Date:  Nov 28, 2017

This is my quick itinerary for our short vacation in Bangkok & Khao Yai.  It has been a busy year, and this year we decided to take a break from Japan trip.  So, we did s short trip in near by country.

The kids has grown up, and recently, they picked up photography.  Jay inherited my Fujifilm X-T1 and he took my new 18-55mm kit lens.  Kay uses my Sony RX100 Mark III.  A small camera that can do selfie.  hahaha

Day 1 – Bangkok Chua Kim Heng Goose Stew

My tour guide with transport – Mr. Thomas picked us up at the Bangkok Airport.

The first stop is good food.

Chua Kim Heng Goose Stew.

4th Generation Stewed Goose.

OK!  We are ready to eat!

Nice!  Goose!

The bitter gourd soup is a must order item.  Very nice!

The goose leg braised bee hoon.  Very nice also.

Here is the close up shot of the goose leg.

Goose liver.

Fish maw soup.

Whole table of food.  Of course, Thomas is helping us to eat too. hahaha

If you like the roasted goose in Hong Kong, this is the stew goose in Bangkok.  Chua Kim Heng also has a brother also selling stew goose in another place in Bangkok.  We have not time to visit there this trip.

Hotel Stay

We wanted to stay close by to the Airport, as we are picking up Lukas and family in 2 days time to go to Khao Yai together.

So, Thomas has recommended us to stay in this Park Nine Service Apartment.  When he check on the website, it looks fantastic.  When we arrived, because of Thomas, we got upgraded to a 3 bedroom suits.

The garden of the service apartment.

The kids love it.  Because there are places for them to run here and there.  Feed the fish.

In Bangkok, almost all hotels come with free Internet.  This is the room I stayed.

Wow, no joke.  It is a two floors, 3 bed room service apartment.  For the two night stay there, we did not even walk down the stairs.  Hahaha

The room is huge and the bed is nice and clean.

The walk in closet is so big.

Bath tubs.  Separate shower with rain shower.

The other room we used.

Living room, dining room.

Kitchen.  And behind the kitchen is the huge laundry washing machine, and dryer.  My wife, says, lets use it.  ?? What? the first day use a washing machine?

Balcony.

With great views.

Got swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

It is a great place to stay.  If you bring a lot of people.

Since it is nice.  So, we decided to play games in the apartment, and Mommy went opposite near by for 2-hours Massage.  Near by the hotel is one of the few longest shopping malls in Bangkok.  Hotel will have transport to sent you here and there.

Kids: “Daddy, we love this hotel…”

Daddy:  “You have not seen another yet.  Wait until you arrive in Khao Yai!”

Night Tour at Asiatique

I have come to Bangkok so many times, but most of the times I do golf and business meetings.  I have not google a single time what’s new in Bangkok for visitors.

I have never been here before.  So, Thomas brought us here.

Asiatique.

A giant ferris wheel.

This is a place for shopping.  Thomas explained, nobody likes to go Chatuchak to shop because of the hotel weather.  So, Asiatique came out to sort of replace those hot and humid shopping experience.  In additions, there are many seafood restaurant here too.

Thomas is right.  This is tourist place.

Wah… fake shop using the same brand and fonts.  But no bak gua.

My wife found a Thai Durian store.

Thai Durian can eat meh??

Durian Shack Siam.  Now they are deciding what to order.

Wow… not bad at all.  This is like tissue with durian.  Very nice.

Jay tasted the Durian ice-cream.

A wild pokemon has appeared.

Training kids on street performers.  They are performing to make a living.  So, donate he must, after he listen.

Thomas and the kids.  Thomas Kum has been arranging all my golf trips, golf tournaments, and back in 2013, when the very bad haze arrives in Singapore during the June holiday, I took the boys and their friends to Bangkok to escape the haze.

His contact / name card is available in these blog entry below.

https://miniliew.org/2013/07/02/bangkok-trip-itinerary-price/

All related blogs about Thomas is available here…

https://miniliew.org/2013/07/01/bangkok-madam-tussauds/

https://miniliew.org/2013/07/01/bangkok-dream-world/

https://miniliew.org/2017/11/12/good-food-in-bangkok-2/

https://miniliew.org/2015/12/06/golf-in-thailand-the-royal-gems-golf-resort/

Thomas is a Singaporean, and he and his wife has moved to Bangkok and leave hear for more than 15 years.  Thomas can speak Thai and we like to have him around is because he can speak Thai to all the restaurants, the Thai people, etc.  He is specialise in doing golf trips.  Most of his customers are Singaporeans, Malaysians, as well as Taiwan/Hong Kong and China.  The good thing is we got comfortable MPV, big Vans to sit in when we travel.  Just imagine you buy a lot of stuffs from Asiatique, then, just dump everything into the car.  hahaha

But so far, after using his excellent service for more than 5 years, I trust he will plan a good trip for us.

A new hat Kay has bought that day.

So, we saw this restaurant roasting its Chicken outside.  So, we decided to eat here.

The Kao-moo-yang (BBQ pork neck) is nice.

The spicy and sour sotong with sotong eggs steamy dish.

If you want to know if the Thai restaurant cooking is good?  You can taste its Phad Thai (fried Thai noodle)

The red Tom Yum soup.

Of course, the 4-cheeze pizza for Kay.  Ya, he ate the whole plate.

This is the reason why we eat at this restaurant (can’t even remember it’s name).

And they served Beer Lao.  I strongly recommend this beer.  Don’t think they are poor country cannot produce nice beer hor.  I even drank it un-iced, un-cool, warm.  Because I got quite bad cough.

How we rate the food, of course happy and good la!

One thing I like about Bangkok, is that they have a lot of these small little fun handy craft things to buy.

And they can even do as what you designed.

The boys bought something nice for their best buddies, the usual Friday playdates.

After dinner, we did a bit of shopping, and then take a stroll at the Asiatique Riverfront.

This looks like Clarke Quay or Boat Quay all all seafood restaurant there.

And that is the jetty to go on to the boat ride.

Photo Time

It’s time to test out my f0.95 big bokeh lens.  With my new Fujifilm X-T2.

With the ferry behind create the round round bokeh.

My wife likes the photo.

My still-sick, still-coughing look.

Kay with the hat.

And Jay.

Back to our shopping.  The handy craft is excellent.  Look at all these soups.  Looks so real.  Like fruits.

If our luggage still got rooms, I think the kids will bring back this Tororo.

Breakfast Next Day

We have a simple breakfast at the hotel.

My Thai style porridge looks lovely.  Teo Chew mui.

Black coffee got standards.

One big smile happy face, means he had a good breakfast.

Marine Park

Day 2.  We wanted to spent a lot more time in the Safari and Marine world.  So, I told Thomas that we can spent the whole day here.

So it claims… They have the best public toilet of the year here.  I visited it, and I didn’t think there are any different in the toilet.

The bought this hat from the last Bangkok trip back in 2013.  So, they purposely bring it along and wear it.

Jay’s job is to help uncle Thomas figure out where we are?

Rainbow

Perhaps, one of the best photo we have taken is this rainbow photo just outside the Marine Park.  When the sun rise at a certain angle and produce the rainbow.

I love the rainbow.  It brings good luck.

We are early at the Marine Park, so, we spent a lot of time to take photos with the rainbow.

We tried to receive the rainbow too.

I like this too.  Sitting there do nothing with the rainbow behind.

OK, enough rainbow shots.  Mother and son waiting photo.

Back to Safari & Marine Park

OK, we are a bit early.  The park has not yet opened.  That is why we got so much time waiting and taking photos.

Finally, the park opened.

The first set of animals we saw is the Macaws.  Or Parrots.

No wonder, this little guy already take out his camera keep shooting.

Hello… hello…

He likes to take photos of the parrots.

The main attractions of the Marine and Safari Park is the animal shows.  There are a few and all of them are followed one by another timing with about 15-20 minutes walking time.

Small World – Love Birds

Before the show start, I strongly recommend the Small World.  The Small World is a place where they have lots and lots of loves birds in this bird cage where you can feed them.  And I strongly recommend that you be there just after they opened the park.

Why?  You will see.

Hahaha, because the love birds become “Hungry Birds”.  hahahaha  Since you are the first few customers, you get to feed them.. I meant feed all of them.  So, all those love birds will treat you very nice.

And they are not afraid of visitors.  How many birds has come to Kay’s hat?

It is really lucky we are wearing hats.

All you can see are laughter on the kids face.  They are not scare at all.

Look at all these love birds on my shoulders and hands.

A piece of friendly advise.  Do not wear ear rings to the Small World.  The love birds will thought the pearl ear ring was food.  My wife have to take it off later.

Even our tour guide, Thomas, who came here so many times, and love this place so much.  And still enjoying it.

The kids started to slowly learn how to handle the food and the birds.

We must have taken hundreds of photos here.

Wife keep on taking selfies.

Jay has more birds on his hat now.

But wait, look at Kay Kay.  More birds.

Sometimes too many birds, Kay also scare a little.

When you see kids smile like this… wow.. you know you got a winner in arranging the tour for them.

Let’s take pictures together ya…

If you are wondering what are all these birds?  It is called Sun Conure.  But I called them love birds.

Kids were very relaxing taking photos.

I taught Jay how to take the photo of a water fall.  How to make the water freeze in the air.  And he loves it.

Slowly, thru experience, I think Jay Jay will become the rightful owner of my Fujifilm X-T1.

Seal Shows

When you go into this sort of park, the animal shows is the one that will attract all the tourists.

Our first stop is the seal shows.

Amazing seals keep performing in front of visitors to exchange of food.  hahaha

Wow, can jump so high.

The Orang Utan – Muay Thai Show

Next show is the Orang Utan show.

The great firefox entrance.

Handsome Orang Utan.

Meet the Muay Thai Orang Utan.

Can be quite entertaining.

And here is today champion.

The Elephants Show

Thailand elephants.

Very talented.  Can stand on two legs.

Can walk the rope.

So talented that they can draw picture too.

Really no joke.  They are really talented.

How about Thai Massage, by the Thai elephant.

*Caution* I know it is fun.  Ask a Elephant to do massage.  But always consider this.  There is always a RISK in doing so.  You thought it is fun, but what if the elephant lost its balance?  Bye bye.  So, next time, when you think of volunteering.. please consider all these risk.  Recently, some elephant in Pattaya killed the visitor (actually a China tour guide), because the Chinese visitors go and pull elephants tail, and got the elephant so mad and keep stepping on people.  It is not funny, but please handle the animal especially huge animal with extreme care ya!

You can take photo with the elephants too.

Or touch it.

Dolphins Shows

I always love the dolphins show in Marine World Bangkok.  It is quite entertaining to see so many dolphins perform together.

Two dolphins.

How about 6 flying together?

Riding the dolphin.

The Owls

Lunch is usually provided free.  Food ok la.  Free one leh.

But you can also take photos with the Owls at the entrance of the food hall.

This is Hedwig?

How many owls did you see?  2 on Jay, and 1 on Kay’s hand.

Eh?  not heavy meh?  How come Kay Kay can hold Hedwig for so long?

Owl says: “Stop taking picture of the trainer.  Me more pretty or the trainer is?”

Ever since our Kyushu trip we saw so many owls there, Kay likes owls a lot.  Not to mention about the Harry Potter movie.

He would love to take picture with owl if he gets a chance.

Head back to Small World the second time

After lunch, we tell ourselves, we must go back and see the love birds.

We must have shoot hundreds of photos at this location.

One thing I notice, afternoon, the love birds are already well fed.  They don’t feel hungry any more.  So, there are many birds resting on the trees.  The best time to visit is at the opening of the park.  When the birds are really hungry.

Don’t bring birds that has a lot of dangling thingy.  They will try bit it off.

A bird on each hat look.

The selfie.

you can feed the ducks too near by.

Safari World

Thomas drove his van into the Safari World.

Ah.. birds already poo poo on the car.

What can we see here.

peacock.

Zebra.

more birds.

ugly bird.

Birds taking off in front of the car.

Buffalo crossing.

A herd of buffalos.

Wow… I wind down my windows.  And took this video.

no wonder my photo so clear.  No window.  hahaha

Tigers are there too.

And this ranger just shouted at me and ask me to wind up the window.  He said dangerous.

Bear!!

So, today’s trip is quite good.  Quite educational.  And we love the love birds so much.

Peking Duck

We stopped by Hongmin Restaurant to eat the Peking Duck.

Kids playing Chess while waiting.

I love the Peking Duck here.

See that red chilli ring.  When you wrap it, the spicy taste brings out the flavours.

Very crispy.

Nice!

The braised Tu-Kar noodle very nice.

After lunch at Fashion City.  We did a bit shopping, and then went back to Hotel to rest.  We walked a lot today.

The next day, we going to 1) change to a 11 seater van, 2) fetch our friends from Airport, 3) head to Khao Yai.

This concludes our short and sweet Bangkok trip.

…

… stay tune for Khao Yai itinerary.

… cheers.

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