The quiz was held in twitter to celebrate Air Asia's CEO Birthday. I never expected I'd win! Ahaha apparently my lucky charm still works, eh? Anyway, for the gift, I could freely chose date between January to April 2014. But, the free ticket only valid for one person. Thinking that I'd probably go alone and the trip would probably be my first ever trip alone, I chose the date of Songkran Festival at mid April 2014.
While getting closer to the departure date, I was really nervous since I have never going abroad alone before. I also worried that I'd be bored to death since I'd have none to talk to and how could I enjoy the festivity while I am feeling lonely? And what if I'd lost and couldn't find anyone speaking English? What if there'll be another shutdown and demonstrations like we met last January? And so on and so on...
But I tried to calm myself down by kept thinking, that I'm lucky. Not everyone got the chance to see the famous Songkran Fest. And not everyone can go abroad without paying no fare :D
And then, just two days before departure, Emi texted that she wanted to go with me! Omaigod I was soooo relieved :'D Finally I won't be alone there!
And so there we were, enjoying water festival and exploring the city!
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| view from Silom BTS Station: thousand of people marching armored with water splash gun |
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| EPIC! All kind of women, men, kids, elders - all roaming down the streets searching for the next victim :D |
Songkran Festival is a celebration for Thailand New Year Day. Everyone participates by throwing the water to another person as a symbol for washing the bad things away and starting the new year with clear mind and soul. The water also mixed with some kind of white chalk that means blessing.
The festival happened after lunch, because in the morning they usually pray and visit the family. The roads were rather empty and only tourists passing by. But around 2 PM, it seemed like everyone were coming to the streets carrying water-guns! And they kept throwing and splashing water to everyone! It was a chaotic fun!
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| the water mixed with some kind of chalk and left the streets covered with white mud |
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| cheater Emi didn't want to get wet so she carried herself a raincoat. Cheater! >:)) |
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| posing in front of Silom Station - just exactly before someone splashed me in the head! |
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| earlier before lunch, the kids at Chatuchak Market already shot us |
Pro tip for enjoying Songkran: don't let yourself dry for too long! Seriously, just smile and mingle with random strangers you meet and have yourself a blast. The festival is really entertaining.
Aside from getting wet, we also managed to visit another places in Bangkok, especially since this is the first time for Emi. We went to the famous Wats (Emi was really fond of Wat Arun, but hey, who doesn't?) We went to Chatuchak and Asiatique (still my favorite spot in Bangkok, ever) and some night market near Pratunam Shopping Centre. Actually, we tried to go to Pratunam and Platinum because I haven't got the time to go there on my previous visit. But apparently, due to the national holiday, the shops closed earlier. And while trying to find the nearest BTS Station (we're lost, haha!) we found a night market nearby that sells Chatuchak-like stuffs. Even better that we didn't have to thrust around.
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| at the night market |
We also went to Bangkok Old Town - the area near Hua Lampong MRT Station, and more known as Yao Warat or Chinatown Area. This part of the city looks really similar to Jakarta's Glodok.
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| at old Hua Lampong Train Station. The neo-renaissance-like architectural was nice, but very dirty and smelly :( |
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| a cute statue near the Yao Warat Gate. Still wondering what animal is this :)) |
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| The Chinese Arch that marks the beginning of Yao Warat Road |
Another highlight of Yao Warat other than its Chinese heritage and culinary vaganza, is Wat Traimit, or The Temple of The Golden Buddha, where the world's acclaimed largest solid-gold Buddha image is located. Too bad, I came there in the afternoon when the wat has closed already :( I also couldn't take the temple's yard properly because of the cloudy weather.
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| the nice Monk in the Wat Traimit's yard |
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| can you see the golden tower at the background? It's Wat Traimit |
Please do forgive me for the un-proper picture ><" Anyway, although Yao Warat is full of Chinese communities, apparently there are a lot of Moslem in the Bangkok Old Town area :D Since Emi wears hijab, we're recognized as Moslem and greeted salam. A nice simple thing that matters :')
I just love our short trip to Bangkok this time. And I'm glad I was there.
See ya on another post!
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