Travel Diary Days 1 & 2: Bangkok, Thailand
Pete and I kicked off our journey around Southeast Asia a few days ago! Days 1 & 2 were spent in Bangkok. Read on to see lovely pictures and to hear about our adventures so far. Lots to come so check in every few days or so! And join the mailing list for updates and events!
At LAX, about to board the plane to Shanghai and then off to Bangkok! Feeling extremely blessed & grateful.
Day 1
We arrived late to The Yard Hostel at 3 am (or really early, depending on how you look at it). Pete (the hubs) and I hit the sack, both extremely jet lagged yet anxious and wired! We woke around 8:30 and headed down for breakfast and lots of coffee.
The Yard is a super cozy and fun place to stay. We got a private room and bathroom which was really affordable. There are bikes available for rent and a common room to watch movies, practice yoga, or just hangout. The internet connection is really fast and the staff is super helpful. I would definitely stay there again.
The yard at The Yard Hostel Bangkok.
Obligatory jet-lag-face yoga picture at @theyardbangkok.
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We got ready for the day and hopped aboard the Sky Train (AKA the BTS). We took that to the Chao Phraya Express Boat, which took us down the river to the Grand Palace. The Grand Palace is one of Thailand's top tourist destinations. You can see the Emerald Buddha there and many different temples that are ornately decorated and break-taking. We spent about 3 hours there, exploring all the intricacies of the mural painting, offering thanks and incense for Buddha, and taking pictures (of course!). My favorite part was being in the presence of the Emerald Buddha and of so many devotees. Photography was not allowed inside of most of the temples (including where the Emerald Buddha is) but we still got some great shots where photography is allowed.
Pete on the Sky Train in Bangkok.
Pete and I inside of one of the temples.
Beautiful Apsarasi.
Hanumanasana with Hanuman! Being a monkey in Thailand at the Grand Palace.
Cool shot of the Grand Palace in Thailand.
Malasana aka "sitting" in this part of the world. Much healthier for the hips!
I had to get a forearm stand in!
A view of the Grand Palace.
A piece of the amazing mural painting at the Grand Palace.
Posing with the very serious guard at Grand Palace. I considered doing a Hallow back Handstand on him but figured he really wouldn't appreciate it.
Warrior 2 seemed appropriate against this cool doorway depicting Thai warriors.
After the Grand Palace, we walked around until we found a Vegetarian restaurant called Mr. Yim's Vegetarian. It's a small stand that has outdoor seating nestled on a pedestrian street with lots of restaurants and shops. We ordered Spicy Curry & Pad Thai. It was delicious!
Vegan Pad Thai and a Chang from Mr. Yim's Vegetarian stand.
Spicy curry from Mr. Yim's Vegetarian stand.
After lunch, we stopped in a massage parlor for our first Thai massages. For the price of 2 cups of tea in Los Angeles, Pete and I each had a 30-minute massage AND two cups of tea. It was lovely and the perfect way to decompress after a long bit of traveling and exploring.
#Travel Diary Days 1 & 2 #Bangkok #Thailand #GrandPalace #Yoga https://t.co/DjcFm2H3v3 #wanderlust pic.twitter.com/hl1bKAOuK1
— Rima Danielle Jomaa (@rima_danielle) January 15, 2016
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Modern monk on the move.
On the way back to the Express Boat, we stopped and talked to a sweet Tuk Tuk driver named Borrie. He took us to see the Standing Buddha and the King's Palace. After that, we headed back to the boat and back to the hostel for some relaxation. Dinner was nothing spectacular - a couple of veggie rolls from the sushi place down the road. We got some rest afterwards.
Borrie, our Tuk Tuk driver in Bangkok.
The very tall Standing Buddha.
Inside one of the temples where photography was allowed (near the Standing Buddha).
Day 2
We spent the morning doing some work and having breakfast at the hostel with Som (owner of The Yard) and her friendly staff. They made us feel at home! We took a taxi to Mango Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant and we were in Heaven! We stuffed ourselves full of delicious Thai vegan cuisine. We had the fried Gyoza (dumplings), Tom Kha soup, and Kung Pao Tempeh. To drink we enjoyed two Thai ice teas. We wanted to try dessert but had no room left. This place is delicious! They have an art gallery inside as well. We sat on the floor and talked with the patrons and the owner. I definitely recommend this restaurant to vegans and pre-vegans alike.
Fried Gyoza with a homemade Ponzu dipping sauce.
Vegan Tom Kha soup from Mango Restaurant in Bangkok.
Tempeh Kung Pao - my favorite dish!
Cheers to vegan eating in Thailand!
The outside of Mango Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand.
We had a flight booked to Ranong in the afternoon to head to our next location (which you'll be hearing PLENTY about). We went back to the hostel to relax for an hour or so before the taxi came. We flew out of the smaller airport (Don Muang) into Ranong airport. We made it to Eco Logic Yoga Retreat just in time for dinner - delicious, homemade vegan cuisine with food from the garden. I'll be talking plenty about this magical place, but for now, I'll just say that Pete and I are volunteering here with the children in the special school, in the garden, with yoga, and more. The people are lovely. You'll have to check back to find out more!
That's all for Days 1 & 2. Day 3 is already in full swing so stay tuned for more to come! We are headed all over Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam & Bali - traveling until March 23, so please join me on the social media links to the right (or above if you're on a mobile device) and do say hello!
xoxo,
Rima