MangoVine
Adventures in East Asia

Thailand & Cambodia posts coming up!


Welcome! Please note that MangoVine is updated daily pending travel net connections (honest!), but the post dates show when our experiences happened. Thanks for reading! (Mark & Linh, Jan 10) 03 December, 2009
Thursday Observations on Bangkok Public Transport
Whilst in some other East Asian countries we were able to get around using a convenient prepaid travel card of some sort, in Bangkok, it was deemed to be easier to buy one way tickets as and when needed. Particularly as there were differentiating metros and skytrains.

Skytrain

Anyway, we found that we practically made all our journeys on the BTS Skytrain and only once used the metro where it was more convenient to get to Suan Lum Night Bazaar.

Read more... 03 December, 2009
Thursday Tuk-Tuks in Bangkok
Tuk-tuks must be synonymous with a city like Bangkok. Still, we didn't actually get a ride in one since we weren't bothered enough to want to travel open-aired and exposed to all the fumes that the city's congested roads had to offer.

Tuk-Tuk1

However, we knew that we were going straight to Siem Reap in Cambodia and then Chiangmai afterwards, so would have plenty of tuk-tukking then. But it didn't stop me from photographing them as I found the compact vehicles quite curious. Scroll down for more...

Read more... 03 December, 2009
Thursday Buddhas in Bangkok
In the early evening, we took a taxi from Wat Pho to the nearest MRT station (to get to Suan Lum Night Bazaar) and there was a helluvalot of traffic. It took almost an hour to travel what seemed like a couple of miles. In London, this would have cost a fortune, but its a little cheaper in Bangkok, so Linh and I decided to stay in the cab.

Buddha-Statues3

During the journey, I think we passed close to Bangkok's Chinatown, judging by the direction. We crawled along one stretch of road that looked more like Buddha Town since it was lined with shops selling statues of the enlightened one. Statues were available in a liftable size...

Read more... 03 December, 2009
Thursday Wat Pho Part 3 - Thai Massage
Probably the most anticipated part of visiting Wat Pho was the Thai massage that Linh and I wanted to go for. It was also almost the first time that I'd had any kind of professional massage (first time was in Taiwan) and so it would be interesting to get a Thai massage in such a renowned place for its technique. Since we had spent the whole day walking around The Grand Palace and Wat Pho, a massage afterwards would be well timed.

Wat-Pho-Massage2

Luckily, we came across the two blocks where the massages were being carried out, in time to be booked in, since they were actually closing a bit earlier that day. Though it was busy, we didn't have to wait.

Read more... 03 December, 2009
Thursday Wat Pho Part 2 - The Reclining Buddha
Linh and I found the largest feature of Wat Pho to literally be the Reclining Buddha. Not surprising really, since Wat Pho is also known as The Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Wp-Big-Buddha1

This Buddha image was forty six metres long and fifteen metres high and decorated with gold plating on the body and mother of pearl on the eyes and soles of the feet.

Read more... 03 December, 2009
Thursday Wat Pho Part 1 - Bangkok’s Oldest and Largest Temple
Wat Pho - no, not a temple to the great Vietnamese noodle, but Bangkok's largest and oldest temple, which is also known as The Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Apart from the Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho is home to over one thousand more Buddha images.

Wat-Pho1

Prior to the temple's founding, the site was a centre of education for traditional Thai medicine, and statues were created showing yoga positions. Today, Wat Pho remains to be the most popular place in the world to learn the art and techniques of Thai massage, as well as to receive it.

Read more... 03 December, 2009
Thursday Amulet Shopping and other Market Stuff
In Thailand, amulets are considered by some to be a vital form of spiritual protection from malevolent spirits and misfortune. They are small items that can be worn around a neck, made from bronze, clay, plaster or gold and can be individually hand-crafted or mass produced.

Amulet-Shopping1

The most popular of images on amulets are copies of sacred statues, revered holy men, kings, healers or monks. However, its the amulet's history that determines its efficacy with factors including where and by whom it was made, and whether a monk has been called upon to consecrate it.

Read more... 03 December, 2009
Thursday The Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok
The Grand Palace was one of those landmark attractions that we had to see in Bangkok. Offering a taste of some gloriously traditional Thai design and architecture, its apparently one of the most photographed spots in the city.

Grand-Palace1

It houses the royal residence and throne halls as well as some government offices and the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Read more... 02 December, 2009
Wednesday H1 Urban Complex for Creatives
For the designer in me, we had shortlisted the H1 Urban Complex as a place to check out in Bangkok. From photos we'd seen, its a modern looking, elegant place with a few designery shops to visit. It's located in Soi Thonglor, apparently the centre of trendy lifestyles in Bangkok.

H1-Complex0

When we got there, the H1 Complex was a nice enough little corner away from the street, but to be honest, there wasn't much to do. There was a fashion college there, and what I think was a coffee shop beside an inside courtyard.

Read more... 02 December, 2009
Wednesday Bangkok’s Central World Shopping Complex and Square over Christmas
Central World is the largest shopping complex in Bangkok and actually the second largest in Southeast Asia, the largest being a mall in the Philippines.

Central-World1

It's marketed as a middle class shopping centre, which kind of gives an idea about the range of brands inside. To me, normally quite accessible and mostly affordable. Buying something however, is another matter, since there's sometimes little point in shopping for goods that look like they'd be available in Europe and besides, we're on a (travel) budget.

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