Alvinology goes to Bangkok – Day 4 of 4 - Alvinology

Alvinology goes to Bangkok – Day 4 of 4

This entry is long overdue. πŸ™‚

On our last day in Bangkok, Rachel and I visited Jim Thompson House together with my parents in the morning.

What’s so special about this ang moh’s house?

Well, James Harrison Wilson “Jim” Thompson (born March 21, 1906 in Greenville, Delaware – unknown) was an American businessman who helped revitalize the Thai silk and textile industry in the 1950s and 1960s.. A former U.S. military intelligence officer who once worked for the Office of Strategic Services, Thompson mysteriously disappeared while going for a walk on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1967, in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. From the latest news report I read, he was apparently killed in a hit-and-run accident by a reckless Malaysian truck driver who had buried him without knowing who he was.

Back to his house which has been converted into a tourist attractionΒ  – we all had a great time there, marveling at the beauty of his house and being enthralled by the tour guide with her tales about Jim Thompson’s adventure in Asia. It’s a great place for photography and we took lots of shots there.

One of my favourite street snack in Bangkok
One of my favourite street snack in Bangkok
Jiu Chai Kuay for breakfast
“Jiu Chai Kuay” for breakfast
Entrance to the Jim Thompson House museum
Entrance to the Jim Thompson House museum
Waiting for the next session of the guided tour
Waiting for the next session of the guided tour
White flowers
White orchids
Freckled orchids
Freckled orchids
Rachel says this is some special kind of leaves
Rachel said this is some special kind of leaves
Some plant
Some plant
More of the same plant
More of the same plant
Shoots sprouting from a branch
Shoots sprouting from a branch
Exterior of the Jim Thompson house
Exterior of the Jim Thompson house
The pretty Thai guide who showed us around
The pretty Thai guide who showed us around
Inside Jim Thompsons garden
Inside Jim Thompson’s garden
Lush greenery
Lush greenery
Enjoying the morning sun
Enjoying the morning sun
Pretending its our house
Pretending it’s our house
Interior of one of smaller houses
Interior of one of smaller houses
Posing at the door
Posing at the door
Rachel besides a large potted plant
Rachel besides a large potted plant
The house balconey - photography is not allowed within the house
The house balcony – photography is not allowed within the house
Enjoying the greenery
Enjoying the greenery
Small elephant sculpture
Small elephant sculpture
Large porcelain design
Large porcelain design
A prayer alter
A prayer alter
Me, outside one of the smaller houses
Me, outside one of the smaller houses
Picture perfect
Picture perfect
Posing with a large pot
Posing with a large pot
This was one of the Thai silk print designed by Jim Thompson
This was one of the Thai silk print designed by Jim Thompson

Rachel grew fond of Thai silk after the visit. She bought a few pieces from the Jim Thompson store and at the airport. If you were to visit, buy the items at the airport as they are cheaper, tax-free.

Rachel bought three scarves and a spectacles holder from Jim Thompson
Rachel bought three scarves and a spectacles holder from Jim Thompson

Rachel and I then headed to Fuji Japanese Restaurant in Siam Paragon to try out Thai-styled Japanese food while my parents ate separately at a traditional Thai restaurant. The food was disappointing . It’s not exacting bad (we still enjoyed our lunch), but rather bland and boring, despite the beautiful menu with hundreds of items on offer. Maybe we just didn’t order the right stuff. We did not like the restaurant’s decor too, finding it too loud and showy.

Fuji Japanese restaurant in Siam Paragon
Fuji Japanese restaurant in Siam Paragon
Inside the lux Fuji restaurant
Inside the lux Fuji restaurant
The decor is too shiny shimmering for my liking
The decor is too shiny shimmering for my liking
A fried fusion Japanese dish
A fried fusion Japanese dish
Asparagus wrapped with beef
Asparagus wrapped with beef
Assorted grilled Japanese mushrooms
Assorted grilled Japanese mushrooms
Pork chop
Pork chop
Rachel enjoying her lunch
Rachel enjoying her lunch

After lunch, we headed to Platinum Fashion Mall in Pratunam to do some shopping. I bought some cargo pants there while Rachel bought a few dresses. We had some donuts and yogurt as light snacks.

At Pratunam
At Pratunam
A cat we spotted in the busy Pratunam market
A cat we spotted in the busy Pratunam market
One of the many clothing stores in Platinium mall
One of the many clothing stores in Platinium mall
This yoghurt store got Rachel excited
This yoghurt store got Rachel excited
Rachel ordered this yoghurt
Rachel ordered this yoghurt
Snacking on donuts and yoghurt
Snacking on donuts and yoghurt

After Pratunam, we wasted half a day trying to locate some obscure shopping mall called “Playground”, recommended by the Lonely Planet Bangkok guidebook as a great place for Thai-designed items. The hunt got us stuck in the traffic jam for hours and we gave up after three separate cab excursions. Do not always trust what the guide books say, even if it’s the latest edition!

By then, it was almost dinner time and we headed back to Siam Paragon to dine at MK Gold together with my parents. It was raining heavily then and the hot steamboat at MK was just the right soul food we needed. We ordered lots of dishes and ate till we cannot move.

MK Gold restaurant at Siam Paragon
MK Gold restaurant at Siam Paragon
Ingredient to go into the steamboat
Ingredient to go into the steamboat
Vegetable galore
Vegetable galore
Thin slices of pork
Thin slices of pork
Beef slices
Beef slices
Green tea and red bean tofu fish cakes
Green tea and red bean tofu fish cakes
The plain rice comes decorated like this
The plain rice comes decorated like this
My favourite MK roast duck
My favourite MK roast duck
My mom and Rachel, enjoying the steamboat
My mom and Rachel, enjoying the steamboat
Rachel and I enjoying the steaming hot soup
Rachel and I enjoying the steaming hot soup
Healthy food
Healthy food

After dinner, we bought some tidbits and snacks from the Gourmet Market within Siam Paragon. They are the same stuff that are offered by street vendors outside for less than half the prices, but we still bought them as it was our last day in Bangkok and we really wanted to try out some of these snacks.

Checking out the food stalls at the Siam Paragon Gourmet Market after dinner
Checking out the food stalls at the Siam Paragon Gourmet Market after dinner
We bought some of these for supper
We bought some of these for supper

Rachel and I then headed to ZEN department store which was a real delightful find, packed with quite a few Thai designer labels. We regretted not shopping there earlier and wasting time looking for that stupid “Playground”.

Feel tired after all the shopping, we then navigated our way back to our favourite massage parlor located near Ratchathewi BTS station. Rachel had a full body massage while I had a foot massage. That was really heavenly. We went back to our service apartment after that, rejuvenated and happy.

Alvinology goes to Bangkok – Day 4 of 4 - Alvinology
Waiting for the train to bring us to Ratchathewi station
Zen departmental store
Zen departmental store
A playful stray dog left its wet paw prints at the store entrance
A playful stray dog left it’s wet paw prints at the store entrance
At the BTS station, waiting for the train to ratchathewi station
At the BTS station, waiting for the train to ratchathewi station
Graffitti art
Graffitti art
Bangkok traffic is just as busy at night
Bangkok traffic is just as busy at night
Our favourite massage house! - cheap and good service
Our favourite massage house! – cheap and good service
Inside the massage house
Inside the massage house

We did not get to sleep much that night as we have to check out of our hotel at 4.30am for an early flight. At the airport, we had time for some light shopping and the next thing we know, we are back in Singapore. Till our next trip, it’s bye bye for now to Bangkok! πŸ™‚

Large orange sculpture at the airport
Large orange sculpture at the airport
A more colourful installation, depicting the battle of the toad prince
A more colourful installation, depicting the battle of the toad prince
Pictures of the Thai royal family at the airport
Pictures of the Thai royal family at the airport
I presume these are seats for the Thai king and queen
I presume these are seats for the Thai king and queen
The last two thing we consumed in Thailand
The last two thing we consumed in Thailand
Touch down! Immediately everyone rushed to get their luggage
Touch down! Immediately everyone rushed to get their luggage

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