Although we did not quite plan it 0ut, Saturday was our only "weekend" in the city of Bangkok, so without a doubt, we made our way to Chatuchak Weekend Market. Although our guidebooks told us it was the biggest and most intense market, we were still surprised by the sheer size! And because everything we do in travel reminds us of some adventure on amazing race, we felt JUST like we were embarking on our next challenge - to find something.
We made our way to the market on the wonderful BTS skytrain, fairly new and super convenient. Our first stop was the tourist information center to secure a general map of the market. We knew right away there was no way we could see everything, so we centered in on the clothing, massage and art areas. The market was sort of orderly, but also CRAZY! You can walk around the outsides and enjoy drinks and snacks along the way, or brave the smaller thoroughfares to escape the sun and heat. There is something to be found for everyone, this wasn't a junky market of trinkets but full of things you need (or don't need) and is a showcase for local designers. it really wasa great shopping destination. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people and stalls but still managed to find a good bargain for silk scarves (typical, I know...but when in Rome!). After a couple hours of wandering we also stopped for a 45min massage, a relaxing and welcome break for my feet right in the middle of the market. On our way out, we made our way to the art section, and I was more than pleasantly surprised. I was expecting some typical cheesy "tourist" art, but the art corridors were really like exploring an art show, every stall was unique. We saw some great art we'd love to take home...oh but the trouble. Overall, I am so glad to made our way to the market, despite my initial hesitation to brave the crowds. Chatuchak Weekend Market is definitely a must-see in Bangkok, even if you don't need/want to buy anything, it's an adventure just to look around and experience the orderly chaos!
It was dark by the time we left the market, you can really get lost in time just walking around. And since malls here are open until 10pm, we decided to stop in Siam on our way home to check out some of the mega department store complexes. We decided on Paragon Shopping Centre, which was ridiculously big! After stopping for a quick bite, we started to explore. I don't know if I was just "shopped" out or it was just too much, because the store just seemed too sparkly and full of product that I had no interest in really "shopping." We did some walking around, but like walking around a museum you're not that interested in. Paragon is well known for carrying interational and high end brands, which was actually a little boring. Why would I buy Nine West shoes in Thailand?? Nonetheless, I can vouch for the shopping mecca that Siam is, it certainly was a sight to see.
What a day we've had of "shopping," although not actually a lot of buying (probably a good thing). We're off to Cambodia tomorrow and will be back to Bangkok in a couple days for more city adventures :)
Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Monday, October 12, 2009
Paris 2009: Living the Parisian Life - Wine Festival and Shopping at Galeries Lafayette
Day 2: We thought we could beat the jet lag by powering through our first day and staying up late; but alas, we didn't get a move on for day 2 until lunch time....not much different from our weekends at home :P For lunch, we stopped by a nearby patisserie - I had a croissant with ham and cheese, and Tony had some other savoury pastry with ham and cheese. We had our mini lunch at the Louvre in front of the pyramids, surrounded by happy tourists taking pictures. Sigh. If life could be so simple everyday!
After lunch, we went to check out a modern furniture show near canal Saint-Martin. It was more like a flea market, tents lined up along the canal with a mix of new and used modern furniture pieces for sale - likely a very good buy for someone local. We saw many versions of my coveted Eames chair - we need something like this in Toronto, a market of modern furniture knock-offs! We hung out around the canal for a bit as it was a beautiful day, and stumbled upon the hostel Tony once stayed. Next we made our way to Montmartre.
Our goal was to visit Sacre Coeur, since Tony had not been inside, but we stumbled upon a giant wine and food festival! Highlights include a human pyramid, we had made it to the top of some long stairs just in time to see them pile up! I also received alot of attention for my sandwich foie gras - while eating it, people kept asking me where I got it, or mumbled some words and shook their heads at me...not really sure what was going on, but I LOVED my sandwich! For 7 euros, I even got a nice little glass of wine! yum. Had we been able to move through the tents, we may have tasted more meats, cheeses, and wines, but there were simply too many people, we were lucky to make it from one end to the other and get anything at all along the way! We sat on the steps of Sacre Coeur to enjoy our sandwich and then made our way into the church. Sacre Coeur is a stunning byzantine cathedral, we spent some quiet time inside taking it all in before heading out to face the crowds again.
It was a clear night in Paris so we made our way over to the Arc de Triomphe. We got our tickets and enthusiastically hopped through the doors marked "entrance." I had forgotten that the way up is JUST stairs. In fact, I think most people are unprepaired for the stairs until they excitedly run out of breath just half way up! Luckily, someone brilliantly installed a line of benches to greet you as you enter the museum/exhibit at the top, a must stop for everyone! Five years sure has aged me because I remember bouncing up all the domes, churches and towers while backpacking with ease and this, I found myself a bit tired! Regardless, the Arc is worth the climb, particularly at night, because you get to see the 12 roads leading into the arch. While up top, we caught the sparkling lights of the Eiffel tower (happens on the hour) and the fireworks show from the wine festival on Montmartre as well! It was a nice way to end the night, how can you beat that view?
Day 3: Today was more leisurely.
We had a delicious lunch near the aparment - poached salmon for Tony and a truffle omlette for me, and then picked up our tickets to Zurich at the train station (going on Tuesday!). It's been rainy most days so we decided to take it easy and made our way to do some department store damage at Galeries Lafayette. An interesting tidbit: did you know when Coco Chanel first came to Paris, she had purchased the straw hats she needed for her designs in this very store? Check out a tour of Chanel's haunts: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/la-vie-en-chanel/1/?comments_page=1. The historic building faces the back of the Opera House and is stunning, with floors and floors of merchandise, and separate buildings for men and housewares. The place was an absolute zoo, but we navigated through, and also made our way to the gourmet market for some pate and cheese to bring home for the night. We also got a nice bottle of white wine for 6 euros! I can hardly believe we spent most of our day at Lafayette and didn't even make it to Au printemps as planned! We are hoping to go to Bon Marche before we leave, as I've heard there are some good deals in the food market. Guess we'll save that for another rainy day. Tomorrow, maybe we will tackle a museum or two...
After lunch, we went to check out a modern furniture show near canal Saint-Martin. It was more like a flea market, tents lined up along the canal with a mix of new and used modern furniture pieces for sale - likely a very good buy for someone local. We saw many versions of my coveted Eames chair - we need something like this in Toronto, a market of modern furniture knock-offs! We hung out around the canal for a bit as it was a beautiful day, and stumbled upon the hostel Tony once stayed. Next we made our way to Montmartre.
Our goal was to visit Sacre Coeur, since Tony had not been inside, but we stumbled upon a giant wine and food festival! Highlights include a human pyramid, we had made it to the top of some long stairs just in time to see them pile up! I also received alot of attention for my sandwich foie gras - while eating it, people kept asking me where I got it, or mumbled some words and shook their heads at me...not really sure what was going on, but I LOVED my sandwich! For 7 euros, I even got a nice little glass of wine! yum. Had we been able to move through the tents, we may have tasted more meats, cheeses, and wines, but there were simply too many people, we were lucky to make it from one end to the other and get anything at all along the way! We sat on the steps of Sacre Coeur to enjoy our sandwich and then made our way into the church. Sacre Coeur is a stunning byzantine cathedral, we spent some quiet time inside taking it all in before heading out to face the crowds again.It was a clear night in Paris so we made our way over to the Arc de Triomphe. We got our tickets and enthusiastically hopped through the doors marked "entrance." I had forgotten that the way up is JUST stairs. In fact, I think most people are unprepaired for the stairs until they excitedly run out of breath just half way up! Luckily, someone brilliantly installed a line of benches to greet you as you enter the museum/exhibit at the top, a must stop for everyone! Five years sure has aged me because I remember bouncing up all the domes, churches and towers while backpacking with ease and this, I found myself a bit tired! Regardless, the Arc is worth the climb, particularly at night, because you get to see the 12 roads leading into the arch. While up top, we caught the sparkling lights of the Eiffel tower (happens on the hour) and the fireworks show from the wine festival on Montmartre as well! It was a nice way to end the night, how can you beat that view?
Day 3: Today was more leisurely.
We had a delicious lunch near the aparment - poached salmon for Tony and a truffle omlette for me, and then picked up our tickets to Zurich at the train station (going on Tuesday!). It's been rainy most days so we decided to take it easy and made our way to do some department store damage at Galeries Lafayette. An interesting tidbit: did you know when Coco Chanel first came to Paris, she had purchased the straw hats she needed for her designs in this very store? Check out a tour of Chanel's haunts: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/la-vie-en-chanel/1/?comments_page=1. The historic building faces the back of the Opera House and is stunning, with floors and floors of merchandise, and separate buildings for men and housewares. The place was an absolute zoo, but we navigated through, and also made our way to the gourmet market for some pate and cheese to bring home for the night. We also got a nice bottle of white wine for 6 euros! I can hardly believe we spent most of our day at Lafayette and didn't even make it to Au printemps as planned! We are hoping to go to Bon Marche before we leave, as I've heard there are some good deals in the food market. Guess we'll save that for another rainy day. Tomorrow, maybe we will tackle a museum or two...
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