Just Us to Bangkok, Day 2, Part 2

Our hotel is in-between the cycling place and Chatuchak. Since we were likely to get all sweaty again at Chatuchak, we decided to head straight; no point dropping by the hotel just to shower. The relief would be short-lived anyway. Hoho. 

We took a grab to Chatuchak. The aircon in the grab was to die for. The driver asked if we wanted to take the highway with a THB50 toll. It would be faster. We did. On hindsight, we should have just taken the normal roads to enjoy the aircon more. Hoho.  The driver dropped us at the opposite side of Chatuchak. We crossed the overhead bride and were lost. Where to start? 

We ended up walking to where the food was bcos it was way past lunch time. We got fried pork and spring rolls. Nah, not very nice. The fried pork has failed me too many times. Zzzzz. 

Maybe bcos of the heat or each portion was too much for 2 persons, we didn't feel hungry after those. The coconut ice cream was inviting though. 

We found the main entrance, got a map but were still lost. Lol. Chatuchak is too massive. 

We decided not to think too much and simply walked to wherever our legs led us. Chatuchak has a lot to offer to Daddy Lim, who happily bought berms and pants. He even insisted on a pair of beach shorts (bcos I didn't bring swimming gear), so that we can go dip in the pool at the hotel. 

We walked from 2ish to 5ish. In between, we stopped for a 30-min massage. Daddy Lim obliged bcos it was a tiny airconed stall. He said that I had used up my massage quota for the day. Zzzzzz. 

We walked somemore and decided to stop for some food bcos we needed a seat to rest our poor legs. It was a tiny bowl of noodles. 

We left Chatuchak at almost 6pm bcos we can walk no more. Our bag was full though. There are so much to see in Chatuchak; Nana would love this place and Zaky would just have to drag his feet along when we come back in June. 

It was still busy and crowded when we left. We waited for a long time for our grab at the main entrance bcos the road in front of Chatuchak was so jammed. 

Chatuchak now has night market during the weekend. We can bring the kids in the afternoon when the weather is not so hot. 

Day 2's loot. 

These are Daddy Lim. He won again!

Bcos he bought the beach shorts, we must go dip in the pool. 

We didn't bring slippers and walked to the pool barefooted. 

The pool was warm. 

I ordered a cocktail to share. I asked for recommendation for something sweet and I was recommended Midori Sour, which apparently isn't sour?! 

It has vodka and midori and really wasn't sour. Lol. 

It was a short dip. We headed back to shower and in search of dinner. Daddy Lim had to take picture with Ronald Mcdonald. He is a huge guy.

Dinner was wanton mee and mango sticky rice. There is a famous wanton mee stall along the Pratunum main street. We didn't try bcos the Q was massive and we were too lazy to wait for food. 

We took a walk at the Pratunum night market but there wasn't much to see. Most of the clothing look cheap and poorer quality. 

We decided to head back early to rest. I was so tired. I couldn't even finish my blog post and kept dropping my phone when scrolling FB. Lol. The sun made me worked too hard. Good night!

Mummy Lim

Just Us to Bangkok, Day 2, Part 1

Bcos we didn't and couldnt stop eating, Daddy Lim thinks that he should join me in the gym. The gym was supposed to open at 6am but we had to approach the reception when we found it locked. 

I couldn't get the right speed and ended up with just 3km. I thought it would be good enough since we would be going for a bicycle tour in the morning, which also explained why we were up so early. 

While the room was meh, the bfast spread was good. The kids would have loved the pick and choose bfast. 

Looks good right? 

We started the day early to buffer time for traffic jam to get to the cycling tour start point. We forgot that it was Saturday and there would not be peak hours jam. It would only take us only 15 mins to get there. We benefited from an extra rest in the room. Daddy Lim even stole a nap. 

The Go HQ for the bicycle tour was near the Shangri-la Hotel. The taxi couldn't go into the small lanes and it took us a while to find our bearing. 

It has super nice decor and housed the cooking class on level 2. 

The bicycle tour place was actually inside a market.. how strange. 

The group was small. There were a total of 6 of us, a lady couple from Philippines and a men couple from the Netherlands. The goup was led by Woody. We tested out the bikes and started the ride. 

What is a Thailand bicycle tour without temples? The 1st stop was exactly a temple. 

Woody was explaining the history. I wasn't paying attention. Hoho. I was taking pictures of my ride. 

2nd stop was the French embassy.

Then some mural. 

A Catholic Church.

Then we went to the Chinatown and it was a pure test of bike handling skill. We literally rode through parts of the market and somebody's back alley. The Thais were very trusting of my cycling skill, much more than I do. They were simply standing there and continued with their cooking/ packing/ washing, as I struggled to ride past them and not knock them down like bowling pins. Hoho. Some of the lanes were no wider than my handlebar. 救命啊!

We stopped to take some pictures of the wall painting. 

The heat had been turned up, and out came my arm sleeves and also Daddy Lim's T-shirt. Never mind that I look funny. 

Woody treated us to some traditional coconut kueh. Tasted like our kueh too but this one is crispy at the sides. 

We rolled on to a Taoist temple. It had been years since I stepped into one. My parents were Taoist.. 

There were some cycling on the road and I found that easier than the pavements that were full of bumps, humps and cracks and.. just watch out. 

We stopped by for some fruits and ice cold coke. They were given to us in those plastic bags, like what we had in Singapore many years back. Do people still tabao cold drunks from Kopitiam now? 

Woody told us that there are other uses for the drinks - to cool down. Like this. 

Surprisingly, it really helped. Our bodies were probably overheating in that heat. It was so hot. Daddy Lim and I had a snack too before we rolled on. I thought it was wanton but actually wrapped quail eggs. Kena cheated. 

Then down to another nearby temple, not to see the temple but the crocodiles! Apparently, siam crocodile was a big thing in the past and thus holds certain importance. Not sure what types are these though. 

At the start of the tour, Woody said that after Chinatown Town, we would go to the Flower Market before taking the ferry back. So, I was very excited when we finally arrived at the Flower Market. It was so hot and I was hoping for the ride to end soon. The Flower Market is huge. 

We were given 10 mins to roam but nothing much (except flowers) to see leh. We ended up buying ice cream from 7-11. 7-11 got aircon! 

We should be going back right? No! Another temple but this one, we got to feed the tortoises and so many of them. It was fun!

There were some locals gathered at the temple and suddenly, we were offered cold drinks, rambutans and Thai salad.

We rolled off again to... another temple. This time, the huge, shiny, glamorous Thai temple. 

By then, it was 1ish. I was wishing for the pier and thinking why me, the person who always tell my cycling peers that I would melt in the sun, was cycling in midday Bangkok, and there is a heat wave in Bangkok somemore. I think I have gone crazy. 

You can imagine how thrilled I was when we were finally told that we were taking the boat. 

I was dying from the heat. Daddy Lim still got energy to take pictures with the 旺财s.

Finally onto the boat. I refused to stand up and take pictures. Hoho. 

Daddy Lim was no better. 

The boat basically crossed the river (or was that a canal?) and took less than 5 mins. Then it was a super short ride back to the go HQ. Ooooooo... finally! We were literally soaking through our clothes. 

Was the bicycle tour enjoyable? Daddy Lim likes it. I would have loved it more without the heat. We wondered if we should bring the kids in June but I think it would be the same kind of heat and it definitely required more than the "basic cycling skills" as advertised. I wonder if the kids would smash their bikes into the narrow walkways or into the very trusting Thais. Lol. 

Mummy Lim