Bangkok Day 2

View of the Grand Palace from outside.

The day after hiring in Bangkok was great and filled with plenty of activities. In the morning we did a tour of the Grand Palace, which was used by every Thai king from Rama I to Rama VIII - Rama IX lives in a place a bit further away. It was an incredible palace, built over 20 generations. The design and detail are unimaginable, and it is also the resting place of the Emerald Buddha. 

The afternoon started out with a Thai massage, which was much more invasive than I realized - elbows and palms everywhere, and then they stand on you while folding you in half. I must say I was unprepared, but would probably get another one in the future. After the massage, Jillian, Jess, and I headed out to a mall where I was able to bargain for Grammy's plate (mission accomplished)!

Intricate detail of the palace.

Our flight was late at night, and the airport was much more crowded and slower than we had imagined. Then the transfer in Manila was just horrendous. We had to get our bags and go through customs before getting on our next flight, but none of the workers seemed to know where we should go or what we should do. The flight attendant gave me a customs form with only one side, which I didn't know until I got to the counter. We narrowly escaped missing our flight as we were paged while still going through security. 

Today is definitely a day to relax, as we spent about 5 hours out by the pool. Tomorrow is the next hiring event, which should be pretty easy-going. Then it's home for me. Since today is my dad's birthday, I'm going to call him now.

Demon guardian of the palace.

Check out my special album just for the Grand Palace:

The Grand Palace

And of course, my regular album for this trip:

SE Asia Photos

Quickly...

Don't forget to check out updates to my photo album!

Good morning, Bangkok!

Southeast Asia Photos

Bangkok, Thailand

Santa Condom

Yesterday was the hiring event in Singapore, which went really well. After, we had dinner in the hotel, then Patrick and I went to the bar on the 70th floor of the hotel - it had a great view and surprisingly the best prices for beer I saw the entire time we were in Singapore.

Today, we arrived in Bangkok to 91 degree weather. This hotel is amazing, with seemingly more luxuries than the last.We had dinner at a restaurnt called Cabbages and Condoms, which is a non-profit restaurant aimed at helping avoid prostitution and the spread of HIV. They had quite a few prophylactic dressed mannequins, including a Santa Claus. 

After, a few of us headed to the legendary Night Bazaar, where I tried out my haggling skills for the first time. I was able to get some magnets, but a plate seemed beyond my reach. I may try again tomorrow as I now realize the price offered by the merchant was fair, but I'm sure I can go lower.

Hopefully tonight I can get a full night sleep, and that the event will go smoothly!

Entrance to the Night Bazaar

In a Tuk-Tuk

Singapore!

Hello! I created this blog almost two years ago to track my travels, but haven't ever updated it. Luckily, I've finally found some time (explained below). I arrived in Singapore a couple days ago, after what seemed like surprisingly short flights. Although I was traveling for almost 30 hours, with my last two flights being 13 hours and 7.5 hours, this trip seemed easier than a flight to Europe. 

Financial district at night (from my room)

Our hotel is great, the tallest in Southeast Asia (70 stories), with my room being on the 42nd floor. The view is amazing, being able to see the giant ferris wheel, the brand new Marina Bay Sands Casino, and the skyscrapers of the financial district.

The first day, we spent the morning walking around the underground (and above ground) malls in the area of our hotel, Suntec City. We then took the metro to Chinatown for some interesting lunch, and walking around the sidewalk markets. There was also a beautiful Buddhist temple, which was surprisingly commercial in the fact people were selling things all over the inside. Dinner in the evening was at Clark Quay, a hip, modern, and worldly area on the river that had many bars and restaurants, with food from around the world. They even had a hospital themed bar, where you could sit in a wheelchair or stretcher/couch, and get your drink through and IV. 

Buddhist Temple in Chinatown

The Merlion - the symbol of Singapore

The second day consisted of a trip to Sentosa, the resort island on the southern border of Singapore. They have Universal Studios Singapore, Resort World, and an amusement park, among many other attractions. We walked along the tropical beaches, did a luge down the mountain, saw the Wave House (artificial surfing), admired the flora/fauna, and the zipline. On the way back, we stopped at Merlion Park, to see the icon and symbol of Singapore. Our dinner took us back to Sentosa, for a seven course meal at a possibly French/Chinese fusion restaurant, called Chinois. 

Getting to the reason I can actually update the blog, is that I haven't really slept past 3:30 or 4 in the morning, despite my staying up until at least 10 in the evening without being tired. Today is the hiring event, so I don't want to take any Ambien and be knocked out while interviewing students! It's been great traveling with the employers, and finally meeting them, and I'm looking forward to a successful event later on! Hit up the link below for a photo album!

Southeast Asia Photos!