Food, Lifestyle, Travel & Photography: Bangkok Day 2

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Bangkok Day 2 - Celebrating the New Year

Day 2 marked the last day of 2014 and also the reason why we were there in Thailand - to experience their countdown. Plans were pretty drawn up for the day with Breakfast near Victory Monument, Lunch with my Thai Pal and counting down the New Year near our stay.

View from Asok Station

We wanted to head to Victory Monument for the popular boat noodles for breakfast but we alighted a station earlier, thus we explored the area by foot. Meanwhile, we took the opportunity to snap some photos and was amazed that CP has an eating place.

CP Menu

Making our way to Victory Monument

We was horrified by the crowd at Victory Monument and learnt that many of the Thai are either returning back to their home town or having holidays over the period of new year, thus the crowd over at the bus terminal.

Victory Monument

While looking for the dining place, we spotted interesting stalls along the way.

Bakery Around Bus Terminal

Stalls around Victory Monument

Can you spot the food peddler crossing the busy road?

Congested Traffic

Traffic Jam on New Year Eve

It took us awhile to navigate to the so called place with canal / river by the side of the restaurant. With so much expectation that we had and it was indeed a real disappointment that we had no luck to taste the boat noodles as they were closed for the new year period. Soon, we found Pranakorn Noodle Restaurant on our way back and they were also selling Boat Noodles.

By the River Side

The best of the Boat Noodle was closed :(

We took BTS from Victory Monument to Mo Chit and walked a considerably long distance to Central Plaza LadPhrao. It was a big shopping mall and also one of Bangkok's popular mall situated next to Phahon Yothin MRT and directly connected to the Central Grand Hotel.Not only that, there were alot of food choices, ranging from Thai to Japanese.

Can you spot Central Plaza ahead?

Spotted Mailbox

Lunch at Tha Siam Noodle was a great new experience followed by desserts at Kyo En Roll. Kyo En Roll was preferred when I suggested for "After You Cafe". She mentioned After You Cafe has too much of Vibe and Kyo En Roll would be a better choice. Though hours were short, Im glad that the catch up was a fruitful one since I only get to see her once in a few years. We bid good bye to each other in the mall and headed to the somewhere around MBK for dinner as well as to prepare ourselves for countdown.

After You Cafe

Dinner was finally done at Baan Ying Cafe & Meal in Siam Center. Since the popular shopping malls are located in the same area, we had a nice walk around and have a feel of the count down atmosphere in Bangkok.

Siam Paragon with blue lighting

Siam Paragon with red lighting

Everywhere was very crowded.

Outside Siam Center

Luckily shopping Malls hopping are made easier with the aid of linked bridges. It was crowded on the bridge too and while I was taking my stroll, I saw a ferocious bag, Lion head!

Ferocious Bag

Looking around, there were alot of media and advertisement stating "2558" like what we saw from MBK lighting. In fact it is referring to 2015 just that 2558 was the year read in Thai's Calendar.

Building of MBK

Frankly speaking, besides visiting the attractions in Bangkok, what I enjoy most out of the trip was mainly their night street. It seems interesting. Even though there were alot of stalls out there, the things that they are selling are less repetitive.

Street Market

And if you are game enough and not having too much concern on the hygiene, you can try them out.

Juices and Fruits - The pineapple were nicely cut!

Fried and BBQ food are just addictive in their night street especially when the wind swept those aroma over our faces intermittently.

BBQ

Once a while you will get to see something unusual just like the sushi snacks on the streets.

Sushi Not?

Not only I was amazed by such lifestyle, the feelings of watching the humble lifestyle of the happy food peddlers was just as great.

Fried Mee Anyone

Spending so much time on city life, its just an eye opener experiencing the Thai's way of living. Comfort food like these on the streets are definitely not found in Singapore. Most of them were surrounding this stall and we joined in, buying two of it. We bought the Kaya and butter flavoured bread.

What's that?

A walk further, we visited the Watt ("Watt" means Temple in Thai). Sincere prayers were all sitting down on the mat with strings tied to their head.

Prayers

Finally, we had reached Central World where the Snoopy gathered.

Central World

We were welcome by the gigantic inflatable astronaut Snoopy outside the building.

Snoopy

Like many places, there were road blockage to facilitate the pedestrians for the countdown. Everywhere was jam packed and you can see street buskers, people selling fanciful stuff like neon lighting, balloons etc.