Bangkok Adventures--Temple Hopping

After a good night rest, I was ready to actually walk instead of hobble walking due to the itchiness of the bites. The diagnosis of the doc--they are insect bites. What insect? ...Insects... Thanks doc for that clarification... -____- Well, at least after the medication it didn't itch as much thankfully.

We had another long day ahead of us. We walked down to the ferry to take us up the river to Wat Pho as well as the Grand Palace and the Amulet Market in the city. Getting to the ferry took us about an hour due to the fact that we were lost for a while and had to walk like 3 intersection back (equivalent to 6 avenue blocks!!!). We finally reached the ferry and we were informed that there were only two more ferries for the day. Luckily, we got on the 2nd to last ferry out of the pier.

 

Ferry Stop

 

Giant Stone Statue

 

Meeeow! Cat punch!

 

Candle and Buddhas

 

Welcome to Wat Po

 

The tourist didn't know how to take our photo...le sigh~

We took it up to Wat Pho and proceeded to tour around the temple. Wat Pho has the reclining Buddha as well as giant stone statues at most of the doorways. I think the reclining Buddha in Wat Pho is the 3rd biggest one in Thailand?...

 

Lines of Buddha everywhere

 

Siamese cats of the temple

 

Do not touch the butt hehehe

108 Bronze bowls to represent auspicious characteristics of the Buddha 

After Wat Pho, we were starving so we headed to eat and then even though we were stuffed, we bought some mango from the mango lady. As we walked to the Grand Palace, it looked like it was about to pour so we headed in, but found out it was about 400 baht to enter. We decided to not do the Grand Palace and find the Amulet Market instead. I recently got a protecting amulet from my cousin so I wanted to find a necklace for it that didn't irritate my neck. As we were walking and stopped to look at necklaces, it started to pour. Luckily, the necklace place did have the kind of beads I was looking for and we sat there while the guy placed the amulet on the necklace.

After the rain let up, we attempted to find another temple. While trying to find the temple, we head monks meditating so we followed the meditation and sat in while they were doing it. My legs were so numb at the end, but,  it was nice to hear meditation and be part of something that tourists rarely get to take part in.

 

Sunset

We missed the time to climb the temple which apparently offered a great view of the city, but I think hearing meditation trumps that. We couldn't find a cab to bring us back during rush hour so we had to settle for a tuk tuk.  Once we made it back to the hostel, we went for dinner and had more drinks afterward with friends we made at the hostel.

Back to Bangkok again --Silom Road

Taking the mini bus back, we got back to Bangkok also around mid-afternoon before catching a cab from Victory Monument to our Hostel--WE Bangkok.

As soon as we checked-in, it started to POUR! We tend to be lucky in the sense that we never got caught in the rain with our stuff. After we put our stuff down, we asked where the closest clinic was so I could get my legs checked out. Luckily, it wasn't very far from the hostel so I hobbled there like a penguin to get it checked out. Even the people at the hostel was like, WHOA, what happened?

They seemed to have swollen up more overnight and I was tempted to pop them. It looked like they would pop by themselves too. Went into the clinic and the doc was like 'how can I help you?' I showed him my feet and he was like have a seat lol.  I sat down, he examined my feet and then called for a needle, cleaned it and started to work on my legs. He popped them, squeezed them with a cotton swab and then put ointment on them. He basically repeated this for about 20 mins.

After they have all been popped, he gave me some colorful pills to eat until they get better. I haven't seen pink,green or even blue pills in a long time.

We took it easy the first night back into the city so  met some new friends at the hostel and went to see LOOPER the movie with Bruce Willis. After the movie, we headed back to the hostel for drinks and called it a night. 

Phetchaburi Day 2--Noah got mugged by gang of monkeys

As I woke up, I found my legs full of red dots. I have been bitten and violated by mosquitoes! I counted and it was 44 bites and counting...

With that to start the day, I was already mer. We had to a long day planned with going to the Grand Palace and trying to see all the other temples around the area. We started the day with the surrounding temples and ruins around us. Walked all over trying to find ruins and since they are ruins we couldn't really access them anymore due to the lack of supporting foundations. Basically walked around, got lost and found our way again sorta process.

 

The ruins we couldn't enter

 

Another ruin that has a roof built around it to preserve what's left of it

 

The mysterious temple we couldn't find a way to get into

 

Gold colored paper Buddhas

 

Lunch

As it was about to rain again, we stopped at a lunch spot and ordered noodles to eat before starting off again. Luckily, the girl spoke some English and gave us a bit of each meat. After being recharged, we tried to enter another temple that we can't get into....Hate that, we were so close and yet so far in gaining access to it. We also didn't want to accidentally go into the monks living quarters...That would have been bad...and awkward.

We headed to the Grand Palace, but before we did that we stopped at a 7/11 for water and snacks. As we headed closer to the palace, the more monkeys popped up. Noah reminded me to be careful of the monkeys and to not get near any of the babies or step on any tails. As we started our trek up, Noah behind me..A gang of monkeys surrounded her as soon as they saw her plastic bag. One monkey took command and grabbed the bag. She yelled out 'SIM!' I was like 'drop the bag!' As she did, the one monkey ran for it, threw the plastic bag and went for the potato chips inside.  I was like that monkey will probably take a long time trying to figure out how to open it...In less than 2 mins, the monkey ripped open the bag with its teeth and pulled out the lobster flavored potato chips.... -_____ - wtf I kinda wish I had my camera out during this process, but I value my life as well as my camera lol It would have been a great slow motion video haha

After that scary encounter, we reached the ticket booth and there was a sign that said don't bring any plastic bags....NOW YOU TELL US! Luckily, the monkeys didn't come after my camera bag--I would have fought them! I'll go monkey king on their asses!

As we headed up the palace, I purposely walked really loudly to inform the monkeys that we were coming and so they wouldn't be alarmed when we just show up. I don't know if it worked, but no monkeys bothered me lol

 

They look so cute from afar

  

Monkey chewing on branch

 

Flowers fallen down into the staircase

 

My travel buddy with the best expression!

 

My travel buddy has a buddy

The view was nice, but it was such a hot day. It was nice when we felt a strong breeze even if it only lasted like 5 mins. My bites got worse as the day went on and gotten more itchy. We headed back after a while and let the owner examine the bites. She said it was ant bites. I say mosquito. They had swollen up during the course of the day and it looked bad!

 

My battle with insects

 

Oh nos...it's closing in... lol

 

Really now?

 

Monkeys grazing on the green

 

So why did the monkeys cross the road?

I needed to go to a clinic when I headed back to Bangkok.Luckily, we were going back tomorrow so I could wait one more night and hope for the best.

Even though my bites got worse, we headed to the bar because it was our last night. The same live band came out but we were treated like the locals and gotten the bar chips they gave out. I was so happy lol Also we got the nerve to order the local drink which looked like incredible hulk green in a slushy form and poured in shot glasses. Don't know if it had any alcohol in it, but we wanted a try and it was a local thing. It came with jelly lol

Phetchaburi--land of theiving monkies, insects and temple/shrines

Arrived at Phetchaburi (locals pronounce it petburi) around early afternoon. Was dropped off around the Night Market area and then started to walk around trying to find where we were suppose to stay. Asked a nice police security guard and he told us how to get to the guesthouse--two intersection a right and a left later we arrived at a small river with a cross bridge and beside it was the guesthouse.

Once we checked-in , we headed straight to a cave shrine in a tuk tuk. Not much taxis around this area so tuk tuk it was. It was not as glorious as the guidebook made it. It was suppose to be sunlight on buddha statues but really it was dark, kinda dingy and not that great. Thinking back, guidebooks are suppose to make things sound awesome I guess. A little boy was acting as our guide but it was difficult because he only spoke thai (probably assuming I knew thai....) One part of the cave the sun did shine down on a statue, but wasn't exactly angled correctly and the lightbulb kinda killed the effect.

 

Little monkey feasting on corn

 

Tuk Tuk ride over

 

cave shrine

After the mini tour, we headed out and there was a group of tourist feeding the monkeys. Giant groups of monkeys swarmed around them waiting for their piece of corn and then running away once they have gotten a piece.

After that, we headed for another cave shrine, which was the biggest in the area. Monkeys greeted us there as well. Had a tour guide who spoke decent English and he took us around the cave and explained things to us. He also had a pet monkey as well lol

 

Monkeys chilling around Khao Luang

 

Cave Shrine

 

Greedy Monkey

 

Swarm of monkeys

After this cave, we finally headed back to rest and eat dinner at the local night market. After we recharged our batteries, we headed to a bar near the guesthouse and there they had a live band who sang really good. Also a PHD student worked up his nerve to talk to us in English. He wanted to practice. He was a scientist at the local university doing research and we somehow had a heated conversation about religion and science.

As it was getting late, we headed out and a transgender woman said bye very affectionately to me...Noah was like...that was definitely not for me lmao


This was the first night in Phetchaburi.

Khao San--Hangover nightmare (Not me)

We landed around 3pm local time and caught a taxi to our hostel which was located at Khao San Rd. We didn't know this was the infamous Khao San Rd. of Hangover 2... The hotel looked okay. We were placed in the 25 bunk bed dorm room set-up with our own electric plug and book lights. Thankfully, it was A/C'ed and the bathrooms were good.

After we checked in and settled down, went to exchange money and eat some lunch. A street magician performed some card tricks and set his wallet on fire. His name was 'Maxican'. While waiting for the food to arrive, a deaf woman came up from behind and was selling magnets but she was confused because from behind I looked like a boy but then she saw me and got even more confused because I was a girl. (Didn't help I was wearing my hat backwards and slouch lol)

She did the universal hand movement for boobs and penis and then proceeded to come closer to inspect with her hands! I was violated! =____= Luckily she didn't push lol

This was just several hours after I land in Bangkok.... What else is going to happen on this trip?!

After that experience, we headed back to the hostel because it was pouring and showered before heading out again at night for food. Walked around the area and it was just bars, bars, random stalls of food and merchandise and more bars.

Bought a personalize fabric bracelet from a street vendor who did it in 10 mins! It was very impressive. I decided to sleep early but fucking people I swear do not know common decencies. A group of like 10-15 people barged in, turned on the lights, spoke loud as hell and stomped their way around. It took them 30 mins to leave.  After they left, I fell back asleep until they fucking woke everyone up again at 3am. They were drunk and obnoxious. Had to get up, tell the friends to tell their drunk ass friend to keep quite (he was talking very loud on his cellphone...) and they had to nerve to tell me " He isn't our friend. You go talk to him." I may be young, but I ain't stupid, you guys were the ONLY ones talking and came in TOGETHER and made all that noise. I had to go to his bed, and tell him go downstairs to make the call...It took him a good ass 15 min to get downstairs. His friends weren't better--they didn't know how to turn off the light they turned on so instead of actually finding a way, they just kept saying how do you turn off the light or fuck the light.

 

The many selections

 

Wolf Pack among other sayings...

 

Tourist, beer and massage= Khao San Rd

 

Local drink bags

 

Have it your way McD, but I don't heart Khao San

I was so happy we were leaving for Phetchubri the next day. I wanted to kill them all.

Pit Stop in Malaysia

Got into the city around 9pm and just passed out. After almost a week in Singapore, I had to do laundry. Since this was a pit stop, I decided to watch Hotel Transylvania in 3D because I can!  It's so freaking cheap so I didn't have to worry about it being in fancy 3D. We had time to kill before it started, Noah and I played a Japanese Drum game which was very intense. I wanted to play the kiddie version, but I was a little bit shy and old to do it lmao..Didn't want to make the kids jealous lol

This game had two giant drum sets and sticks. We could only guess what the instructions were and considering it was all guessing, we did pretty good with playing 4 games before our hands were tired and hurting.

While in the movie theater, it was only grown ups and I felt like we were the youngest people there...The guy next to Noah who looked like he was in his late 20s LAUGHED his ASS OFF throughout the whole movie...(Yes, it was that good lol) It was just amazing to see people that excited and can still enjoy their inner kids.

The next day,  I had the urge to play pool but it actually cost more so we played snooker. It was hella hard! So many different color balls as well as a bigger table...and Noah kept blocking my shots =___=
After working up an appetite, we headed towards Chinatown to grab a mid-night snack of fried pork and a shit ton of noodles as well as fried tofu skin...(Drool...) Forgot to take my camera so forgive the iphone photo, but it was delicious at 2am in the morning lol

The last day in Malaysia, my cousin decided that it was too hot so we should head to Genting Highlands for the 'mountain' breeze. The car ride was worse than a roller coaster at an amusement park because the car was manual and low so every bump and turn was sharp. The car was going about 180 km and 100km was the minimum the car had constantly lol It was scary and fun at the same time.

Before heading up to the highlands, I met up with Sharon Ling at Amcorp Mall to catch up and eat a meal. Went to eat Korean food and then walked around the shopping complex. Since it was the weekend, everyone had a stall to set up as a flea market style sell off and there were tons of action figures as well as figurines.  I bought a cute figurine that looks like Totoro but is shaped as a cat. The company is called 'zhuai mao' which in Cantonese translate to drunk cat. The English translation was " the world's SMUGLY cat ". There was a batman as well as a stitch version which I wanted, but I know my mom would kill me if I bought them all home lol

Once it was night time, we headed out to the Highlands, walked around the breeze and was just amazed to see so many people all wrapped up in like jackets and hoodies. Dude, this was like 70 or so degree weather not like 30...It was kinda sad. I was just in a button down rolled up my sleeves and SHORTS! It was the funniest scene.

 

Everyone has an Eiffel Tower

 

I sorta can pass lol

 

Genting

 

City Lights

Got home around 3am and had a flight to Bangkok at 1pm.

Last Day in Singapore

Last Day in Singapore was spent getting breakfast at a nice cafe in Ion Orchard Mall and then packing. The family was nice enough to lend us their driver and he drove us to the bus station. Walked around to meet another MoHo--Yulii who was studying in Singapore for a semester. Went inside the mall and had burger king before we boarded the bus back to Malaysia.

 

Almost like an airplane with the food and movies

 

Leaving Singapore

 

MoHo Meet-up

After 5 hours on the bus that was equipped with its own television screen, decent movie/MV choices we finally reached Malaysia once again.