Maeklong Railway Market

Maeklong Railway Market


Saw this in Discovery Channel and I tell myself to visit it for this round Bangkok trip. I found this half day trip to Maeklong Railway Market + Damoen Saduak Floating Market offered by Tong Holidays.



We join a private tour for just 3 of us with English speaking guide travelling in mini van for 4000 THB. Initially I opt for boarding in to train whereby the train will pass by the market. But, my tour guide Kung said it is better to reach there by van and wait for the train to come. By doing this, we still have plenty of times walking around the market.

This is a very unique market. All sellers placing their products along the railway track. There are piles of chili pastes, tropical fruits, Thai herbs, fresh vegetables, and variety of seafood. Those squids, crabs, prawns are all in big sizes. Even in fish balls.

Fruits laying along the railway track.

When the ding ding sound heard from far, all the vendors busy fold down their canopy/awnings of their stalls, pulling back the wheel tables to allow just enough space for the train to pass. While some stalls still leave their vegetables laid safely aside the track. It’s such amazing.

Prepare to fold down the canopy.

Check out the video.

France - Paris & Provence 6 Days Trip : Day 6

Day 6 – Back to KL






7:00am – Depart from apartment to Airport




Ben the taxi driver who we booked on the 1st day arrived on time. Parisian start work early, it is a bit jammed on our way to Orly Airport. We directly check-in after an hour of drive. After the immigration, we stop at a chocolate shop to buy some chocolates though it is not duty free zone yet. We proceed to pass the custom. To our surprise, there are very long queue. We started to get worry after 30 minutes as the queue didn’t seem moving at all and we doesn’t have much time left to the gate. Elder sis was getting anxious and worried as she suddenly remembered that she had kept a small knife as the gift to my nephew in her hand luggage. We just asked her to be calm and pretend nothing.


We never thought that the custom is that extremely strict. Each of the visitors must take off the jacket and shoes as well before entering the security gate. All liquid containers must take out and put into the zip transparent plastic bag in front of the officer.


We already been queuing for an hour plus for this custom check and we just left 30 minutes to run to our boarding gate. Sis got lucky as the small knife is being wrapped with paper and the officer thought is the French famous “bom bom” candy that giving the alarm.


We ran as fast possible to the gate. That’s make us have no time to walk around the duty free shop. What a regrettable. (Our flight actually is 10:30am).


The moral of the incident: Spend at least 4 hours to Airport. If there is plenty of time, you can always enjoy shopping at the duty free shops or even enjoy a cup of coffee.

France - Paris & Provence 6 Days Trip : Day 5

Day 5 - Paris





Galeries Lafayette Department Store


A legendary spot of shopping for fashion enthusiasts that no one can miss out. Paris is the fashion capital of the world, and the Galeries Lafayette is the fashions’ premier showcase.


Galeries Lafayette is laid out among 3 buildings – The main, Lafayette Coupole, Lafayatte Homme and Lafayette Maison.

 
Even you are not intend to shop those luxury designer collections, latest jewelry trends, accessories, cosmetics etc, visiting Galeries Lafayette is still worthwhile for the breathtaking setting. The store’s unique Belle Epoque architecture, which features a dramatic colored glass dome and an ornate Art Nouveau staircase offering dizzying perpectives, contributed to the department store being named a Paris city heritage site.


We do our street shopping along Lafayette for souvenirs while sis’s friend is queuing for Channel. And there a street with quite number of Chinese advertising signboards which make us thought it is the China town. We attracted by a Chinese mix rice restaurant where all the dishes look very delicious. We have our lunch there and it is the most expensive mix rice that I ever had.

This meal cost RM130.

Trinité Church near Galeries Lafayette.

Musée du Louvre


The world most famous museum. If you are not a art lover, by just standing outside and looking at the Glass Pyramid, in front of the beautiful buildings (Palais de Louvre) and admired the Porte de Lions, the Passage Richelieu and the Carrousel is satisfying enough and you will realize, yes, you actually in Paris.

Once we got out from the Metro, we are surprised seeing a huge poster of Emperor Qing hanging on the wall of Louvre building. “The Forbidden City in the Louvre”, this exhibition will held til Jan 2012 and more than 130 artifacts exhibited at the Louvre and some of the collections are exhibit for the first time ever.

Musee du Louvre are huge. There are 2 types of entrance ticker, 1. museum only (10€) and 2. museum + exhibition (14€). We opt for option 1 with 2 reasons: 1. we only have 3 hours to visit the musee and 2. we have been to forbidden city, china.

Only 4 of us are entering to the museum. We got a map in order we can easily access to the famous collection that cannot be missed; Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, the Great Sphinx of Tanis, Michelangelo statue. Surely you get amaze with all those fine arts collection in here. But we are not going to study 1 by 1 like the students/arts lovers doing here, we just walk pass all those rooms and search for the “Smile”.

I never thought this piece of art is much more smaller than those displayed outside. It been framed with glass and it keep a distance from the visitors. Yet, it still attracts hundreds of peoples with hundreds of cameras focusing on this beautiful mystery smile.

Emperor KangXi exhibition

Centre Pompidou

Is the largest museum for modern art in Europe. The building structure is very special and odd. It is totally different from all other building we seen in Paris. The critics have described the design of Pompidou museum as an “oil refinery in the centre of the city”. The intention by the architects was to place service elements, such as water, electricity, outside of the building and consequently turn the building “inside out”. Outside of the Pompidou centre, there are streets artist for portrait drawing or sketch. Unfortunately, we are late for this.




Moulin Rouge


There is a story when we heading to Moulin Rouge. We are struggling on the map on how to going there with the complicated interchange. While we studying the map, sis manage to ‘catch’ a Chinese asking him the direction. He is very helpful with giving us a map and draw out which line that we should take. He keeps on advice us to be extra careful. “夜深了. 那挺危险的. 要小心哦.” Before he left, he still give us a word, “小心保管自身财物. 要小心哦!”. Listening to the Mandarin it feels very warm. 他乡遇故里, 一个小叮咛, 温馨无比. The metro stop is Blanche.


Moulin Rouge is the best known night club-theater and famous of its Cabaret show. We did not enter for the can-can show as it is expensive. We are just here to view the Red Mill night scenery.

 There are few souvenirs shops around here. I am a bit of regrets that didn’t get a painted photo of Paris now.

10:00pm Way back to apartment. Another funny incident happened. We are at Haussmann Saint-Lazare station waiting our RER back to Chelles Gournay. Not much passenger at the station. And there a train came but we saw the signboard is not our destination. We remain sitting there and listening to there unique tone of announcement. 5 minutes passby and we saw some only got up the train after long wait and we blaming that why this train is not moving? Our train won’t be here if this train is not leaving. The whole station is left only us. Almost 10 minutes, with curiosity, I walk to the front of the train and look at the sign. And found that this is the train to Chelles. I shout at them and ask them to board on the train quickly as the door closing alarm has been started. Luckily we all managed boarded. This is the last train back to Chelles, if we miss this, we might take taxi back.

Inside the train, we blast out laugh. Minutes ago we laugh at those last minutes boarding. And actually we are the one who did it.




Last day at Paris with much much more memories with its hundreds year history complicated subway system. Those need to lift up the handle to open door, press button, double-decker, need to climb up or down between the gap of platform, or all by automatically. Amaze with its superb complicated interchange between link of all metro, bus, RER, SNCF and the TGV. Love it so much.

France - Paris & Provence 6 Days Trip : Day 4

Day 4 – Paris City Tour



Leaving this beautiful town and back to the city of light. Arrived Paris around noon and we decided go back to our apartment by taxi. This is to avoid the crowd at RER with carrying our luggage. Chelles located eastern suburb of Paris and it is 18km from the center of Paris. The area is comfortably quiet and relaxing. But it is quite a bit of distance travelling to and forth to the heart of Paris.

Before we start our city tour to Paris, a cup of coffee with dessert is a must every time we pass by the bakery shop on our way to RER station.




Place de la Concorde – is the major and largest square in French capital. It is decorated with statues and fountains and was named Place Louis XV to honor the king at that time. The center of the square occupied by a giant Egyptian obelisk and aligned with it by 2 fountains.

The square is busy with tourists and seems a hot spot for wedding photos shooting. There is a beautiful couple having their wedding shooting here but most attraction was the limousine bridal car.

To the west of Place de la Concorde is the famous Champs-Élysées.

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is the most prestigious and broadest avenue in Paris. The avenue runs 2 kilometres through Place de la Concorde to the location of Arc de Triomphe.

The whole avenue lined with luxury brand and bordered with greenery. Standing here make us feel excited though we are not entering each of the branded shop.


Louis Vuitton-the world biggest department store are having a long queue in front of the shop. Before we are here, we keep on asking ourselves, “Should we get a LV bag?” But, looking on the long queue, we decided not.






Arc de Triomphe is a military monument built by Napoleon as a tribute to the French army. This is another iconic landmark of the City of Light. To capture the beautiful scene of the Arc is not easy. We have to cross the streets, standing in the middle of the traffic light and snap with the seconds. It’s a bit dangerous. Thus, would suggest all to walk to the front of the Arc de Triomphe.

While we heading back and pass by LV shop, we heard a loud noise. This is becos the shop close on 7pm and those couldn’t step in after the long queuing are arguing and making noise with the shop attendant.






Our next destination is the Eiffel Tower. We thought is nearby and it should be. However, we still get lost. We walk in a different direction and get a big big round. It’s getting dark. We stop a couple and ask for the direction. They said: “By walking ? Impossible!” Our answer is “No worry, just let us know which way will do.” Though it is far, but on the way is all with the beautiful buildings, trees, luxury hotel. We enjoying the walk. And finally, the Eiffel Tower in front of our eyes. We pass the Seine River towards to Eiffel Tower.

France - Paris & Provence 6 Days Trip : Day 3

Day 3 – Avignon – Arles – Les Baux – St.Remy – Avignon (Provence)



9:00am – Tourism office


We got a private tour which English speaking guide to Arles, Les Baux and St.Remy. There are multiple choices to visit few nearby city depends what you opts for winery or Roman discovery. This half day package from 10am to 3pm cost 280€.



Arles – is UNESCO world heritage site, it first inhabited by the Greeks, but made the most of by the Romans, who left a theater and amphitheater for tourists to gawk at. Famous painter, Van Gogh chopped off his ear here--and produced some of his best work as well.


Our pretty guide, Adeline chooses Arles as our 1st stop cos she wants us to explore the real life of Arles since there is a Sunday market out there. She stopped us in front of the famous attraction Amphithéâtre (Les Arènes). We have 2 hours free and easy around this small Arles town where we can explore ourselves. Adeline challenge us whether we can find out the Van Gogh’s café, the Garden (L’Espace Van Gogh), Roman Theatre, The Place de la Republique (the city center of Arles, the heart of the city. A well known square symbolized by its Obelisk. But also place of the town hall, the church ST. Trophime, the Cloister ST. Trophime and the Church Sainte Anne.) It is all around by walking distance. We are so impressed with the narrow street with the old Roman buildings, the natural and beautiful scene. The aroma of the coffee, the fresh fruits, cheese, lavender scent found everywhere around the corner. You gonna love this town for sure.

Amphithéâtre (Les Arènes

Place de la Republique

Garden (L’Espace Van Gogh)

Les Baux-de-provence – is an extremely picturesque village situated in the heart of Alpilles on a rocky plateau 245m high. This beautiful village area is a stone and cobblestone medieval village time-warped to the 20th century. The village only can be visited by foot and we are all be admired by the ancient houses.

Though we have to walk up and down by the hill with rocky path, but are enjoying shop around many crafts shop selling Provencal products (such as Loccitaine) and souvenirs.

Beautiful window decoration with teddy bears.

Church at the top of the hill.

Loccitane shop

The roads are zig-zags to St.Remy and passes through olive groves and vineyards. Unfortunately, is not the season by the times we are visit.



St-Remy – is another historic and cultural Roman city. It get more famous because of Vincent van Gogh has spent a year at asylum and produced over 140 paintings including the famous starry night, the iris, olive tree and much more. We first visit to the iconic of St. Remy, the Mausoleum and the Triumph Arch. This 2 ancient monuments are amongst the best architectural of Romans civilization in France and believed is the most best preserved in Europe. Adeline did told us the history behind but we really couldn’t remember it.

Just across the road, we walk by a olive garden and to the end is the Asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole hospital where Van Gogh admitted voluntarily. Along the road side, there is image of the painting displayed on the spot as the actual scenery. Sure, you will impressed with his imagination.

We travel back to Avignon at evening. As by our request, Adeline sent us to the Pont Saint-Benezet, also known as Pont d’Avignon. This medieval bridge was built by as shepherd boy (according to tradition) who commanded by angels across the river. But it had been suffered frequent collapses during flood and only 4 arches out of 22 remain today. We have our group photos with our beautiful guide, Adeline here and we say goodbye to her.


4:00pm – The Popes Palace (Palais des Papes)


Another UNESCO World Heritage site. This is the famed Palaise des Papes where 7 successive French popes chose to administer Christendom during the 14th century instead of from Rome. We didn’t pay a visit into the palace but amaze with this sacred monuments built in 14th built century.

The town is crowded with peoples in this Sunday evening. The city seems to teamed with activity as University students having science demonstrations and educations for little children in the small square of the town. Laughter’s can be heard everywhere by those interesting, interactive and funny activities.