Saturday, July 20, 2013
Bangkok.. | Go to post ➜
Day 3
Brunch
Tom yum soup
Papaya salad
Pad thai
Oyster omelette - some parts crispy and one area full of starch.
Minced pork with basil, egg and rice.
Elephants
Took BTS to National Stadium then walk along Rama 1
Small Temple along Rama 1
Hua Lamphong Railway
Iconic State Tower (The building with the golden dome)
Went into a Chinese medicine shop along Thanon Bamrung Muang to ask for directions to the best pad thai shop in Bangkok.
The teochew boss said there is at least 2 hours to go before the pad thai shop open for business and told us to visit the temples around the area.
Wat Saket Temple
On the way to Wat Saket Temple, while waiting for the green man at a junction, a man approached us and introduced himself as a teacher in a nearby school. He told us that the temples are "closed", it's Buddha holiday!
Then he persuaded us to get into the tuk-tuk which will bring us around to a nearby temple, jewellery factory outlet, seafood restaurant and back to our hotel for just 5 baht a person.
Immediately I knew that this is a scam. But my dad said "We are tired of walking, so we let's go for a joy ride on a tuk-tuk. Only locals know this stuff ~ Let's go". My heart sank. Damn!
Maybe I was not persuasive enough or I should have just insisted to walk away.
I comforted myself, luckily it was only 5 baht, 20 baht in total for 4 person, less than a Sin dollar.
Furthermore, the temple visit was not on our priority list, we had 2 hours to spend before our pad thai dinner~
The tuk-tuk drivers brought us to a nearby temple.
Another man awaits us. He told us that he is a history teacher in a school, after his work he volunteers at this temple. His talk shifted to duty free jewelleries at the factory outlet.
The more I think about it, the more frustrated I am. IF the temples were closed, why was this temple open? Knowing that it was a scam but still went along with it. This encourages those scammers to scam even more tourists. Fed up with the fact that we "fell" into a scam, I told the tuk-tuk drivers to skip the seafood restaurant and bring me to Wat Saket Temple.
They agreed but they need to bring us to one more jewellery outlet first.
The jewellery factory outlet looks totally legit but do your research and maybe it is all just a façade.
I asked the sales assistant whether that day is Buddha holiday. He simply replied " I don't know"
Anyway, I have no hard feelings for this cheap scam since I managed to buy some cheap souvenirs from the jewellery factory outlet (compared to those from Chatuchak market).
However, if you are short on time and temple visits are on your list of must-see in Bangkok, do not get into the tuk-tuk or just block yourself from over-friendly English speaking local.
Read more on Trip advisor , Lonely Planet , Thai travel blogs & 5 scams your should know .
By the time we reach Wat Saket Temple, it was closed.
Love the cute little monks
Thip Samai Pad Thai
The best & most famous pad thai shop in Bangkok.
Orange juice & coconut juice were indeed delicious and thirst quenching.
Superb pad thai
In my opinion, it was just so-so, the taste was comparable to the pad thai I ate for brunch earlier in the day.
Another version of pad thai.
The name of the shop in Thai (the teochew boss wrote it down for us).
Thip Samai Pad Thai entrance.
Bought 10 sticks of chicken satay and 10 sticks of pork satay for 100 baht.
No idea what is this.
Nata de coco, a hint of banana and coconut.
Minced pork noodles down the street
Noodles in fermented red soya bean soup.
Yen-tah-foe
Do not let the looks deceive you, it is actually quite delicious.
10:34:00 AM
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Bangkok.. | Go to post ➜
Day 3
Brunch
Tom yum soup
Papaya salad
Pad thai
Oyster omelette - some parts crispy and one area full of starch.
Minced pork with basil, egg and rice.
Elephants
Took BTS to National Stadium then walk along Rama 1
Small Temple along Rama 1
Hua Lamphong Railway
Iconic State Tower (The building with the golden dome)
Went into a Chinese medicine shop along Thanon Bamrung Muang to ask for directions to the best pad thai shop in Bangkok.
The teochew boss said there is at least 2 hours to go before the pad thai shop open for business and told us to visit the temples around the area.
Wat Saket Temple
On the way to Wat Saket Temple, while waiting for the green man at a junction, a man approached us and introduced himself as a teacher in a nearby school. He told us that the temples are "closed", it's Buddha holiday!
Then he persuaded us to get into the tuk-tuk which will bring us around to a nearby temple, jewellery factory outlet, seafood restaurant and back to our hotel for just 5 baht a person.
Immediately I knew that this is a scam. But my dad said "We are tired of walking, so we let's go for a joy ride on a tuk-tuk. Only locals know this stuff ~ Let's go". My heart sank. Damn!
Maybe I was not persuasive enough or I should have just insisted to walk away.
I comforted myself, luckily it was only 5 baht, 20 baht in total for 4 person, less than a Sin dollar.
Furthermore, the temple visit was not on our priority list, we had 2 hours to spend before our pad thai dinner~
The tuk-tuk drivers brought us to a nearby temple.
Another man awaits us. He told us that he is a history teacher in a school, after his work he volunteers at this temple. His talk shifted to duty free jewelleries at the factory outlet.
The more I think about it, the more frustrated I am. IF the temples were closed, why was this temple open? Knowing that it was a scam but still went along with it. This encourages those scammers to scam even more tourists. Fed up with the fact that we "fell" into a scam, I told the tuk-tuk drivers to skip the seafood restaurant and bring me to Wat Saket Temple.
They agreed but they need to bring us to one more jewellery outlet first.
The jewellery factory outlet looks totally legit but do your research and maybe it is all just a façade.
I asked the sales assistant whether that day is Buddha holiday. He simply replied " I don't know"
Anyway, I have no hard feelings for this cheap scam since I managed to buy some cheap souvenirs from the jewellery factory outlet (compared to those from Chatuchak market).
However, if you are short on time and temple visits are on your list of must-see in Bangkok, do not get into the tuk-tuk or just block yourself from over-friendly English speaking local.
Read more on Trip advisor , Lonely Planet , Thai travel blogs & 5 scams your should know .
By the time we reach Wat Saket Temple, it was closed.
Love the cute little monks
Thip Samai Pad Thai
The best & most famous pad thai shop in Bangkok.
Orange juice & coconut juice were indeed delicious and thirst quenching.
Superb pad thai
In my opinion, it was just so-so, the taste was comparable to the pad thai I ate for brunch earlier in the day.
Another version of pad thai.
The name of the shop in Thai (the teochew boss wrote it down for us).
Thip Samai Pad Thai entrance.
Bought 10 sticks of chicken satay and 10 sticks of pork satay for 100 baht.
No idea what is this.
Nata de coco, a hint of banana and coconut.
Minced pork noodles down the street
Noodles in fermented red soya bean soup.
Yen-tah-foe
Do not let the looks deceive you, it is actually quite delicious.
10:34:00 AM
I don't think you've heard ★
My name is Alicia Wan.
I love to watch dramas, movies, read books and cook if I have the time.
I listen ♪ to English, Chinese, Cantonese, French, Korean, Japanese, Italian & Instrumental songs. After all, music is universal regardless of its language (>.-)
I love travelling . *grins* :) Been to Australia, Brussels, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Vietnam.
I don't think you've heard ★
My name is Alicia Wan.
I love to watch dramas, movies, read books and cook if I have the time.I listen ♪ to English, Chinese, Cantonese, French, Korean, Japanese, Italian & Instrumental songs. After all, music is universal regardless of its language (>.-)
I love travelling . *grins* :) Been to Australia, Brussels, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Vietnam.