1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #472 - SabX2 Wanton Noodles, Soi 19 Petchuri, Bangkok

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #472

- SabX2 Wanton Noodles, Soi 19 Petchuri, Bangkok

 

(We are determined to try at least one new Thai dish everytime we are there, apart from all the must-eats, like pad-thai and stickyrice mango. This time we headed to the much-talked about wanton noodles restaurant called SabX2 at Soi19, just opposite the Platinum Fashion Mall. The huge sign "No Branch in Singapore" tells us this place is a Singaporean crowd-puller. Sure enough, the queue was there, while the rockstar-looking chef tossed his noodles like Steven Tyler. The wanton noodles were good and crispy, with some crab meat tossed over it. It is something different, but I can't say it is fantastic. The pig-trotter side dish is in fact tastier. Still, being so close to Platinum, it will be an easy stop for me in the future)

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #471 - Riverdale GC and Royal Bangkok SC, Bangkok

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #471

- Riverdale GC and Royal Bangkok SC, Bangkok

 

(To be able to tee-off right in the heart of a 10m-people-city like Bangkok seemed impossible but it is true - yes, you can. At the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, their 18-hole course is carved out of the horse-racing turf club, with a driving range inside too. The reward is an early tee-off because we were just 5-minutes away by taxi from our hotel, Arnoma. Our 2nd game was at the Riverdale Golf Club. This club is about 75 minutes away. The fairways are beautiful, with immaculate greens. One par3 hole allows you to decide to hit the ball onto the green some 140m away or onto a shorter 95m island green - how smart a design indeed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #470 - Maeklong Railway Market, Bangkok

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #470

- Maeklong Railway Market, Bangkok

 

(Bangkok has a reputation for some crazy stuff, but this Maeklong Railway Market has to be right at the top 3 of that list. Can you imagine a full-blown train running through a real wet market, complete with fresh vegetables, fish and the region's food produce? Maeklong Railway was a near 2hr ride for us, with Bangkok's traffic showing its teeth. But it was all worth the trip once you get there. The wet market itself is along the entire stretch of this railway station, some 50m long. At precisely 11.20am, the train rolled in, with vendors here scampering to withdraw their roof covers and food stuff, or else the train will just run right through them! And just seconds after the train passed, all covers are back on for shade for the vendors here and all was back to normal within 2 minutes. This is such an authentic Thai experience! Watch the video below to see what we mean..)

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #469 - Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Bang Pa-In Palace, Ayuthaya

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #469

- Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Bang Pa-In Palace, Ayuthaya

 

(This Wat Phra Si Sanphet was once the holiest site in the old royal palace here. Characterised by the 3 main chedis or stupas built for each of the 3 kings from as early as 1350 onwards. A 20-minute drive brought us to Bang Pa-In Palace, a summer palace built in the 1632 by the Thai king then. But it was restored by King Chulalongkorn and used by the late King Bhumibol for the occasional royal events. The main pavilion in the middle of the lake is the most impressive building here)

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #468 - Wat Mahathat, Ayuthaya

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #468

- Wat Mahathat, Ayuthaya

 

(At this huge Wat Mahathat, or the Temple of the Great Relic, the most intriguing object has to be the sandstone Buddha head that is entwined inside the roots of a Bodhi tree. Imagine the stories that go with how this came to be - one suggesting that a thief who tried to steal the entire Buddha statue from this royal monastery left it there under the Bodhi tree overnight but was never to return, and thus the entwined roots over it. There were so many tourists here - we were just happy to take a few shots. The entire monastery is quite a spectacle, lined with green grass walkways, making it reminiscent of the great Machu Picchu. If this wat was 2,000m high up a mountain, it would have the same feel, I am sure)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #467 - Wat Phukao Thong and Wat Lokayasutha, Ayuthaya

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #467

- Wat Phukao Thong and Wat Lokayasutha, Ayuthaya

 

(After a 50min drive from Bangkok, our first views of the ancient capital of Siam, Ayuthaya, were the pleasing chedis and stupas at Wat Phu Kao Tong. The red bricks stood out in these Buddhists towers, built by the Burmese king after winning battles against the Siamese then. But the 42metre long reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutha, some 10minutes away, took more of our attention. Wrapped in saffron orange, this imposing figure lies in front of what was a temple regarded as the Temple of the Earth then. We made a prayer for our safe travels, as we visit Ayuthaya for the first time, after having been in Bangkok so many times previously)