Tag Archives: beautiful

Bangkok: Wat Arun

When looking through my guide books and researching Thailand I came across Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn. Wat Arun is located on the Chao Phraya River and is easily accessible by water taxi… well, that is if you make it off at your dock. Mr. B and I couldn’t stop laughing because this water taxi was no joke. You heard the whistle and saw that we were pulling up to your dock, you better believe you butt better be at the back of that boat ready to basically leap off onto your stop, otherwise they were pulling away and you were staying on for another stop or so. Seriously!

Wat Arun stuck out to me because of its overall beauty. It is over 70 meters high, and decorated with tiny pieces of multicolored glass and Chinese porcelain that make up various patterns. The steps are very steep and slick. It was raining when we arrived so we did not make it to the top as I had planned.

It is gorgeously at night!

Oh, ladies don’t forget your cover up too!

Information:

From Sapphan Taksin boat pier take a river boat that stops at pier 8.
From pier 8 take a small shuttle boat from one side of the river to the other side.

Three Nights in Bangkok

and the Worlds Your Oyster…HA-HA! You remember the cheesy Murray Head, “One Night In Bangkok?” song from the 80’s? LOL… to be honest I had to Google who sang the song because I was clueless, but I couldn’t resist using it because it was just so perfect!

Anywho, We are back from our holiday adventures in Bangkok, Thailand. I realize that I am quite delayed because not only did I come back with Thai cooking spices, but a wicked head cold as well. Ah, the gift that keeps on giving when you fly. Yes, this little gift that has left me basically out of commission for about a week now. Today is Sunday and it’s still lingering and has me blogging from the cozy comforts of our bed. Speaking of beds… I have to get started on our trip and the hotel!

We arrived in Bangkok, Thailand and were picked up from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) by our hotel. The drive was approximately 30 minutes and for the most part was all highways. Mr. B coordinated a pickup service with the hotel before the trip. Looking back we both agreed that we would have absolutely been fine taking the Skytrain (Mass Transit), however having the convenience of avoiding customs/immigration was REALLY nice and might have been worth it in the end. Conveniently Hotel Muse is just a short walk from Chidlom BTS Skytrain Station. So anyone following along that is concerned with the ease of Bangkok travel, we hope we help ease your anxiety.

We arrived at Hotel Muse and were promptly checked in, greeted with an assortment of complementary drinks, both alcoholic and non. We then were guided to the elevators and whisked away to our home for the next few nights.

The look and feel of the hotel is traditional Thai that meets a dark sophisticated chic. The primary colors used throughout are black, brown, greys and white, and that gives the entire interior a dark, mysterious, moody, sleek feel. All and all our room was appointed and very spacious with the uniqueness of a dark hard wood floor. Each night when we arrived back to the room, we truly felt like we were in our home and that feeling alone was completely worth it to us. (Don’t panic the window into the bathroom has a shade you can pull for more privacy).

As I mentioned above, the hotel is located in a very convenient district within Bangkok. It is surrounded by many Embassy, major malls, and a mass transit stop. You would think that you’d hear some noise from the outside city hustle and bustle, but actually it was incredibly quiet and really relaxing when we were in our room. The cityscape views out the window were outstanding as well. I’m a sucker for tall buildings and the nightscape and this room hit the mark for me.

Speaking of nightscapes, if you do find yourself in Bangkok do yourself a favor and at least visit Hotel Muse so that you can enjoy a drink high above the city at the Speakeasy Rooftop Bar. I could have sat up there all night and would have too if I wouldn’t have seen our bill. Whew we did some damage.

Information:

Hotel Muse Bangkok Langsuan – MGallery Collection
55/555 Langsuan Road
Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Website Here

Enough Flowers?

Never.

Nightlight

When I was a little girl growing up, I always remember my parents home and grandparents home with a nightlight. What I cannot remember is where the fear of darkness ever came into play in my life to require such a thing. Granted I am the oldest and possibly the light was also there to serve another purpose for younger siblings? The few memories that I do have is making sure that if my bedroom light had to be turned off id get a running start so that I could jump through the air and land in my bed quickly. Was there some sort of black hole under there? A monster hiding that could have grabbed my feet or ankles if I would have casually walked over and just got into bed like a normal person? LOL.. silly thinking back on it all now.

This weekend I packed up my bags and headed to Seoul for a ladies weekend. This was a much delayed and much awaited birthday celebration for my dear friend Mary. While we were at lunch we were discussing her two little ones and their fright associated with the dark night sky. It ended up that they were outside at night due to an appointment. This sense of the unknown scared them, made them want to hurry, run, get to the car. How sweet these two are!

What about you? Did you grow up with a nightlight? Do you remember if you feared the night or dark?
Thankfully like most childhood things, the fear of silly things fizzles out as you grow up. Can I get an Amen? Or else Mary and I wouldn’t ever of had the chance to get out in Seoul at night to see the annual lantern festival. This was my second time getting to see the parade in Seoul since living here. It never gets old! So many beautifully lit lanterns. Some being carried, some being pushed, some being pulled, some even motorized. The cityscape of high-rises in the backdrop gave little light to the parade, but the millions of lanterns that came down the street in masses were what really lit the area up.

Rewind to earlier in the afternoon, sorry you know I am a cake first kind of gal.

We strolled around the Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을). This was a first for both Mary and I. I wasn’t sure what to expect, only going off of travel books and lists that I had made and am determined to eventually concur while we live abroad.

Bukchon Hanok Village is home to hundreds of traditional houses called ‘hanok’ that date back many, many, years. These are private homes still lived in by Korean residents. They are absolutely charming! The entire area had tugged at my heartstrings. Such quaint little shops, hidden coffeehouses, tea houses, bakeries, vintage shops, etc. The best part of all, get ready for this, you can do a hanok stay! Yes! They had all kinds of different posts on the web if you are interested in such a thing. Hmm… perhaps an anniversary trip that is approaching? Don’t just take my word for it, get out and see them for yourselves! Okay, you can check out the photos below too.

Directions:

Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2.

Go straight for about 300m to arrive at Bukchon Hanok Village. (Two information booths in area for a map).

I am such a foodie! You couldn’t possibly think that i’d sign off without letting you take a gander at some of our good eats did you? Check out that Potbingsoo! Ohhhh yeses… Summer is finally here!

While Spring Is Making Promises Outside

Hello from here, where the big news is spring. Big flowery cotton like blossoms in the most gorgeous shades of pink and white are popping up all over Korea, even this far North. While I cannot say that we’ve been up to anything earth shattering or groundbreaking as of late, we have been making it a point to get out and see all of the incredible seasonal changes occurring right around our home. One bloom in particular is the cherry blossom trees here in Korea. Breathtaking!

I took these last night while on our stroll home from date night. The moon was shining brightly, the sky was a beautiful deep blue. Ah! I just couldn’t help myself from snapping some photos to share with you all.

Have a great weekend, we’ll chat soon!