Thailand

Sawasdee Krup!

Thailand already has a special place in my heart. My short stay in Thailand was definitely not enough for me to be able to enjoy everything Thailand has to offer. I enjoyed everything about Thailand the place, the food, the people, the sights etc. I hope that my blog gives justice to the awesome experience I had in Thailand. We stayed in Bangkok for a couple of nights and I can honestly say that this place is a food and fashion haven.In terms of food the streets are filled with vendors who sell a wide range of food products from traditional Thai food,  fresh cut fruits, crepes, fresh fruit juices, fresh coconuts you name it. If you are a certified foodie you must definitely try all of the authentic Thai food.When it comes to fashion, I believe Bangkok is one of the places to be. If you are a person who doesn't mind the brand of clothes you wear and would literally like to shop till your drop the Pratunam area is the best place for you. Pratunam Market is a fashion haven especially for those who wants to buy by bulk at a very cheap price.  They also have major malls like Platinum, Isetan, Central World and Siam Paragon which are just around the corner and can be reached by walking for around 20-30 minutes depending on your pace. A lot of people have also said that the Chatuchak Weekend Market was a great place to buy a lot of vintage items but sadly I was not able to go which is why I am looking forward to my return to Thailand.

We also had the chance to go on a river cruise at night. This was one of the views I was able to capture during the river cruise. It was definitely an amazing experience, I had the chance to see the most famous temples in Thailand while cruising the river under the moonlight with a jazz band playing the background. Talk about a perfect night.



Thailand is predominantly a Buddhist country and there are a lot of temples situated around the area. We were able to go to Wat Ben which is the marble temple and Wat In where the tallest golden Buddha is located. We saw Wat Arun during the river cruise and there were other temples but I am not really familiar with their names.

Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn

We also went to Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo. This place is an elephant and crocodile haven. We saw the performance of the elephants from their role play to their soccer match and their dances. After their performance I was also able to feed one of the elephants who performed and to have them get the tip from me and be courteous was an amazing sight. These animals are not only talented and very intelligent but they are very gentle and courteous. I was not able to see the crocodile performance because there were a lot of people. So, I decided to roam around the area and the moment I saw a baby elephant I was so excited about it that I forgot to take a photo. It was my first time seeing a two month old baby elephant and it was so adorable!





I wanted to try and ride a tuk-tuk but I was quite hesitant since it was quite expensive compared to riding a cab and sometimes the traffic gets so bad that you get stuck for a few minutes and honestly it's quite hot in Thailand so maybe next time.





I believe that Damnoen Saduak Floating Market was one of the places I enjoyed. Why? Because I was able to take more pictures this time because I was able to go by myself alone on one of the rides. I was alone on the manual boat ride and I was with my companions during the speedboat ride. I enjoyed this place a lot because I saw how rich the culture of Thailand is. It's amazing how they can still keep the rustic feel of the entire village with all of the tourists that flock the place. If you ever decide to go to Thailand this is one of the best places to see. I will also encourage you to bring your own glasses and hats because the canals are sometimes flocked with tourists and when traffic occurs you will definitely bathe under the hot sun.











We also went to the nearest elephant village and I was able to ride an elephant for the first and last time of my life. (Yes, I am definitely putting a stress to that phrase.) I was really sad to see that they still use bullhooks on these elephants. But, I believe that this is  the traditional way mahouts use to control these animals. I was already on the elephant when I saw the trainer get his bullhook and it will be insane for me to go down while the elephant is walking. I really hope that the trainers or the handlers find alternatives when it comes to training these beautiful creatures. It's not a very pleasant sight to see when these animals get hit by these instruments. I feel so bad whenever I see fresh scars on these animals, it just breaks my heart.



Afterwards, we went to a village where there is a king cobra show. I'm not really interested with snakes so I decided to take a look around the area instead. This was a small floating village where there are rooms for rent and the place is just amazing.





With all things said and done, I can honestly say that I can't wait to return to Thailand and immerse myself more in their culture. I am really excited for my next trip and I will try my best to document it. ♥