When I was trying to figure out the most cost effective flights to get the hubs and I from NYC to the other side of the world, none of the online travel websites that I normally use could get me to all of the places I wanted to go for less than $5,000 per person. Unfathomable! After some hits and misses, I opted for a direct round trip flight to Taipei and short, one-way flights within Asia. After the first leg of our trip, we finally arrived IN THE FUTURE!
With a six hour layover in Taipei, we got to enjoy breakfast and lunch before boarding for the next flight to Bangkok. On the way to the food court, we met a new robot.
Taipei: Breakfast, Taoyuan Airport
Taipei: 7-Eleven Mural, Taoyuan Airport
Taipei: Lunch, Taoyuan Airport
Taipei: Lunch, Taoyuan Airport
Taipei: Tray Retrieval Robot, Taoyuan Airport
Bangkok, Thailand
We spent the next five days taking in the sights on the way to delicious food in Bangkok. We soaked up so much art. We shopped small and local. We enjoyed beautiful sights. And, most of all, we relaxed. I even got to use the majority of the broken Thai I learned growing up, all of which was from listening to my mother try to keep my brother actively speaking Thai. The conversations mostly consisted of parental grilling: “Did you eat? What did you eat? Was it edible? Where are you going? When will you be home? Why don’t you call home more? How much money do you need?” This is the vocabulary I had on hand while in traveling around Bangkok, and it came in handy, surprisingly so.
Bangkok: Landing, Thai Airways
Bangkok: First Night @ iSanook Residences
Bangkok: On the Way to the Pool, iSanook Residences
Bangkok: Pool View, iSanook Residences
Bangkok: Juxtaposition between Old and New Architecture
Bangkok: Infamous Traffic
Bangkok: Covered Walkways
Bangkok: Three Layers of Traffic – Vehicules, Pedestrians, Metro
Bangkok: Tokyu Department Store Holiday Cheer
Bangkok: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Bangkok: Spectrosynthesis II – Exposure of Tolerance: LGBTQ in Southeast Asia Exhibition, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Bangkok: Spectrosynthesis II – Exposure of Tolerance: LGBTQ in Southeast Asia Exhibition, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Bangkok: From the Free IconSIAM Ferry to Get Across the Chap Phraya River
Bangkok: Mural Entering Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Walking to Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Entering Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Shops and Artist Workshops @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Plain Language Instructions on How to Worship @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Mural through Doorway @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Mural through Doorway @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Mural @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Mural @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Mural @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Mazu Mural @ Mazu Shrine, Lhong 1919
Bangkok: Tiffany & Co. Christmas Tree upon Entering IconSIAM
Bangkok: SookSiam @ IconSIAM
Bangkok: SookSiam @ IconSIAM
Bangkok: SookSiam @ IconSIAM
Bangkok: Escalators, SookSiam @ IconSIAM
Bangkok: SookSiam @ IconSIAM
Bangkok: Wat Hua Lamphong วัดหัวลำโพง by Night
Bangkok: Nature Taking Back a House on Si Phraya Road
Bangkok: View from the Ferry
Bangkok: View from the Ferry
Bangkok: View from the Ferry of Wat Rakhang Khositaram วัดระฆังโฆสิตาราม
Bangkok: View from the Ferry of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม
Bangkok: Temple of the Emerald Buddha วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม
Bangkok: Temple of the Emerald Buddha วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม
Bangkok: Wat Pho วัดโพธิ์
Bangkok: Temple of the Emerald Buddha วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม
Bangkok: Street and River Closed for Royal Visit
We ate so many delicious things, including temple snacks and junk food. I even got to use a little Burmese to order lunch.
Bangkok: Dry Ginger Ale, Thai Airways
Bangkok: Travel Condiments, 7-Eleven and SookSiam @ IconSIAM
Bangkok: Fried Chili Shallot Garlic Sauce Potato Crisps, 7-Eleven
After five days of eating and walking, we got on a short flight to Singapore. The last time I was in Singapore, I was all of 15 years old on a trip with my relatives. What I remember from that trip was amazing, futuristic convenience stores, a whole neighborhood with my name Sophia plastered everywhere, amazingly clean everything, and no chewing gum allowed into the country. After watching Crazy Rich Asians, the hubs really wanted to see and eat everything in Singapore, and I was more than happy to oblige. Peranakan architecture and culture, the view from the top of the Marina Bay Sands Resort, the Gardens by the Bay, and all of the hawker centres full of delicious and amazingly affordable food – we hit up almost everything from the movie except for mahjong. I was pleasantly surprised by how into Christmas decorations Southeast Asia was, and I got to speak English, Mandarin, and Hokkien at any given time.
Singapore: Little India Spiral Staircases
Singapore: Serangoon Road, Little India
Singapore: Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
Singapore: Mural near Joo Chiat Terrace Interim Park
Singapore: night skyline, Gardens by the Bay, Little India spiral staircases, Marina Bay Sands
Singapore: Changi Airport
Did I mention the food? We visited Mr. Ho’s Tutu Kueh who has been making these lovely, toasty, sweet and savory rice cakes filled with peanuts, coconut, and fragrant palm sugar for over 50 years. We found lovely bakeries, overstuffed meals for under US$3, and so many delicious beverages. We still didn’t get to try everything we wanted, so I guess we have to go back for more.
Singapore: Mr. Ho Making Tutu Kueh, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre
Singapore: Mr. Ho’s Tutu Kueh, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre
Singapore: Grilled Mackeral Otak in Banana Leaves, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre
Singapore: Grilled Mackeral Otak in Banana Leaves, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre
Singapore: Rose Soy Milk, Iced Herbal Tea, Hokkien Mee, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre
Singapore: Braised Foods, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre
Singapore: Fresh Popia, Bendemeer Market & Food Centre
Singapore: Tamarind Lamb Skewers, Ce La Vie, Marina Bay Sands
Singapore: Hot Paratha, Late Dinner @ Bhai Biriyani & Cafe, Little India
Taipei, Taiwan
One last stop to see family and one last chance to enjoy the future before returning to NYC. We even caught a fan event while we were in town. I got to play charades with the Wolf Prince himself, Derek Chang 張軒睿. It was fascinating sociological research.
Taipei: Lobby, The Okura Prestige Taipei
Taipei: Lucy 露西早餐
Taipei: Host Kitty, Lucy 露西早餐
Taipei: Derek Chang 張軒睿 Birthday Fan Event
Taipei: Derek Chang 張軒睿 Birthday Fan Event
Taipei: Metro Taipei Holding a Free Holiday Concert Series
Taipei: On the Way Back from an Event, Tsai Jui-Yueh Dance Research Institute
Taipei: On the Way Back from an Event, Tsai Jui-Yueh Dance Research Institute
Taipei: On the Way Back from an Event, Tsai Jui-Yueh Dance Research Institute
Taipei: Ten Ren’s New Tea + Coffee Shop – Chaffee
Taipei: View from Our Room, The Okura Prestige Taipei
Xinfeng: View of the Mangrove Reserve from 紅毛港 (Red Fur/Hair Port)
Xinfeng: 紅毛港海鮮 (Red Fur/Hair Port Seafood)
Taipei: Renovated Pool View @ The Okura Prestige Taipei
Taipei: Maji Square
Taipei: Maji Square Food Court
Taipei: EVA Air
Taiwan is foodie heaven, but breakfast has to be, hands down, my favorite meal of the day in Taiwan. Late night snacking 宵夜 is a very close second, though.
Taipei: Late Night Snacks, 7-Eleven
Xinfeng: Caramel Pudding Flavored Potato Chips, Family Mart
Xinfeng: Peach Tart Flavored Potato Chips, Family Mart