Bangkok. Massage and eat.

 Haven't seen Bangkok for the longest time. Almost three years.

Very curious how Bangkok has changed after the ravage of Covid on its tourist economy. Hotel prices have dropped. But  BTS fares, massage prices and food prices remained the same.

Bangkok in the evening of 8th July 2022

Our favourite Foot massage at Ai Sa Wan massage still cost the same.

Serene quietly texted me: "Eh you see my masseuse... she looks like she is falling asleep as she mssaged my feet..."

Funny lah, this Serene. But ok lah. Their massages are still just as good.  It was delightful to have arrived early enough to squeeze in a massage and a dinner in Central World Seoul Garden.

It was ChangMa season in Bangkok.

We were caught in the rain that suddenly got heavy... within a few steps, both of us were drenching wet. Hahahaha.. that was fun.

We tried walking into the Amara shopping mall and the Erawan mal - but all these buildings were closed for renovation. I think this central area of Bangkok must have been hit hard. Although we did see some Ang Mohs, some Middle Easterners, some South Asian tourists walking around.. but apparently there wasn't enough to continue to drive the retail economy targetting tourists.

Ended up eating Seoul Garden in Central World.. S$23 per person for a buffet dinner.  Serene said the soup was nice, but the grilled meat wasn't that good. Here hor.. the Bangkokians were really good. Even when they walked up to the counter to get their drinks and spices. they would put on disposable gloves. 

9th July 2022

拜拜四面佛 and looking for Ah Sing...

Not bad.  We enjoy being able to wake up late at 10am and slowly wash up and walk to 四面佛. 真的是好久好久没来到曼谷拜拜了。人不多，可能是下着雨吧。自从好一段时间前，有关机构已经不允许点火烧香，只能用干的香与没点火的蜡烛来祭拜。都没关系。最重要的是带着一颗诚恳的心。

感恩与还愿도 하고, 기도도 했다.  Ah Sing was still busy. So we busied ourselves walking around Terminal 21 near Asok BTS station.  Quite happening, this area. Around Sukhumvit and near Korean Town.  

"Ah Sing very clever hor," said Serene.  "She knows how to choose a good area here to stay. "

"Yes," I agreed. "This place is so much happening than the Gaysorn Plaza area where we always stay,"

4pm.

Korean Town was just a little mall that housed mostly Korean restaurants. At this time in the day, most of the eateries were closed.  But not bad.  Next time can come here to gai gai.

We finished our Iced Caramel Mocchiato in Tom N Toms' and popped next doo for oiur 90-minutes traditional Thai massage in one of the setups opposite Korean Town. 

The basement of Terminal 21 was much like any modern mall... got Diaso, got MiniSol, got cake shops...

This girl ah... immune system not bad. Tahan-ed so long in Singapore when the whole world was crumbling with Covid around her... yet it took a trip to Bangkok to kena Covid. Hahaha.. But not bad. We are very happy to be able to celebrate an early birthday in Sukhumvit with Ah Sing.

Krua Khun Puk at Sukhumvit Soi 8

Ah Sing's recommendation. She loved this place. So definitely we would go and eat. And realy delicious, the steamed fish and the deep fried fish and the fried pork.

"Eat fish, don't talk..." said Serene.

Next time we would choose to stay in this Sukhumvit area. Near so many shopping malls (that ARE opened) and eateries and such... 

This evening 10pm our third session of massage, this time round a 90 minutes full body Thai traditional massage at 750 Baht a person at Ai Sa Wan would send our muscles and tendons to the sky in soreness....

MASKS? what masks?

The local Thais are really very very guai. They all wore masks, indoors and outdoors.  Mostly.

So who in Bangkok don't wear masks? Got.

The Ang Mohs do not.  The Middle Easterners do not.  The Africans do not. And the South Asians don't. Ok lor. Kwenchana. 

"Why you so naughty? Why you don't wear your mask!" Serene reprimanded me when I let my mask dangle while walking along the outdoor streets.

"You see all these South Asians and Ang Mohs and Middle Easterners also don't wear masks one mah.. Let me enjoy the freedom of being able to breathe, can?" I protested, to no avail.  So I guai guai pulled up my mask. 

But one thing was true.. here in Bangkok, when we had our massages, we were able to enjoy without masks on. So we both just breathed.

10th July 2022

Today do what ah?   Really don't know leh... Sleep lor...

Yes, just slept in until late late lor. Didn't even remember what we had for lunch.. probably nothing because we knew we were going to try going to the night market this day and then we will meet up with Ah Sing to have dinner.  So subconsciously we kinda fasted.  And Big C we went and whacked so many packs of seaweed and cuttlefish...  Wah this Big C was full of Singaporeans...

Night market? What night market?
Yah.  What night market?

Night market died-ed already liao lah

That Richard Night Market also gone liao.  The Palladium L-shape night market was nothing.

Mama wanted us to help her buy that metal tumbler thing... but no market, how to buy? Hahahaha...

walk walk walk to CentraWorld...

Happy was when Ah Sing could take a bus down to CentralWorld to have dinner with us at the Street Food white tent thingy outside CentalWorld.

Serene's favourite Bangkok fish 

CentralWorld?

Quiet lah, this CentralWorld mall.  Compared to its heyday years back pre-Covid, it was but a shadow of its past self.  Still could walk around and enjoy the aircon.  But really nothing much lah here.

So what to do nowadays in Bangkok?

Well, I really don't know, you know.

If you ask me... yeah, to me, most importantly coming to Bangkok is to be able to 拜拜四面佛.  And also I believe moving forward it will be good to massage and massage and massage.  The prices are still the same.  The more expensive Ai Sa Wan charges 750 Baht for 90 minutes traditional Thai Massage.  The more affordable 'One More Thai Massage' next door charges 700 Baht for a 120 minute traditional Thai Massage. And some other roadside massages could charge a little cheaper.

But hor.. honestly both Serene and I found that their standards are really not bad. Quite consistent. We are not very ngiao people. So wherever... we would enjoy them.

Go home liao