Roses for love

Before leaving for Canada, I spent one night just walking around Central World.

There were the usual X-mas shoppers, beer garden attendees, and this scene, near the the shrines in front of C.W.

Apparently, on every Thursday, single Thais offer dozens of red roses to this shrine in hopes of meeting their "true love".

Considering the high cost of a dozen red roses in Canada, I was really surprised to see mountains of these flowers.

Frozen Yogurt

I came across this really neat frozen yogurt shop in a small strip mall called "Fruz Berry".

The shop served up "help yourself" cups of frozen yogurt in various flavors: coconut, plain, blueberry, strawberry, mango, and others.

Next, you moved to the shop's "toppings area", which had fresh fruit, smarties, mini oreo cookies, chocolate sprinkles and more.


Adding the toppings:


Once you finished, you put your cup on the scale, where it was weighed. Every 10 grams = 10 Baht. The total was about 90 Baht.(=$1.27) A great, cool treat.

Haagen Dazs Treats

It was pouring rain, and I didn't have an umbrella with me. I decided to wait it out at the station first, then got bored after 20 minutes. I spotted a Haagen Dazs shop below; expensive, but better than waiting and doing nothing.

I ordered their hot chocolate which was 220 Baht (ouch!). This is quite the dessert -- it comes with three toppings, which you are free to add onto the whipped cream: chocolate syrup, chocolate shavings and cocoa powder.

It was quite rich, but a good way to warm up from the chilly rain.

Just as I had finished, the blue sky came out again. Out the door and back on the road to home....

Otoko Market

This is famous among Thais, but not so among foreigners. "Otoko Market" is the food market in Bangkok. It is said that all food from Thailand is distributed through this market.

The market is located across the street from Chatuchak market, near Mo Chit station.

It is amazing CLEAN, which is absolutely shocking for Bangkok. Clean is not a word I would associate with Thai markets, but this place is unbelievable. The white tile floors are bright and clean, highlighting the equally clean food stalls selling fruit, dried fruit, juices, meats and vegetables. It's really a pleasant experience to walk around.

Here, I tried Mangosteen juice (anti-aging properties ladies!), banana chips, Chinese oranges and more.

If you do visit this market, be sure to come on an empty stomach! There are so many good things to try, buy and eat here. Highly recommended!

Water Apples:


Melons (which are VERY expensive in Japan -- over $40 for one!)

Scenes from Chatuchak

AHAHAHahaha! I'm at Chatuchak!


Chatuchak (pronounced: chat + DU + chat) market is a sprawling indoor/ outdoor market at the end of the BTS Sukhumvit line (stop: Mo Chit).

Popular with tourists and locals alike, Chatuchak boasts clothes, bars, food stalls, furniture, animals, and knick-knacks; basically, whatever you are looking for, can likely be found here.

I had a rare Saturday off, so I headed out to the market to do some x-mas shopping. I also enjoyed a bowl of noodles and some cold coffee. The place is so huge, it's quite easy to get lost. Printing a map and bringing along a compass, might come in handy. If you're like me, you'll enjoy getting "lost" and finding unusual shops.

Prices on most items range from 10 up to 1,000 + baht. It's up to you if you want to bargain or not.

A few warnings:
- It gets hot there while walking around, bring a bottle of water.
- Toilets are few and far between, and are not clean at all. Try to use the washrooms at JJ Mall nearby.
- Arriving around 10am, you'll find all the stalls open. Arrive before then, and you'll walk around very bored (which is exactly what happened to me one time. I like "early mornings", but Thai shopkeepers, don't. ^O^)

Korea Town, Bangkok

Located off of Sukhumvit road, close to Nana BTS station, is "Korea Town". Korean restaurants, shops and even a supermarket can be found here.

In Japan, I tried Korean food for the first time and got hooked. Their specialty is barbecued meat, fresh vegetables and spices. I was craving some Korean barbecue, so I headed over to a shop called "Doorae", which was recommended in Daco (a Japanese Bangkok weekly magazine).

The service was amazing. In Japan, you have to cook the food yourself, but here, the staff do everything -- flipping the meat and vegetables, arranging dishes, etc. There was so much food served as well, it's better to bring a group of friends.

For two people, my friend and I ordered: kimuchi rice, tofu soup, 3 meat dishes and all the rest was provided as part of the meal. We also drank one beer each and a Korean, sake-like drink called "soju". The total cost was 1,800 Baht (=$54), a bit pricey, but there is a lot of food included..really enough for 4 people.

Kimuchi rice with omlet:



Various small dishes: (the hole in the middle is the b.b.q pit--they place charcoal here and a grill rack, which you can cook on. There is a fan built into the side that sucks away the smoke.)

More hidden cows!

Yeah, I love cows. They provide me with my favorite drink, milk. This cow is hidden at the cafe "Mooville" on the 4th floor of Amarin Plaza in the Central Business District of Bangkok.

This little guy just perks up the artificial flowers. Moo moo?

Khao Man Gai

"Kao Man Gai" is the Thai phrase you use when you want to order "Thai Steamed Chicken with Rice". This dish is very popular among Thais and you can easily find it at food courts and street vendors.

In Bangkok, the most famous shop is on Pechaburi road and is simply known as the "Pink Shirt Ladies Shop".

This dish usually includes the following:
- steamed chicken (you can often choose the cut of the chicken -- leg, breast, or thigh
- a piece of chicken liver (also steamed)
- some veggie (usually spinach)
- soup (chicken of course!) ^_^

The shop keepers will also dish out some yummy chicken sause and pour that all over the rice and chicken. The taste? Holy cow! It's delicious. To me, it's the perfect meal: carbs, iron, and protein.

I bought this one at the food court and it costs 40 baht (=$1.20). Great deal. If you visit the Kingdom on holiday, please try this dish!

Loi Kratong

What is Loi Kratong? It's a festival in Thailand that is held on the full moon during late November. This year, it will be held on Nov.21st. (Today!) ^_^

This festival takes place in the evening, between 19:00 -- 0:00. Thais give an offering of incense, flowers, banana leaves and candles to the river. They do this in hopes of receiving good luck for the next year, finding a mate, giving thanks to the river for providing "life" (water), or to get rid of bad luck.

I joined my teachers and classmates last Friday, at the Thai language school, to learn Loi Kratong songs, Thai dancing and make my very own "offering". (all for free!)

After listening to a presentation about the history, meaning and how to enjoy "Loi Kratong", it was time to make our own offerings.

The tools needed: banana tree trunk pieces, banana leaves, marigolds and lots of pins!


Incense sticks and a candle -- these go in the middle.


Step 1: Place a banana leaf on top of a piece of the banana tree trunk, cut and pin in place.



Step 2: Fold the banana leaves in a "lotus" fashion. Attach to the banana trunk piece.


Step 3: Add the marigold flower tops...


The final step: Add the incense and candle. Voila! A "kratong".


I want to say a special thank you to the great teachers at the Thai language school where I study. We could have a long, but fun lesson about a traditional festival in Thailand, all in Thai. While many Thai language schools offer very intensive, 3+ hour lessons, this school is more relaxed and laid back. If you're in Bangkok and want to study twice a week only, try this school:
Paradigm Thai Language school

Happy Loi Kratong!

Collagen Drink

I bought this at the 7-11 near my condo. I usually drink water, but I thought I should try something new.

This drink is made by Coca-Cola. The ingredients are:
- White grape juice
- Lime juice
- sugar
- collagen

In Japan, collagen drinks were quite popular among women there. Collagen is supposed to keep your skin looking young. I am not sure how effective it is in a drink, but why not try?

The taste was like a sugary water drink with a light grape flavor. The cost is a bit steep though -- 20 Baht ($0.60).

Do you know what else is expensive here? Chocolate bars. I was shocked to see the price: 30 Baht (almost $1!) Wow. In Thai, you can eat a bowl of noodles for 30 Baht, or enjoy some steamed chicken and rice. That's why I don't buy the foreign chocolates (Mars, Twix, etc). Instead, I pick up the cheaper, Thai sweets. See tomorrow's post for more on that.

Central Chitlom Department Store

From late October until early November, the department store across from Chitlom BTS station holds an annual "Flower Fiesta" to celebrate the anniversary of the shop's opening.

Every nook and cranny inside is filled with flowers; even outside, branches and exotic flowers can be found adorning the building itself. It's an unbelievable sight and completely free.



I took a peek after my Thai class and snapped a few pics. As soon as you walk through the doors, you are hit with the smell of fresh flowers. Every display is created using 100% real flowers -- the majority being roses!



This year's theme seemed to be about trees. Huge trees were set up throughout the store with hanging baskets suspended from their branches. I saw many Thai people snapping pictures using their cell phones and cameras. Some were posing under the tree branches for a special shot.



It's really incredible.

Oktoberfest

The view from our table:


According to my Thai teachers, Thais love and accept holidays from all over the world: x-mas, Halloween, Chinese New Year, even Germany's Oktoberfest is celebrated here.

We saw such a kind of restaurant in Pattaya. We ate an early dinner at a German restaurant with amazing views of the Gulf of Siam/ South China Sea.

We enjoyed: potato salad, fresh pretzels with liverwurst, sausages, soft shell crab salad with two glasses of beer. Wunderbar!

Oven baked prezels (really good!):


Crab salad:


Potato salad and frankfurters:


Dessert: cinnamon cake with raspberries and chocolate ice cream

What Thai girls love...

I always go and sit at a coffee shop every Tuesday and Thursday and study Thai before heading off to my class. The shop is on the 4th floor and overlooks the ground floor. In this large space, there is often a "Sales" area set up and the contents change every week or two weeks. This time, the space was filled with discounted brand items.

It was this week, I noticed how much Thai girls love bargains.


About 30 minutes after taking this picture, it was swarming with girls, who were enjoying the variety of merchandise on sale.

Even when walking on the streets at night, there are vendors selling everything from scarves, to jewelry, to clothes -- and it always seems to stop the Thai girls. I think they love the "hunt for the best discount". Thai is already a cheap place to get things, but perhaps being able to boast about how much money you saved on an item is even better.

Flower Fiesta

Walking through the first floor of Chitlom Central Department store, I came across this amazing display. It was a long garden, made entirely of flowers, earth, moss and even trees.

Several mannequins were in the garden as well, including one on a swing surrounded by bird cages.


According to my Google skills, this is an annual event to celebrate the anniversary of the store's opening over 60 years ago. Flower displays are posted throughout the store. Click to HERE to see some displays from 2008.

I managed to walk through the garden area on the opening day. There were ton of cameras and journalists covering the event. I saw a chef preparing beautiful cupcakes and a lady being interviewed. The whole area smells wonderful and it's bound to bring in lots of minus eon.

Go visit to marvel at the sight. It's really quite unbelievable.

JCC School

JCC is the name of a Chinese/ Japanese Language school in Bangkok. There are two locations, but the one I know best is Amarin Plaza.

I began my first lesson in Japanese studies on Monday. I will take a private lesson, 2 hours per week, every Monday morning.

I have felt a bit frustrated lately that I rarely get a chance to speak Japanese. I asked to study to pass the Japanese Language proficiency test, and just "brush up" my language skills.

The school caters mainly to Thais, but I still felt extremely comfortable. The office staff are very friendly, even more so than regular Thais I have met, and all speak Japanese quite well.



My classroom is a small room with a whiteboard and some posters on the wall of Japan's famous "Mt.Fuji". The first task I had to do was take a test, to see my level. I worked on the new N3 test -- which is between the old Level 3 and Level 2 Japanese tests. I scored 50% on most sections, which proved that while not too difficult, there are some things I need to learn. The teacher and I decided we would aim for this test, likely next year.

My homework consists of nothing but kanji. Very boring, but necessary to pass those tests.

Does it feel odd to be studying Japanese in a Thai-speaking country? Yes, very strange.

Thailand Cultural Center

Last night, I went to this center to see a ballet performance. It was my first time to visit, so I made sure to take lots of pictures.

I found out there is a free shuttle from the MRT station to the venue. There was some confusion at first, because the "bus" was really a plain, white passenger van. You have to watch for the driver to come out and hold up a poster of the event, before you realize that's the "bus" that is listed on websites. The free shuttle can be caught from Exit 1 at Thailand Cultural Center MRT station.

An example of the shuttle bus:


The center itself was built by a grant from the Japanese government, and it shows. The inside of the theater is EXACTLY the same as a Japanese theater -- small seats, a large, embroidered curtain and two side stages. I could not take any photos during the ballet itself, but I took a picture of the theater during the intermission:

Inside the theater:


Outside the theater, there was a beautiful temple, along with large gardens and koi ponds. The grounds are worth exploring on their own.

The temple on the center grounds:


I will go back in October to see a contemporary dance troupe from Holland perform.

Haagen Dazs

There are tons of Haagen Dazs shops in Bangkok, and I finally popped into one in Silom area.

They have an extensive menu, with parfaits, smoothies, desserts and make-your-own-plate. I opted for the latter, and created a choco-lover's dream: Belgium chocolate ice cream, a brownie and hot chocolate sauce. Wow. Let's not even think about the calorie count there.

The price was pretty rich too -- 230 Baht ($6.50). Holy sheep!!



Oh this was pretty cool too: ice cream sushi. I didn't try it, but snapped the picture instead. Four "sushi" cost 290 Baht ($7).

Steak!

A friend called me up on Tuesday night and we headed out to grab some dinner together. We decided to go visit a steak restaurant.

The location was a *bit* interesting. When my friend told the cab driver to head over to "Patpong", I became worried. Patpong is the infamous Thai nightclub area...and when I say "nightclub", I really mean "sex show".

But true to my buddy's word, he took me past the touts selling "ping pong shows" and XXX DVDs to the steak house. The name is Sarika Steak House and it's on the left hand side of Patong, tucked deep past the sex clubs.

We ordered the house special -- Sarika steak dinners -- for only 200 Baht each ($6). Included with the dinner was:

Bread and salad:

Steak, mashed potatoes, carrots and spinach:

I added a glass of red wine for a hundred baht more ($3) and I ate a great meal for under $10! Yay!


We enjoyed the dinner laughing over what was meant by "ping pong show". My buddy thought they must be talking about girls playing table tennis, or juggling. Hahahaha!

Nail City

Nail City, 2F Amarin Plaza, Radchaprasong:



I used to bite my nails as a child, so upon becoming an adult, I somehow managed to stop. To remind myself that my nail biting habit has long gone, I love to treat myself to a professional manicure.

I became a member of one shop in Amarin Plaza that I have found to be, the most professional nail salon in BKK: Nail City.

The staff all wear facial masks, use the best products, and most importantly, continue to study new designs and take pride in their work.

What else do I like about this salon? The service!
- electronic massage chairs,
- foot baths,
- spa style hand lotion at the end,
- free bottled water,
- a wide selection of colors

My selection: French Manicure


Prices are a little higher than other spas I have visited. But if you become a member (1,000 Baht for one year), you get a 20% discount on the entire menu. This cost then matches most nail salons in the BKK area.

The waiting area:


I recently snapped some pics of the shop itself. Looks fabulous, no? I have become such a regular there, one of the shop ladies saw me on the street and stopped to say hi and ask "Will you be coming in today?" Bhahaha.

Studying Thai

I headed over to my new favorite cafe "Mooville" to try something new on their menu. I spent time there studying Thai while sipping the old Java juice.

Thai is now the fourth language I have studied. Previously, I have learned: French (grades 2 - 9), German (grade 10-university), and Japanese (2001 - 2008). When I chat with other students in my Thai language class, they are all surprised at how many languages I have studied. Another curious thing is that most agree Thai is difficult. I disagree.

While on the surface, the written Thai language looks daunting, it's actually not so bad. I think my experience learning Japanese has helped tremendously in this case. The style and shape of the letters are similar to the Japanese Kanji characters and their hiragana system. I am a great visual learner, so remembering the shapes and vowel patterns is enjoyable.



What frustrates me are the tones. Like Chinese, the Thai system has tones -- or voice inflictions. There are rising, falling, mid, low and high tones. So you could have the word "maa" pronounced many ways:

- maa (mid tone; no voice change) = to come
- maa (high tone; voice goes up like a girl from California) = a horse
- maa (rising tone; voice starts high, falls, then goes up again) = a dog

You could be trying to say a word, but if your pronunciation is wrong, you'll likely say something else.

People here often ask me how I managed to learn Thai so quickly. There is no secret really-- just study, listen, repeat after the CD, and try not to translate everything. I think the more languages you study, the easier it becomes.

Food Court

I found a cheap food court at Amarin Plaza near my home. I go there on my days off to grab some lunch for about 40 - 50 Baht. ($1.20-$1.50).

Food courts are quite popular with Thai and residing ex-pats due to their low cost and variety. It's similar to a food court you might see in a mall back home, with one difference-- they use electronic pre-paid money cards.

You exchange some money for the card, go to your favorite restaurant and order. The card is swiped at the shop and the money deducted. When you finish eating, you return to the cashier to get your remaining money. Neat huh?

Today's lunch was entirely vegetarian:
- brown rice
- boiled pumpkin
- stir fried veggies


The cost was 40 Baht. I brought my own water to save more on the cost.