of all the places i have been to (and i haven’t been to that many), thailand is the one place (so far) that i am determined to visit again. because i missed a lot when we were there. simply because we were there on a weekday. you know that famous bazaar called chatuchak market? happens only on weekends. and the floating market? still on weekends too. so the next time i go back there, watch out, revenge will be mine! *evil laugh*

ah, thailand. what more can i say about it when everyone has been there? well, it’s so much like manila, except that it looks more developed than manila — with the skyscrapers and the dizzying highways which curve left and right, up and down, it’s amazing how drivers can keep up with the directions they go. like any busy city (i’m thinking manila), it sure is crowded but unlike manila, it’s relatively cleaner. you wouldn’t see garbage piling up on the sidewalks. at least i didn’t. but it’s crowded. that much i can say.

in thailand, everyone loves their monarch, king bhumibol adulyadej. like serious love. you see pictures of him everywhere — in the middle of the streets, on the sidewalks, in restaurants, stores and houses — everywhere! you’re not allowed to say anything bad against the king. you’re not allowed to mock him. you’re not allowed to step on their bills because they got the king’s face printed there. just as you can’t fold them too. it is that important to them. it’s amazing how much they love and respect him. taxi drivers speak highly of him, even if they can’t speak english too well. they try. just to express their high regard for the world’s longest reigning monarch. it’s a refreshing thought considering how some filipinos love to bash the government leaders they themselves elected into position.

so anyway, my sister found this really cool boutique in bangkok through days of research on the internet. it’s called mystic place. we stayed there for a night. it was unlike anything i’ve ever seen. what makes it unique is that each room is different in terms of theme. different arrangements, different artistic touches, different everything. the pictures above were taken in the reception area. i loved the colorful gingerbread man throw pillows as well as their key chains.

my cousin and i stayed on the second floor. that orange picture above (far left) is the hallway. and look at that painting on our bathroom! seriously, the place was just oozing with artistry. but of course, our room was a tamer version of my sister’s room which she shared with her friend. our room wasn’t “loud” in terms of art, which suits us fine because we have boring personalities anyway. lol.

and here’s us messing around. the yellow room is my sister’s and ciara’s room. not as girly-girly as our room. this was supposed to be our room, all four of us, but they had this policy of having only two persons in one room, explaining that the rooms are small and can accommodate only two. frankly, it was big enough for six people if four of those people don’t mind camping on the carpet. but well, rules are rules. that’s why we had to have two.

one of the bestest things about mystic place (aside from their breakfast which stuffed us full up to our pharnyx)? the thai massage parlor right in the mystic place compound!

we have a lot of thai massage parlors here but the one they had over there was the real thing, baby! it was everything i want a thai massage to be — relaxing, comfortable, and NOT painful! it was purr-fect! i’d go back there in a heartbeat. which i will, as soon as i find cheap tickets that would fly me and my friends there before the year ends.