again by its current occupant, so I got a double room for the price of a single room. It’s the most expensive room I’ve had so far, but it’s worth it. The room is clean, the toilet and bath are shared, but they’re also spic and span. There’s a kitchen where you can cook simple meals or just keep take away food in the fridge. And, it’s a comfortable walking distance from the BTS station. Sukhumvit is a place I haven’t really explored in Bangkok, so it’s great to have a new place to discover. After all, I’m stuck here in Bangkok until Thursday.

Khao San Road on a Sunday morning (well, 11am)

I woke up just past 9am, and finally rolled out of bed around 10:30. The plan for the day was to have lunch at the restaurant Ming recommended in Chinatown, walk around the area, find this market and visit Wat Po and Wat Arun. From Khao San Road, I took a cab to Chinatown. There wasn’t as much traffic on the road, except around Chinatown. The taxi driver dropped me off at this main road, and I started walking, with no idea where the restaurant may be. I walked and walked, noticing that most of the shops that I’m passing were either selling non-food items, or deli-shops — no restaurants. I came upon a street that has plenty of food vendors on the street. I turned down this street, hoping to find someplace where I can have brunch.

Bangkok really is shopper’s heaven. Or a dollie-obsessed budget traveler’s nightmare.

It turned out something else was calling me to this street. It wasn’t food. It was DOLL CLOTHES! I never really knew about the dollie culture in Thailand, and I guess I never really bothered because I was content with Singapore. But my golly! I have come upon the motherload! Like the stalls in Divisoria, most of the stores inside buildings would extend out to the street. From outside, I saw some dollie clothes and went to inspect. It was dollie heaven inside. There are loads of doll clothes for 1/6 scale dolls, and there are also shoes, socks, leggings, stockings, hats, Thai traditional costumes and even eyechips from Ixtee! There are also Blythes on sale, so most of the clothes and accessories are best fit for Blythes. But I think it can fit Pullips as well, since I’ve seen some of the clothes have stickers that say it can fit the “Pullip Girl.” Suffice to say, this shop wreck havoc upon my budget, and I was still restraining myself. I was so glad I made this trip to Chinatown, even if I didn’t find the restaurant I’m supposed to eat at.

My 90 baht meal at MBK’s food court

I was poorer by THB 1,640, but I was happy. I am so glad I’m passing by Bangkok again a week. I’m going to go crazy! I walk back out to the main road and hailed a taxi going to MBK. Mahboonkruong, popularly known as MBK is a shopping mall. I hung out a lot in this mall the last time I was here. I’m not there for the shopping though — I’m there for the food. The food court on MBK’s 6th floor is the best place to eat good value, yummy Thai food. It works with a coupon system: you convert your cash to coupons that you use to pay for whatever you order inside the food court. Each stall has its own specialty, and this is marked clearly in both English and Thai. The menu are also in both languages, and the prices are clearly marked. There are also photos to help you decide what to order.

Inside the Chao Praya river express

I had the roast duck with rice, which comes with a bowl of soup, and a plate of fresh spring roll. Both are pretty good for the price (THB 50 and THB 40, respectively). I had two bottled water, and after lunch, I had tea at this tiny coffee shop within the food court. My total bill? THB 139. That certainly makes up for my exhorbitant dollie shopping.

The reclining Buddha inside Wat Po

After checking out the shops inside MBK, I decide that it’s finally time to step out of the airconditioned comfort of the mall and head to the temples. What I like about MBK is that it’s directly connected to the National Stadium BTS Skytrain station. There was a big difference in their ticketing system, since I was last here. They are now using the smart card for the BTS, which works the same way as the ez-Link in Singapore and Octopuscard in Hong Kong. I think they’ve only started this last December 2008, so right now, the card only works for the BTS. The card costs THB 160: it is loaded with THB 100 credits, and the THB 60 is for the card and the deposit. Unlike the old magnetic card, this card is valid up to 5 years, and reloadable. I rode the train to Sapan Thaksin, where I rode the Chao Praya River express to Tha Thien, where Wat Po is.

I just *had* to take a photo!

It was a short walk from the pier to the temple, and it was fairly easy to find (just follow the trail of tourists). The entrance fee to the temple is THB 50, and if you’re getting a guide, it’s THB 200 for 1 person, THB 300 for 2, and THB 400 for 3. There was a lot of tourist when I was there earlier, and it’s hard to get a shot without anybody in it. The complex is pretty big, so it’s not just the main temple. But I just wasn’t in the mood to explore, because it was still pretty hot and there’s hardly any breeze. And there are just too many people. I walk back to the ferry station, and got on the boat that crosses to Wat Arun, the temple of Dawn. This being the temple of dawn, of course meant that it’s best to visit at daybreak. I liked Wat Arun much better. I’ve only been to three temples in Bangkok, and Wat Arun is definitely my favorite. There are vendors selling souvenirs around the temple complex, but none in the temple itself. It’s much more peaceful in Wat Arun, and if you climb up, you’ll have a gorgeous view of the Chao Praya river.

Sayuri at Wat Arun

After taking photos, I went back to the boat dock to get back to the river express station at Tha Thien. Phra Arthit was the closest station to Khao San, and that’s where most of the travelers are going as well. There’s a bit of walk going to KSR, and the best way to find Khao San Road is to follow the tourists. Sooner or later, you’ll bound to end up at Khao San.

Shambara’s Pad Thai

So here I am, back at Shambara, having my early dinner. Though I was exposed to tons of people today, I think the fresh air did me good, as I can now smell the eucalyptus, when I hold up my little tub of Vicks under my nose. I’m checking out of Shambara early tomorrow morning to catch my 11am flight out of Thailand.

The neighbor’s windows

I was able to drift back to sleep, when I was awoken again by another guest and the nighttime receptionist having a rather loud discussion in the hallway. From the gist of it, it seems that the guest brought back a “friend” she made that night, and want him to stay in her room (which is a single, I think). The receptionist argues that guests aren’t allowed, and if he wants to stay, he has to pay for the room. The guest keeps on saying “but he’s my friend,” and “it’s my room.” Eventually the receptionist got frustrated and said she’ll call the police. It was quiet after that.

Around 6am, I woke up feeling really crappy. My nose was clogged and my mouth was really dry. I took a swig of my bottled water, and decided to get up, get more water, Gatorade and take my medicine. I dress and left the hostel, with my wallet and flash drive to post my Day 5 entry at the 24/7 internet shop. The short walk to the shops made me feel a little better. Back in my room, I took the decongestant I bought the night before. I did a quick scan of the literature that comes with the box of medicine and found out that one of the possible effect was insomnia. Geez. When the pharmacist gave me a choice between two types of medicine, she only said one would make me sleepy, and the other would not. I chose the non-antihistamine and ended up not getting enough sleep. Wonderful.

Eggy Pad Thai

There are no TV inside the guestrooms at Shambara, but there is one in the small common area. I didn’t want to spend all my time there, so I just stayed inside my room, and started watching a Japanese drama in my laptop. By 10am, I took a break and went to the travel agent’s office to pick up my train ticket. I’ll be taking the international express later in the month, and the Seat61 website recommends buying tickets in advance to ensure that you get a seat, since it gets full pretty quickly. I decided to buy through Charlie Connexion, a travel agency that I used before to buy my train tickets to Surathani. They charge a THB250 for their service, and they’re very reliable. Outside their office, I saw a sign that advertises for the airport bus going to the airport for THB 150. It’s the same price as the rate coming in from the airport, so I thought it’s a pretty good deal already. We passed signs for the new airport on the bus ride from Aranyanphratet, and it was so much farther from the city than Don Muang was. The last time I was here, I took the taxi to the airport and paid THB250, and that was only to Don Muang.

It was time for brunch, and I asked the lady who assisted me if there was a restaurant nearby. She directed me to a restaurant at the corner, and I was suckered in because they have pad thai. I asked Ming last night how to tell if a pad thai’s any good. He said that Thai food is all about balance. You get different flavors all at once, and but one is not overpowering the other. I’m not sure if it’s just my tastebuds, but I wasn’t able to taste anything. There wasn’t any sweet, sour or salt. But it wasn’t my tastebuds, since I could cleary taste the salt on my french fries and the pepper in the pork steak I ordered. So was that pad thai a fail? I’m eating another pad thai now at Shambara’s restaurant, and for some reason, I can’t pinpoint any one taste, though I can feel the flavors bursting in my mouth. Something’s wrong with my tongue, I think. Or maybe it’s the clogged nose?

Peppery pork steak with fries

Back in my room, I watch two more Voice episodes and took a nap, in case I don’t get enough sleep again tonight. Though this might mean I won’t be able to sleep because I already slept in the afternoon. What a hassle.

And so here I am now, writing another boring entry. I’ll be walking down Khao San again to go to that Internet shop (the guy manning the computers already recognize me), where I’ll spend another THB 20 for 30 minutes online. Then I’ll walk back to the hostel, where I’ll hole up in my room to ogle Ikuta Toma once more. Hey, I’m sick! I have an excuse to take it easy today.

First class Government bus seats

I arranged the taxi, again with Soryar. He quoted me a price that was the same going rate on the TOA website, so I figured it was good enough. Soryar said I can ask other travelers to share the cost, but since I’m not really friendly, I ended up shouldering the whole US$30 on my own. It’s expensive, but at least I didn’t have to make small talk and I have the whole back seat to myself. We left Mandalay Inn just a little past 6:30am, and the drive to Poipet just took a little over two hours.

I was still mulling over what I’m going to do to get rid of my Riels and US$1 and $10 dollar bills, since I know I’d have a hard time exchanging those currencies when I cross over to the Thailand side of the border. I spot a foreign exchange sign just a couple of steps away from the immigration counters. I knew the rates they’d give me would be terrible, but it’d be even worse if I don’t exchange my money. I changed all my riels and small dollar bills to baht, so I’d have money to pay for my onward travel.

Room number 3

Stamping out of Cambodia was easy enough. As adviced in Tales of Asia, I followed the people walking towards the Thai border. As we were approaching the friendship bridge, I notice the people crossing over to the left side of the road. I followed them and as soon as I’m on the other side, I realize why. Thailand, unlike Cambodia, drives on the left side of the road. The pedestrian traffic follows the same, so the immigration office is also on the left side. There was some people sitting and waiting just at the foot of the bridge with documents in hand. I thought I’d have to line up there as well (there were no other tourists crossing the border at the same time, so I was blindly following the locals), but I was pointed over to the health check. The A(H1N1) pandemic really has everybody on alert. I passed the screening (though no thermal scanner at this border), and headed into the Immiration office.

Inside the office, you need to get the immigration form, fill it out and line up for the counter. There’s a small table with people crowding around, and once again, I thought I’m supposed to check there first. It seems that step was only for the Cambodian nationals, so if you’re not holding a Cambodian passport, you can go straight to the counters marked “Foreign Passport.” Once I was stamped into Thailand, I made my way out of the building and followed the line of people who are going out of border control. Right before the exit, there’s a toilet that requires a 3baht payment. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice the payment booth until after I finished. The toilet was clean, though most of the stalls have squat toilets. After paying the toilet fee, I made my way back out and wondered where to go next.

Do I look pretty? No, you look blurred.

The guide over at Tales of Asia says you need to hire a tuktuk to take you to the bus station. As always, the general advice is to agree on a price before getting in. I spot a female tuk-tuk driver and I asked if she can take me to the bus station. She held up eight fingers — eigthy baht. That’s the amount stated in the TOA guide, so there was no need to haggle for the price. I got on inside and we drove off. Some ways from the market, she suddenly turned off the main road and we came upon this clearning with some police. She turned to me and indicated that I must talk to the police. WTF? Turns out they’re just checking for whatever goods I’m bringing into Thailand. After a quick glance at the contents of my plastic bag containing my snacks and bottled water, they let us pass. The drive was pretty smooth, and it was a fair distance away, so the 80 baht is justified. She dropped me off at the market, and it was only after I circled the market that I found the ticket booth was right across where she dropped me.

I took the first class government bus from Aranyaphratet to the Morchit station in Bangkok. It was double deck and airconditioned, and for THB 207, I get a free drink and a snack. I arrived at the station just a little before 10am. The bus is scheduled to leave at 10:30. There was a small waiting area and a solitary stall selling different kinds of snacks. I picked out two pieces of bread in addition to the one that came with the bus ticket for brunch. That’s the thing about me and traveling: I screw up my already screwed up eating schedule. It’s either I eat too early and too much, or put off eating until the restaurants close. I was feeling rather iffy that morning, and didn’t feel like eating so I just ate one of the breads just so I can take my medicine. Unfortunately, thanks to this terrible eating habit, I’m now suffering of clogged sinuses. I must clear this up by Monday!

Streetside roti. Yummy treat for only THB 10!

Back to the story. We boarded the bus around 10:15, but it wasn’t until 10:40 that we set off for Bangkok. The notes at the TOA guide says that these government buses make less stops than the privately owned buses. The bus stopped at least 5 times at different stations along the way, and I dread to think how many more stops the privately owned buses make. The trip was comfortable — the bus was only half full, there was enough legroom, the airconditioning is just right, and the roads were pretty smooth. There wasn’t much traffic along the way until we reach the outskirts of Bangkok. Still, the trip took only 4 hours, an hour less than the 5 hours I initially thought. From the station, I follow the signs to the metered taxi queue. True enough, the driver turned on the meter, and we set off for Banglamphu.

While I was still halfheartedly planning this leg of the trip, I faltered between staying at Shambara again in Khao San Road, or staying at a different place in the Silom area. The merit of staying in Silom is that it’s somewhat near the BTS station, which makes it easier and cheaper to get around. However, the rooms there are expensive, so I opted to go back to Shambara where there’s wi-fi available inside the rooms. Unfortunately, when I checked in, they told me that the internet is busted. Pfft! I quickly set off writing the first part of this entry, since I knew I might come home late since I’m meeting Ming for dinner. However, ten minutes in and I got a call from him, advising me to leave the area before 5pm, since rush hour can be quite deadly. I quickly saved my work and had a shower to freshen up.

Northeastern sausage

Shambara is located near the other end of Khao San Road (the Burger King side). I go out this street instead to hail a cab. I flag a hot pink cab, and as it approached me, I see the window going down. Bad sign. The driver asked me where I’m going, and when I said Silom, he said THB 200. I just came from Morchit, which is a lot farther than Silom and it only cost me THB 101. I said no and walked away. He drive after me and said THB 150. I tried haggling it down to THB 120, but he doesn’t want it. I walked away. He finally got the message and drove off. Right after he passed, I flag another taxi and the driver automatically turned on the meter. Traffic was still light when we left, but in other areas, it was starting to build up, specially in the CBD. We got to Silom about 30 minutes later, and the meter was at THB 107. I gave the driver the THB 120 I was offering the other driver.

I met up with Ming outside his office building, and we made our way to Lumpini Park. Similar to Makati, there are plenty of street-side vendors selling different kinds of food along Silom Road. These stalls have their own specialty, and Ming pointed out his personal favorites.

Northern sausage

Lumpini park was a great respite in the middle of the city. There were paved walkways and plenty of greens that gives you a breath of fresh air while still being in the middle of the busy business district. There were people jogging, doing aerobics, roller blading and skateboarding. It’s a lovely park, and I sort of regret not visiting it the last time I was here. We walked through the park and out the other gate. Just as Ming was thinking of where else we can go, he heard the opening strains of the preamble. He ushered me back inside the park and we watch as everybody stop whatever it is they’re doing and stood still as Thailand’s national anthem came out of the numerous speakers around the whole park.

From the entrance across the Suam Lum night bazaar, we walked down the road, past the Lumpini police station and came upon this stall selling roti. Aside from Roti mataba, I haven’t tried roti in Bangkok before. It was like a crepe, only a little chewier, and it was slathered with margarine and some sugar. For THB 10, it was a great start to an awesome pig out session. We turned down the small street and walked all the way to Polo Club. It was another welcomed respite from the city, albiet only for the moneyed few. Interestingly, they have areas for different kinds of sports except for polo. But we were there for food. We both have lemon juice and shared a plate of Northeastern sausage. Similar to the Philippines, Thailand have different kinds of sausages, depending on their location. The northeastern sausage reminds me of the Ilocos Vigan longganisa, though it was eaten with cabbage, cilantro, onions, garlic roasted peanuts and chili.

You have to try Nam tok

From the polo club, we walk back down the street to one of Ming’s favorite restaurants. Now called the Polo Fried Chicken (because it’s located in the street leading up to the polo club), this restaurant can be likened to Max’s Fried Chicken in the Philippines — homegrown specialty recipe for cooking fried chicken. I let Ming do the ordering, and we ended up with food enough for three people. Aside from the garlic fried chicken, we also had nam tok (pork neck salad with mild chili sauce and mint), papaya salad, northern sausage, and fried fermented pork rib cartiledge. I’ve never been a fan of the papaya salad, and the fermented pork is pretty weird, but the northern sausage was a hit, though it was a tad too spicy for me. Unlike its northeastern counterpart, the sausage was bigger (the northeastern sausage is roughly the same size of the Cebu longganisa), and it has the herbs and spices within the sausage. The nam tok is also an instant favorite, as is the chicken that has crispy skin (sans batter) and very very tender and juicy meat. We each had a serving of sticky rice to eat along with the flavorful dishes, as well as a bottle of iced tea each and a bottle of water. The total bill? THB 320. For a meal that can feed three persons, this is very very cheap and well worth the walk.

Best fried chicken ever!

After the great dinner, we headed over to this mall in Sukhumvit for some people watching. We ended up going to the supermarket instead to compare the goods in Manila. From there we walked over to this retro cafe that is tucked inside a sleepy street. It as like SaGuijo in Makati; you wouldn’t think there would be a cafe there. We only had after dinner drinks, but the place was so kitchy that it’s very great for just hanging out and having a chat with friends. I was starting to feel really uncomfortable with my clogged nose and I knew I should rest soon, so we called it a night and I got on a cab to KSR. Khao San Road was very much alive, and there are vendors and tourists milling around the streets. I join the fray, though not to party or ogle; I need to go online! I finally found one and sent off a quick e-mail to my family and answered some e-mails before grudgingly ending my session (I only had two 10-baht coins and each console is coin operated). Now, I’m settled back in Shambara, hoping that I’ll get enough sleep tonight. Ming has written down my itinerary for the weekend (since he’ll be out of town), and even taking time to have someone write the names in Thai. I don’t think I can do all of them though — I really need to cure this cold before flying on Monday or it’d be hell on my ears again.

I love how the train seems to be saying “Uhm, can I pass through please? Thank you.” XD

From what I can gather, flights out of Manila are on Wednesdays, Thursday, Saturdays and Sundays, while flights out of Bangkok are on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. Haha, perfect for a weekend SHOPPING getaway!

Similar to their Singapore and Kuala Lumpur flights, the Manila-Bangkok route also flies in the middle of the night:

Manila – Bangkok
ETD: 22:45
ETA: 00:50 (+1)

Bangkok – Manila
ETD: 01:35
ETA: 05:30

With the current promo, a round trip fare is approximately Php7,008.00. I’m not sure how much it will cost on a regular fare, because the flight schedules for dates after the promo travel dates aren’t posted yet. Hopefully, it won’t cost more than Php10,000.

I’ve scratched out Bangkok from my list of destinations next year, but with this new development, I think I’m heading back to the City of Angels

P.S. Fever’s down. Hopefully, it’d remain down until tomorrow.

Though I can’t answer that question with certainty, reading these blogs will give you an idea on what’s happening in Thailand:
http://bangkok.metblogs.com/
http://gnarlykitty.blogspot.com/
http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/
http://2bangkok.com/highemer.shtml

This blog has been created to post updates about the Thailand coup. Talk about fast.
http://19sep.blogspot.com/
[Edit] As fast as this blog was created was its sudden demise. It was shut down less than 24 hours of its birth. I wonder why.

From what I’ve read in the blogs:

• Foreign news channels are not being aired anymore
• The mobile network and possibly the Internet connection might be shut down
• Any form of transportation may be prohibited
• September 20 has been declared as a government and bank holiday
• The Thai Stock Exchange won’t be opening for trade on Wednesday
• There’s a curfew, but doesn’t seem to be enforced
• It’s pretty peaceful in Bangkok right now (though there were a couple of bombings the other day [or was it yesterday? I lost track] in Hat Yai [Southern Thailand]
• The airport is still open. Scheduled flights on the 28th out of the Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok’s newest, are still on.

So should you still push through with your plans to go to Thailand? My advice is, stay tuned to the news. Read these blogs, as they’re mostly first-hand accounts of what’s happening in the country (you know, not overhyped newscast). If you think it’s safe enough (what an experience to boast about in the years to come!), then by all means go. Just be very careful though.