Phuket Thailand: The Islands and the 'Girls' (4-6 May 2010)

After an hour flight from Bangkok, my sister Helga and I arrived Phuket in the afternoon of 4 May 2010. We stayed at 'Baipho & Baithong' hotel in Patong beach. It is a small hotel with good price. Even better because beside breakfast, it also provided us airport pick up for free!

After resting a while, we walk around and had seafood for dinner at an open air restaurant called 'Coconut Tree.' I was happy because I had rice :) Then we strolled to the crowd area to get a feel of night life in Patong.In one street (I don't know the name...), there were some 'girls' (Transsexual) dressing up like show girls. We can take picture with these 'girls' by paying THB100 each. Since this is a very rare thing for us (And I am sure for some of you!), my sister spent THB200 to have pictures with two of them.

One of the 'girls' asked my sister to pose by holding her (or his ?) boob. So my sister did, she hold the 'girl's boob. After all these trouble, it turned out that the camera did not work. We hesiated to take the money back. "Shoot, there is no pictures? So I spent THB200 just to touch a transvestite's boob?" my sister grumbled :)

The next day we went on Island Tour. We paid THB1300 per person and got on a 15 passenger speed boat visiting popular islands in Phuket area. The trip start at nine in the morning until five in the afternoon.

First we visited Maya Bay. This is the spot where the movie 'The Beach' were taken. Remember? Leonardo Dicaprio staring this movie!There are small islands scattered in the area,and some good snorkling spots.At lunch time, the boat berthed at Phi Phi Island (Sorry, no pictures).

The last island we visited was Khai Island. In this island, the fish are very friendly, they came all over us when we feed them.I even fed the fish under the water. It was amazing to see these little fish coming toward me and eat from my hands.

The island was packed with tourists.On the way back to the hotel, I thought I would pass out because very tired. Well, I was wrong, we just cleaned up and rest less than an hour then we hit the street again.

We had dinner at an Indian Restaurant. It was expensive! I could not believe paying THB300 or 10 dolarrs for a small bowl of chicken curry. So small that I had to order two bowls!

Well, we did not want to spoil the night over chicken curry. We went back to the street where we took the fail pictures with the 'girls.' Fortunately, one of them remember us, and let Helga got pictures with them for free! Wow, very nice of them.Even I took one.Then we went to Hard Rock Cafe for desert. It was Helga's birthday. I wanted to give her a surprise. As there was a life music that night, I asked the waitress if I could request a song for my sister, but she said we could not. Mission unaccomplished :(

On the last day in Phuket, we went for a Thai Spa. Thirty minutes of herbal sauna and two hours Thai massage. The massage was great, no oil, no grease.

We found a shady spot in a restaurant by the beach for lunch. From the seat, we could see activity on the beach.Also a vehicle promoting Muay Thai (Thail Boxing) complete with the boxers on it.At night, we went to 'Simon Cabaret Show, a cabaret performed mostly by transsexual. But they are so beautiful, they may confuse us with real women.

It was a funny and entertaining show. Following the show, the performer stood outside the building for pictures.After late dinner, we went back to the hotel and prepared ourselves for the next day early flight back to Indonesia.

Bangkok Thailand: The Temple, the Market and the 'Red Shirt' Compound (3 - 4 May 2010)

March 2009, I bought cheap tickets for my 2010 family trip to Thailand. February 2010, for some reasons, I could not go, so there goes my 300 dollars.

March 2010, I wanted to go so bad, I bought the tickets again for trip in May. Mid March, riots hit Bangkok and since then travel warnings were issued by countries around the world.

Question: Do I have to cancel my trip again and loose my money? Nope. I went there anyway, with my sister Helga.

We arrived in Bangkok on 2 May night. For security reason, I asked the hotel to pick us up. Expensive ... but I have to make sure I am back home in one piece!

We stayed at Arun Residence, a boutique hotel by the Chao Phraya river. It is located in Ko Ratanakosin, the Old City, walking distance to the Grand Palace. When we had our supper, a nice bowl of Tom Yam Kung, we were acoompanied by the beatiful view accross the river, the Wat Arun or known as Temple of Dawn.In the morning, the beautiful Wat Arun were our first scene off our bedroom window. It is indeed look clearer during the day!After breakfast, we walked to the Grand Palace. Lucky us to stay in the Old City area, on the way to the palace, we pass old buildings and a market which just being prepared.Mostly, this market sold tradisional medicine, many kinds of dry foods, even dry salted fish.Less than ten minutes walk, we arrived at the Grand Palace complex. After purchasing the ticket, first we entered Wat Phra Kaew or Temple of Emerald Budha. Yes, there is a Budha statue made of emerald in the main temple. The temples are very beautiful!This temple is made of pure gold.There are paintings of Ramayana story.We, with other tourists, had a nice free tour guide name Jeffry who guided us along the complex.

After the temples, we visit the Palace area which formerly reside by Thai Royal family.Around eleven we left the Palace and heading to the Tha Chang Market located closed by. The idea was to get some lunch. But I am a very picky person when it comes to food. The market made me dizzy so we ended up eating Pad Thai or Thai fried noodle at a cafe called 'Royal Navy Club.'After walking around the area and ended in another market, Amalat Market, we were on the bus heading to Old Siam market for some souvenirs. And there we were, in another market! Same ol Bangkok market. Far from what we expecting. It was hot and chaotic. No one speaks English.

I checked the Lonely Planet for the Plaza: for air conditioning and nice shopping :) .... the book suggested for Siam Paragon! So, a taxi drove us there.

I should have sense something were wrong when the driver seemed to be quiet and droped us a bit far from the plaza. My sister and I walked as directed until we found ourselves under a bridge. Within a secod, loud marching music surprised us. In Indonesia, the kind of music only heard during independencce day or .... going to war?? Something very fishy going on ... that's when I saw a bunch of people wearing red shirt around us ... we were in the 'Red Shirt' compound!The red shirt people is the group who oppose current Thai government. During my visit, they had taken over the city centre which is the surrounding of Siam Paragon.

Well, we were scared, but of course not forgetting taking pictures before leaving the area :)

The gate.Hhmm, when there is a problem ... there is a business opportunity. A woman selling red shirt articles.Later, after walking around confused in the other part of the city centreand after arguing with the taxi driver who did not want to use the meter, we stepped into Wat Po or Temple od Reclining Budha.Funny sign in front of the temple.I was happy because I got myself a nice bargain for a Thai dancer headdress from the souvenir shop in Wat Po.

Then, we went to Wat Arun. We got to the other side of the river on a ferry by paying THB 3 (or 10 cents or 1000 rupiah!). So we got up closed and personal with the view that we usualy see from accross the river.Dinner at the Deck Restaurant, then we went to Patpong, Bangkok Red Light district plus night market. We saw a lot of armed forces guarding the area. It was like a war zone.

Some guys offering us tickets for adult entertainment. But after the glimpse of it from the market, we said no, instead we walked to the next street watching beautiful Thai girls offering themselves on the street. Interesting.

The next day we went to Jim Thompson's House. A complex of Thai traditional house built by an American. Beautiful and green.Then we run to the airport. On the way there, we said bye to sets of nice pictures of Thailand King, HM Rama IX. His pictures were displayed in each part of Bangkok. It was a day before the anniversary of the King coronation. Very important for Thai people considering the country situation. There was a parade scheduled on 5 May.

But we had to skip the party as we had to get to our next destination, Phuket.