Thailand-Bangkok

Bangkok is everything I expected: smelly smelly street food along all streets at all times, temples, tuk tuks, dirty river, lots of girl boys in Patpong and...noodles for breakfast. Quite honestly, a 2 day stay in this city is quite enough for me but I am on my fourth and ready for Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand.
Don't get me wrong, Bangkok is vibrant and easy to navigate because of their brilliant transport system -airconditioned sky train and subway, but it is just not for me! I enjoyed the Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha and the temples-Wat Pho, Wat Phra and my longtail boat ride through the canals of the Thonburi canals where I saw children swimming in the dirty water filled with garbage and other. The Suan Lum Night Bazaar had beautiful local crafts and great knock offs, but I am waiting for the Chiang Mai markets for the real deals!

Evening Bangkok Sky:

Life in the klongs of Bangkok:










Grand Palace Grounds and Temples:





Red Shirts:

Tuk Tuk:

One of Oh So Many Temples:

I have to say, the Thais I have met on my trip are by far the nicest and most accommodating and polite people that I have come across in all my travels to date. Bangkok is a city of smiles! They go out of their way as to not upset or dissapoint you!

Spice up your life

The Manama Souk in Bahrain is a wonderful place to find Middle Eastern Spices of all kinds! They are set outside in large compartmentalized containers brimming with vibrant colors and smells for all that pass by to be tempted! And we were, we have half a pound of a very pungeant yellowish orange mix of curry,paprika and other Arabic spices ready to make the journey back with us to Montreal!

Easter in Bahrain

In honor of Easter, I thought it would only be appropriate to share some luxury 5 star chocolate with you! Hotel Chocolate is a UK Chocolate Boutique and cocoa grower & chocolatier which has set up shop in the Bahrain City Centre Mall.

http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/

My personal favourite: Rocky Road, it reminds me of my childhood summers when Rocky Road ice cream could always be found in my parents' freezer!

A'ali Pottery

When I first entered this small village, it felt as though I was stepping back in time to a bedouin like village. As our little Mazda 6 made its way through the little streets, we got many stares, although I am sure that this little town gets many visitors because their pottery is stunning.

As usual in Bahrain, we had no idea how to get to where we were actually going due to the lack of any street or landmark signs... and in this case we had no idea how to get to an actual "pottery making site". Within minutes, we just happened to stumble across what can only be described as huts or run down barns where old men covered in clay were patiently reproducing piece after piece of pottery which they then lay out to dry in the sun. I could have watched them spin the wheel for hours, it had a somewhat calming effect.

Inside some of the huts were finished pieces waiting for tourists to snatch them up. Of course, I wanted to buy every piece and as Hadi has explained to me many times along this trip... "we have no more room left in our suitcases I told you to pack less pairs of shoes". Then came my second idea which has also come up many times on this trip (it must be my entrepreneurial side): "Why don't we ship containers of pottery back to Montreal and sell them!" Brilliant! And as Hadi has simply explained to me many times on this trip..."NO"!

Note:*credit to Aude for some of her photography