Even at the wee hours of the morning, the airport was packed with travelers. Walang oras na pinipili. #pilapamore

We learned na to book the emergency exit seats for more legroom kasi nga sobrang sikip ang Cebu Pac, huwag lang sana babagsak at talagang una ako mag-panic kasehoda pang nag-promise akong tumulong! 😛 Keber, jump agad!

Before leaving, I asked Kap if it’s ok to book a local guide para stress-free ang honeymoon namin. Follow lang ng follow. He was in a good mood when I asked kaya nakuha ko ang matamis niyang “Oo”. 😉 Instead of getting a regular package tour (ayaw ko ng maingay at magulo sa bus), we booked with WITHLOCALS.COM. I liked that I was able to see the itsura of available guides on their website & was able to choose based on online ratings & experience provided. I was also able to chat with them before booking & got recommendations on what sights are more popular & worth seeing. Pati young ugly nila matitimpla mo din with the chat so out of the 3 I interviewed, the pleasant & helpful Moddy made the cut. Plus, sa WITHLOCAS.COM, we can also customize the package, unlike in group tours na set in stone ang itinerary. I highly recommend WITHLOCALS.COM on your next travels. <3

Ate was able to get a great deal at Holiday Inn Sukhumvit. Since it was just Kap & I, I didn’t want to stay in a B&B. Parang ang lungkot sobra, so Ate booked us a Deluxe Double Non-Smoking Room for 3 nights. Total price inclusive of VAT & SC is THB 10,961.40 or around 17k php. With breakfast pa and located in the heart on Bangkok, so pwede na.

May condom pa talagang nakasiksik amidst the chichiria. Sorry, the bank is closed, wala nang silbi yan, trololol! If you’re on a budget, I highly endorse Holiday Inn Sukhumvit. Not 5-star accommodation, but pwede na if you’re just going to stay the night & be out the whole day anyway. Clean, spacious, comfy, and equipped with everything you may need away from home.

Moddy is highly energetic & very talkative. Laging naka-smile. <3 Her good vibes is contagious so kahit pagoda, brisk walk pa rin ako to keep up. Do hit her up when you visit Bangkok, Thailand for a private tour. ‭Email Moddy at wachineep@gmail.com or call +66 896 796 263‬ / + 66 896 796 263.

To get to Wat Arun, we first took the Sky Train (BTS) which was a 10-minute walk from our hotel. Then a big boat, and finally a small boat to get to the temple.

Wat Arun is almost directly opposite Wat Pho, so it is very easy to get to. From Sapphan Taksin boat pier, you can take a river boat that stops at pier 8. From here a small shuttle boat takes you from one side of the river to the other for only 3 baht. Entry to the temple is 100 baht.

Unbelievably, there are over 31,200 Buddhist temples spread around Thailand. In Thai these are called Wat. One of these, the Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn, is named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. Sitting majestically on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, the legendary Wat Arun is one of the most striking riverside landmarks of Thailand.

This Wat or Buddhist temple is an architectural representation of Mount Meru, the center of the world in Buddhist cosmology. In the mythology of Tibetan Buddhism, Mount Meru is a place that represents the center of the universe and the single-pointedness of mind sought by adepts. Thousands of miles in height, Meru is located somewhere beyond the physical plane of reality, in a realm of perfection and transcendence. The four-corner prang of Wat Arun, which house images of the guardian gods of the four directions, reinforces this mystical symbolism.

The Wat Pho temple complex contains a large number of structures, including an ubosot or ordination hall, a number of viharns, a scripture hall and almost 100 chedis.

The outside walls of the bot contain more than 150 bas reliefs cut out of marble stone showing scenes from the Ramakien epic. Inside a large open gallery you will find a display of almost 400 gilded Buddha images.

Wat Pho is the oldest and largest temple complex in Bangkok, it houses more than 1,000 Buddha images which is more than any other Wat in Thailand. Most of the images were brought over from abandoned temples in places as Ayutthaya and Sukhothai by order of King Rama I. The soles of the Buddha’s feet that are about 3 meters high and almost 5 meters long are inlaid with mother of pearl in 108 segments, showing in great detail the 108 lakshanas or auspicious characteristics of the Buddha.

Along the Phra Phuttha Saiyat image, you will find 108 bronze bowls where people donate coins believed to bring good fortune. You can “buy” your own stack of coins at the entrance to take part in the ceremony, and make a wish or two as you drop your coins into the bowls. E di syempre pa, go for the gold. ;)) Hala bira! #makeawish

A popular mode of transportation in Thailand is the tuk-tuk, named because of the sound of the engine. These motorized rickshaws are a hit among tourists for the novelty. They are somewhat faster than taxis in heavy traffic as weaving in and out is easier, but generally about the same or slower. BTS is still the fastest mode of getting around as traffic in BKK is as heavy (if not heavier) as Manila’s. 3 people can fit into one fairly comfortably (if one is not as fat as me!) Fares always have to be bargained for, the initial price they quote is always well over the going rate (for us it’s always been 100 baht or 150 pesos – siguro kasi mabigat ako, lol). It’s essential to bargain the price with tuk-tuks before getting in. If you only ask after the ride, it’s likely to end in a request for an ridiculous fare which can obviously lead to an unpleasant situation. Good thing Moddy was in charge of our day. She was having none of that! ;P

Moddy took us to Baan ThaTien Cafe for a local Thai lunch. Sabi ko basta may masarap na Pad Thai. And true enough, we loved the food there. Mura, pero masarap. She gave us a free hand to order pero syempre naman nahiya kami to get & get since it was her treat. Kaya behaved kami ni Kap sa pag-order. Baka iwan nalang kami bigla ni Moddy hahaha! 😛

Kap & I shared a Pad thai (150 php), Then he got a green curry meal (120 php) & I got a red curry meal (120 php). Ang mura diba? Pero jahe pa rin to order a lot so bawi nalang when it’s our turn to pay for the food. 😉

The statue now sits in a new (opened in early 2010) chapel perched high atop a four story marble-clad ziggurat. The second and third floors of the structure house an interpretive center. The second floor exhibits cover the history of the Chinese community in Bangkok, starting with a 3D presentation and moving on through slice-of-life scenes of Chinese traders in years gone by. The third floor museum covers the history of the Golden Buddha image itself. The video presentation at the beginning provides a good brief background on Buddha images in general, as well as the full story of the “subduing Mara” pose for this image. The exhibits cover how the image was made as well as the historical background of how it came to be at Wat Traimit.

At one end of Chinatown, in what was once an otherwise unremarkable temple of Wat Traimit, sits the world’s largest solid gold Buddha image. Made of about 83% pure gold and weighing in at five and a half tons, the 15-foot tall seated image is worth millions of dollars at today’s gold prices. Ilang bracelet kaya ang mapapagawa ko jan? ;P

The Bangkok MRT is another mode of quick transportation around Bangkok, although unlike in Hong Kong, it doesn’t get your everywhere. So it’s either you take the BTS, or the MRT to different & distinct places. The MRT serves 18 stations and stretches for 20 km in a horseshoe shape from Hua Lamphong in the South (near Chinatown) to Bang Sue in the north. Trains arrive every 5-7 minutes, and connects to the BTS Skytrain at Sukhumvit and Silom stations. Stops of particular interest to visitors include Kampaengphet (Chatuchak Weekend Market, Or Tor Kor Market and Rod Fai Market), Sukhumvit (Asok BTS Skytrain), Silom (Saladaeng BTS Skytrain, Pat Pong Night Market and Lumpini Park) and Hua Lamphong (Chinatown and Central Railway Station).

Original and authentic local Thai food is at the heart of The Local by Oamtong. Customers will be delighted with an array of delectable local Thai specialties. Each dish is carefully cooked with love according to a secret family recipe handed down over generations using the finest local ingredients from every region of Thailand.

TBH, when Moddy suggested this place for dinner, my first thought was oh no, for sure another budget place. I really wanted to celebrate our first night in BKK so I was looking forward to a nice dinner sana. But Kap told me bukas nalang kami mag-fine dining para hindi nakakahiya kay Moddy. Aba, surprise surprise! The Local, <3 from the ambience to the food, AY LAVEEET!! Thank you Moddy for taking us here!! :-*

Cheers to a good day, and cheers to a great husband! <3 At syempre pa, since blow-out ni Kap, order to the max si gutom na ako! ;))

When in Bangkok, MAKE SURE you drop by The Local by Oamthong for an authentic Thai meal. A bit pricier than the hole in the wall restos around the city, but hey, YOLO. ;)) May unli rice naman pampalubag loob. Do order the Shrimp Cake & Tom Yum, papanaginipan nyo yan, pramis!

All my Thai faves, sulit ang pagod dala ng nilakad namin the whole day. <3

Phunnee Thai Massage in Bangkok has been in operations for more than ten years already, so it’s reputable. And the staff are really good in the art of Thai massage. If you get a Thai or an oil massage, you will be guided to a room upstairs where there are about a dozen mats on the floor, separated by curtains. The interior is not very fancy, but nice and clean, and overall you get good value for your money. Treatments available and prices: Foot Massage: 250 Baht 1 hour | Thai Massage: 250 Baht 1 hour or 450 Baht for 2 hours | Oil Massage: 350 Baht 1 hour or 600 Baht for 2 hours | Fish Spa: 150 Baht 15 minutes | Herbal Sauna: 100 Baht 1 hour.

What can be better than a day choc’ful of adventure, a great dinner & a relaxing massage? Why a surprise at the end of the day of course! Thank you Holiday Inn Sukhumvit for Kap’s birthday cake. Yan lang ang blowing na nangyari at hindi na kami makagalaw sa pagod hehe! #foradultsonly