Skytrain to Paragon

We have had alot of fun in Bangkok while waiting for Ryan's kidney stone to pass (and I am happy to report that the stone has passed as confirmed by the follow up doctor's appointment today). We love hoping on the skytrain and heading to Siam Paragon because there is so much to do there and we've had some interesting experiences.

Siam Paragon is only two stops away on the skytrain so it doesn't take to long to get there but the train is usually very crowded to the point where we are barely getting all our appendages into the car before the doors close and we're whisked away.

The mall is attached to a few other malls which makes it seem like you could walk through area after area for days, eating and shopping to your hearts content without ever going outside. We've gotten lost more than once during our wandering. Most of the stores located there are definitly out of a meer mortal's price range and include Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Jimmy Choo... The jewellery store section is amazing and we also really enjoyed window shopping at the Lotus and Maserati dealerships.

In the basement is the largest aquarium center in southeast Asia, and I've heard that it's also the largest in the southern hemisphere. It was a little expensive to get in but included in the admission price was a glass bottom boat ride, a ticket to the 4D show and the cutest mini photo of us with a sea scape green screened in behind us. There were animals there that we've never seen before anywhere including water rats (really cute) and a whole section on unclassified fish from the deep ocean that were incased in creepy red colored globes.

Last night we headed back to go see what a Thai movie experience would be like. We were hoping to go see Transformers in IMAX but due to a scheduling error we ended up seeing Inglourious Basterds instead. Neither the theatre nor the movie dissapointed. The seats were huge, comfy and reclined nicely. There was assigned seating and you have to pay more depending on where in the theatre you want to sit.

A couple very interesting events happened on the same night as our movie outing. We were outside of the mall just after eating dinner, but before the movie, when we were escorted down the sidewalk away from the road by an official security military type. Then we noticed that the traffic was all blocked and no one was being allowed to go anywhere near the road. Soon after we saw the largest military motorcade we've ever seen. A line of very nice BMW's with flashing lights came down the road and stopped at one of the entrances to the mall. From the way the Thai's in the area were behaving (removing their hats and not minding the delay) we figured out that this must be the royal Thai family. We got a small peak in the back of one of the cars but it was fairly tinted. Our suspicions were confirmed when we went back into the mall to find an area closed off from onlookers with a sign saying there was a royal function in progress. We tried to get a better view but loitering was not being looked kindly upon so we headed up to our movie.

After the movie we had another run in with celebrities. The movie let out so late that the mall was closed. We tried to head to the escalators to leave but were bombarded with a large group of teenage Thai fangirls coming straight at us. They had surrounded the South Korean boy band, Xing and were following them around in quite the pack. During the rush to the elevators that ensued I was almost stampeded and crushed into a sign trying to get out of their way! Ryan bumped into one of the boy band members and I don't think he will ever wash that shoulder again (kidding!).

For more photos of Thailand click here...