Bangkok – Girl Gone Cuckoo

blog full of introductions

first introduction: yes, $2 dresses are cool..but hey, i live in the Philippines and $2 is still PHP90 and that can already buy someone a meal. so i present to you my PHP10 dress. something i scoured from our local market trip months ago. it needed a bit of fixing as the neckline’s threads were loose but with the help of basic sewing skills learned from years in an all-girls school, i managed to sew the neckline back. aside from the dress being multi-colored and floral, my most favorite part is that it’s a tent dress and can be adjusted using the thin strings attached on it. forgiving. very forgiving — especially for a girl who has gained so much weight from the two trips she’s been on..haha!

second introduction: F-R-I-N-G-E! i need it in my life right now. every time i say that when we were shopping in Bangkok, my mom and sister would laugh and roll their eyes. oh well, i’m shallow like that. since i couldn’t find a fringe bag, i settled for this awesome vest instead. oooh, i’m so excited to pair this with floral and printed sun dresses and maxi skirts and swimsuits. summer is here!

third introduction: my gecko ring. my gecko love. my sister was baffled at how i can love such weird accessories as last year, i also went ballistic over my fox ring but for me, the weirder the better. i’ve been finding reasons to wear this for days now and i’ve been finding myself just staring at it, even over a stop light as i’m driving and imagining that it’s a real gecko on my finger. yes, i’m weird like that too. *smirk*

ps. i threatened to disconnect my internet connection and when i got home from the service center, my internet suddenly worked fine.tsk tsk. hope this is the fix they promised.

floral dress – thrifted

fringe vest – platinum mall, bangkok

nude suede wedge booties – gold dot

layered coin necklace – platinum mall, bangkok

layered chain necklace – carbon find

stacks of bangles – carbon finds

gecko ring | turquoise ring – platinum mall, bangkok

leopard ring – carbon find

orange howlite ring – dane’s giveaway win

bangkok tales episode six: i wish we can stay longer…

so it’s out last day. with the visit to safari world, i am utterly torn between loving elephants or giraffes! giraffes are just gorgeous…i love their eyes and how amazing their print is. i love that they have somehow evolved long necks to survive and adapt to the changing world. i once saw a discovery channel feature on crescent island in africa which made me cry and made me long to see a giraffe…so i don’t know, i’m torn. (listen to me talking like crazy here…haha!)

overall, bangkok was a blast —- the shopping there is the best! and the food, my gosh, is just incredible. what i didn’t like though was the terrible traffic and the very humid and hot weather.there were some family drama that went on but it was still all worth it. i cannot wait to go back to bangkok and do more serious shopping! no more tours, just SHOPPING.

ps. the double belts was a crazy idea that didn’t turn out too well, i know. armand wanted to take off his brown belt (mine was tan) and i wanted to try and wear both of them.

striped tee with sequined pocket – platinum mall, bangkok

polka dot shorts – pratunam, bangkok

woven oversized hat – khaosan road, bangkok

grey espadrilles – carcar, cebu

black bag – nine west

bangkok tales episode five: buddha maxi overload

due to the pressure of Thailand buddha temples’ dress codes, we had to overly prepare for this just to make sure we get to see all the temples planned for the day. the dress code says to not wear shorts or fitted jeans (it’s too humid to wear jeans anyway), no short skirts or mini-skirts, no sleeveless tops and no slip-ons for shoes. well, if we have to wear such conservative clothes then we might as well have to dress it up right? and dress up we did. this has got to be my most fave outfit during the trip — mainly because i did get to wear layers, accessories and a studded belt.

we had a super funny and green tour guide for the day. everyone called her ms. bangkok and we thought it was a joke until she introduced herself to be ms. bangkok 20 years ago. my favorite line from her right at the start of the trip? “if you have questions, you can ask me anything just not my body…” LOL.

i wanted to tell you about all the temples we visited but then i’ll just let the photos do the talking.

on aimee: black and white striped maxi dress – props | blue cardigan – pratunam find | white fedora – pratunam find | black faux leather bag – sm dept store | black sandals – night market find

final and huge shopping post tomorrow! check back for two items for sale and a giveaway!

bangkok tales episode four: chatuchak weekend market

entering the chatuchak weekend market is like entering a maze of goodness. the market has layers of lines of shops that go around a tower. once you enter the market and see something you want to buy, it is suggested that you buy it and not say you’ll get back to it because chances are, you will forget where the shop was or you won’t have time to go back once you’ve finished scouring the whole market. with that advice in mind, the 10 of us went off in pairs so we won’t have to wait for each other and scattered all over the market. we decided to meet at one spot, which at one point or another i thought it was impossible to go back. good thing my dad found a good landmark to guide our direction.

the market sells clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, lots of cool shirts, make-up, gift materials, fabric, food, housewares, native raw materials, cellphone and mp3 player accessories and even pet supplies (even pets — i saw a really cute beagle puppy!). i was just completely overwhelmed in chatuchak and my wallet got overwhelmed too. i left 1500 Baht lesser and my feet hurt like hell — as if my heels were about to explode. oh i wish i can go back.

printed cotton dress – thrifted

beige shorts underneath my dress – thrifted

blue espadrilles – carcar find

green wide-brimmed hat – khaosan road find

black bag – nine west

by the way, twisted halo is giving away a pair of camera necklaces that are just so adorable!

the giveaway is open to Philippine readers only though but nevertheless, check out her blog here.

bangkok tales episode three: a dream come true

when we were planning our trip to Bangkok 5 months prior, one of my wishes was to ride, hold and feed an elephant. it came true on our second day in Bangkok! right after the floating market, we visited a place where we can ride an elephant for 30-40 minutes for only 600 Baht. our elephant’s name was Nhuong Nuon and she’s 25 years old. she’s really sweet, kind and didn’t give a fuss at all. she made the ride worth while because she kept stopping to pull out grass to eat and had to poo-poo 3 times! LOL. our elephant driver was really kind too as he got off Nhuong Nuon and volunteered to take photos of us while Nhuong Nuon followed him. i had the time of my life on that 30-minute ride!

we also dropped by Samphram Zoo to watch an elephant show — which was equally fun as well as the elephants were sooo adorable! one young elephant wouldn’t stop dancing, bouncing his head and wagging his right leg every time there’s music. at the end of the show, the elephants lined up and we had the chance to feed them. of course, i immediately jumped at the chance too! other than the elephant show, we also fed a line (or bunch) of crocodiles with chicken meat and took a picture with two tigers! oh how i love animals!

the day ended with scrumptious and cheap thailand street food — coconut and corn fried dumplings, sesame pork (my fave!) and grilled pork & fish balls. we also hung out across the nearby 7 eleven for a bottle of drinks — bacardi for aimee and me and singha beer for the rest.

shopping post tomorrow — 3 items for sale so do check it out!

bangkok tales episode two: floating market

a kind note to all: this is going to be a picture-heavy post so you’re patience is greatly appreciated.

photos are a combination of my canon sx20 and armand’s nikon d5000.

the floating market is part one of the second day in bangkok.

i can’t believe that even in Bangkok, we practiced the so-called ‘Filipino’ time. Filipinos are notorious for being late and this day was not an exception. room 2042 woke up 30 minutes prior to the schedule meet-up because instead of pressing snooze on their alarms, they turned it off. so naturally, at 15 minutes late, we had to enter the van with embarrassed faces as our tour mates might have been slightly pissed off.

we were brought to the floating market by a long speed boat which passed by several houses by the river. it was interesting to note how the rivers has served as the community’s passage way and how their livelihood has adapted to their location. it was really surprising (well, shocking) to see one lady washing their dishes on the mossy river water. we all opted to think that the water is full of nutrients that it is actually healthy to wash their dishes, fruits and vegetables there. *crossing fingers*

the boat ride cost 100 Baht and it was basically just so we can experience riding in the long wooden boats that they use to travel through the market. old ladies who were surprisingly still strong were manning these boats, including our own boat. you can find anything there from noodle boats where you can actually eat the noodles they cook in the boats, boats with fruits, vegetables, flowers, accessories, hats and even house ornaments. the boats travel slowly through the market and even bumped into each, naturally as if they’re not afraid of it breaking. i have to say the floating market is one surreal and different experience.

on me: white boho top with lace detail – thrifted | black shorts – maldita | grey espadrilles – carcar find | straw hat – khaosan road find | black handbag – nine west (you might notice i am lacking my usual bangles and necklaces — i was expecting to be shopping accessories on the 1st day but they turned out to be more expensive than expected)

i wish i can tell you what kitoy and armand wore but sadly, i missed asking them outfit details.

bangkok tales episode one: khaosan road + tuktuk

before i start telling you about our first adventure in Bangkok, i have to say it is really really (i need to add one more) really humid here. stepping out of an air-conditioned building is such a surprise because your face gets easily warm and you’re just suddenly hit with this unexpected humidity. it is surprising though that despite the humidity and the infamous traffic, the place is not as polluted as the streets in Manila. my first impression? Bangkok is like downtown Cebu, only 3 times bigger with 6 lane roads and lots of flyovers and beautiful buildings.

the morning after arriving, we were lucky enough to get 3 Tuktuks who would take us to Khaosan road for only 30 Baht. the drivers were really friendly and even brought us to this Jewelry Factory and Gallery where we found gorgeous (and expensive) jewelry made of different gems found there. my favorites were the big cocktail rings that were formed into animals like tigers, owls and foxes made of gemstones. my mom bought herself earrings and dad bought her a ring made of her birthstone and even bought my sister, Charm earrings for her wedding this December. as it turns out, the side trip to the Gallery was necessary so the Tuktuk drivers can get vouchers for free gas. I wonder how much free gas they got considering we bought quite a number of items.

Khaosan road is filled with street stalls selling all kinds of items — clothes, t-shirts, handicrafts, hats, sandals and even bikinis. they even have food stalls that sell yummy fruit shakes, fresh spring rolls and pad thai noodles — yummmmm! the items for sale seem cheap but since my sister, Charm has been to Bangkok several times, as it turns out Khaosan prices are a little steep because most of the people who visit there are foreigners from Europe and U.S. nevertheless, i still bought a floppy hat and 2 pairs of sandals there. will post about shopped items on Day 1 tomorrow. *wink*

my outfit: peach lace boho top – thrifted | grey denim shorts – props | beige gladiator flats – parisian | brown sunnies – carbon find

aimee’s outfit – black layered lace top – props | red shorts – thrifted | black belt – props | toms-like shoes – carcar find

charm’s outfit – ripped cropped tee – DIY | black tank top – props | black tulip skirt – props | black sandals – so fab | oversized grey bag – sm dept store

Before the Adventure was the Airport

the nearing of the trip and even the journey to the destination is always exciting. despite being tired and bored at times, as the excitement builds up, nothing else really matters. our flight from Cebu to Manila was at 4:55 PM and our flight from Manila to Bangkok was at 8:05 PM. i don’t know for the life of me why we had to stop over Manila for the Bangkok flight when flights to Hong Kong or Singapore were straight from Cebu but we didn’t mind the wait this time. we hardly set foot in Manila anyway and the international airport was pretty cool to hang out in especially with the free wifi at the coffee spot. one thing i hate with 2 plane trips though is yes, the 2 plane trips as i am scared to death of heights and flying. i feel safer in water as i know the density of the water will catch the ship but with planes, there’s nothing at the bottom. maybe i’m just paranoid or maybe it’s because i watch too many movies. i was awake for the whole 3 hours to Bangkok until we arrived there at 12:05 AM (Bangkok time).

so we packed light to make room for all the clothes, shoes and bags we’ll be shopping in Bangkok. believe me when i say light, i mean my suitcase got slightly flattened and deformed when i picked it up from the baggage claim because of all the air inside it. i made sure to pack really light clothes — all made of cotton– just 2 pairs of shorts, a cotton maxi dress and light cardigan for the buddha tour, 2 pairs of toms-like espadrilles and 1 pair of gladiator flats. for the next few days, i will be alternatively posting outfit shots and the items i shopped in Bangkok. all i can say is, Bangkok surely is a shopping haven.

boho top – thrifted from manager’s garage sale
denim shorts – thrifted
white flip-flops – havaianas
black bag – nine west
zebra print fedora – sm dept store, men’s section