A Short Stop at Phnom Penh

 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Located at the Southeastern part of the Khmer Kingdom, the capital city of Phnom Penh is home to a large number of the country's population. With the country's location in the middle of Vietnam and Thailand, Cambodia is popular for travellers especially for backpackers taking the French Indochina route. And for me, it was our midpoint on our long bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to the Ancient Capital of Siem Reap, Cambodia.

 Busy Streets of Phnom Penh

It was just about an hour stop at Phnom Penh before we continued our long trip due Northeast to Siem Reap. Most of the streets are narrow going to this city centre in the middle of the metro. Having a lot of locals and travellers alike, the streets are never sleeping.

 A Coconut Vendor at Phnom Penh

A Lady seems to go back home after a day of business in Phnom Penh

It took us about 5 hours from HCMC, Vietnam to reach Phnom Penh but we had no idea the second leg of the journey is the longer part. It took us a total of more than 13 hours of travel to reach Siem Reap that evening of the same day.

The Bus Station: Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap at Phnom Penh

Me at the Bus during hour hour's rest in Phnom Penh

Being in Phnom Penh gives me much excitement since it was my 11th country to visit. But never have a I realized that Siem Reap is so much more than Phnom Penh with all the temples and wats. Truly, Cambodia astonished my sight and taste, and surely, I'll come back soon for more.

***

I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.

Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.

This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)

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Throwback Thailand

Ever since I was a little boy, I have develop the love for Geography and Culture through my Uncle who taught me all the countries, their flags and their capitals at the age of 5. I carried it over in my heart up until now. We are not very rich to be able to travel anywhere I wanted to go when I was growing up, but I never ran out of dreams, that someday, when I will be able through God's grace, I will be able to visit my dream places one by one.

As I am thinking of what to share this week, I thought about my first ever trip outside the Philippines as a grown up. It was March 2011 when I went to my first international trip to a beautiful and exotic place that still is one of my favorites - Thailand. My mother just died a couple of months before our trip but I still pushed through because I know she wants me to be happy, especially that she knows exactly that this is what I wanted to do.

Ralph, Me, and Ate Judy

Even just on the airport here in Manila, my heart was filled with so much joy already. That my dreams will be realized in just a few hours! This trip was with my college best friend Ralph and my cousin Ate Judy.

Driving my Tuktuk!

Thailand was amazing! And I think it's a perfect choice for a first timer because most people are nice and helpful. One funny thing though is that I am usually thought of as a local because I could pass as a Chinese-Thai, but when I start talking in English, they will simply shout "MANNY PACQUIAO!". He's probably the most famous Filipino in Thailand because they love our boxing champ so much. Even during my last trip to Thailand a couple of years ago, I still get the Manny Pacquiao calls!

My first Train Ride

The Bangkok to Ayutthaya train ride was my life's first! We don't have trains here in the Philippines aside from 3 metro lines in Manila so this was definitely another moving experience for me on that trip! For a very emotional and appreciative person like me, every simple things like these are very memorable and truly a grateful experience for me. I am thankful for this attitude I have because simple joys really create an impact to my heart!

Biking in the Ancient Kingdom of Ayutthaya

I thank Thailand for being my first and will always have a special place in my heart! I very much appreciate Thai culture, Thai food, and most of all, Thai People! Will forever engrave this special memories that are truly timeless, in my heart.

Never Stop Remembering!

Stevenson

I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.

Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.

This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)

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Bangkok Street Food

One of the things I love best about Bangkok is their cuisine that you can enjoy on the streets! Hawkers and stalls line up at dinner time and gives you not just an array of delectable dishes that are cooked right in front of you as you order, but also the experience of seeing how it's cooked and at the same time, dining near hustling cars and the sounds of tuktuks near you.

Let me share some of those dishes that I have tried on my second trip to Thailand last 2018

Pad Thai

Thai Fried Pork Belly with Bean Sprouts

Thai Fried Rice

Spicy Pork with Thai Basil

Green Papaya Salad

Red Hot Kentucky Fried Chicken (The red breading gives you an idea how spicy it is right?)

Never Stop Dining!

Stevenson

***

I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.

Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.

This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Questions for Me and You - Timeless Thursdays 13

I am the kind of person who loves sharing who I am and what I do to my friends and I thought aside from my trips and the food I have enjoyed in my posts, let me share some more things about me, to you all. Let me take you to memory lane on some of the answers on the questions below and hopefully they can make our Timeless Thursday something fun and sentimental at the same time. 

Pont d'Arcole, Paris - January 2020

**OPTIONAL: At the end of my Q&A, I set-up a short survey about my blog that I am hoping you can take some time to answer as well. I would love to keep myself updated with your thoughts so I can better provide my dear readers and blog friends with a good blog experience with every visit.

Let me thank Julie Wunder's Blog for her take on this and I thought it would be interesting for me to answer some of her questions as well.

Maybe you would care answering 2 or 3 questions that I answered below? I would love to know more about you too through your answers to it in the comments section. Let me proceed with my questions, let's go!

1. Where did you grow up?

I was born at a hospital in Manila but I was raised all my life in my hometown in the province of Cavite in the Philippine Islands. Though I did spend a couple of years of my childhood in California where we were once immigrants (I did not push through because I was so young that time and I chose to live in the Philippines. Would have been different if I was a little more grown up I think).

My dad carrying me, my two brothers in San Francisco - 1994

2. Do you have any nicknames?

Growing up, my uncle gave me the nickname Seven. It has been derived from taking out a few letters from my real name, Stevenson, to arrive with Seven and I stuck with that until I was in college. though some college friends called me Steve so I thought I'd move forward with it. But in the office, since I work in the North America bureau, they call me Stevenson as a whole.

3. Where did you go to college?

Been dubbed as a dark green school, De La Salle University - Dasmarinas. It's just beside our city but I had to travel an hour and a half going to and going home every single day through two jeepney rides. But it was a lot better than studying in the hustle and bustle of Manila, especially that my parents will not allow me since I was just 15 years old when I entered college.

We wore school uniforms at our University - Senior Year 2010

4. What did you study in college?

I majored in Computer Science. With my young age, I still did not know what I really want, or should I say I think I did but only chose a different course to major but thankfully I was able to finish it on time and with good grades.

5. What was your first job out of college?

I was invited by my professors to join the faculty so I applied as a College Instructor. I stayed at my University full-time for five years. It was one of the best years of my life, pay was not high but my students' love and respect are priceless.

Yup, that's me carried by my IT majors - 2012

6. What kind of music do you like?

I don't have just one style and it changes depending on my mood. Lately I am very much into Korean Pop Ballads but if we talk about timelessness, I would say Andrea Bocelli, Coldplay, ABBA, and Taylor Swift are my go-to's. they say I have a weird Spotify playlist with a lot of songs including Thai, Italian, and Spanish but hey, that's my music!

7. What’s one hobby that you’d like to take up?

I would love to do more trekking. I did enjoy some trails that I trekked, especially the Pinatubo Trek. It took us hours but there were no steep ascents which was good for me (I am week when it comes to steep climbs)

Mount Pinatubo Volcano Trek, January 2019

8. What did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?

A Doctor. Well every Filipino kindergarten student during my time wanted to be one. But being a doctor takes full responsibility of lives and I'm not something that is up for that to be honest, not to mention the years of study which was not for me at all before I went to college.

9. What’s the biggest project on your to-do list right now?

Be more active! this pandemic has worsen my sedentary lifestyle and it did produce not just a big series of aches and pains in my body but I also think most of my anxiety worsen from staying at the bed and the chair in my bedroom almost the whole time. Well I cannot go outside, too dangerous here in the Philippines right now but I know I should find ways to be more active like stationary exercises and aerobics.

10. Have you ever traveled outside the country? If so, where?

Yes! It is my pride and forever joy to have traveled. I have been to the United States, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, Indonesia, Brunei, Taiwan, Guam, France, the Netherlands, Italy, the Vatican, Belgium, and Prague.

Me and my Sister Judy in Jeonju, South Korea - April 2017

11. When’s your next vacation and where are you going?

I had plane tickets planned out for trips to Dubai last march and laos and Myanmar this May but they all got cancelled because of you know, Corinna (how my dear friend Iris calls it) came and stayed until now. But if time allows, I will push through with Myanmar and Laos with my father since it's the last two countries of the ASEAN which I haven't been to yet. I would also love to go back to Paris and hopefully see Spain and Germany. Also starting to dream of visiting Iran and see more of Persia and it's history.

12. If you weren’t in your current job, what would you want to be doing?

Practically speaking, I would have been a Teacher. But if I had all the choice in the world, I really dreamed of being a journalist for the longest time, a Travel and Talk Show Host to be exact. Well, until now, I still dream of having my own talk show.

***

OPTIONAL: Stevenson Que Blog Reader's Survey

May I invite all of you my dear friends to answer this simple survey below. This will greatly help my blog and how I will present it in the future. I know that one's blog is all about the author but your say is important for me to hopefully enhance your experience with every single visit, besides, you are the reason why I started and the reason why I continue this blog.

***

I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.

Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.

This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)

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Goodbye 20's - Timeless Thursdays 6

This Timeless Thursday I am sharing you this very special photo I found at the treasure chest in our house a.k.a. photo albums. Below is a photo of me from 26 years ago.

I can still remember that day this was taken despite my very young age. I think it was Christmas Day and it was a day I got really pissed. When I was a kid, I hate noises and screaming people, and we get lots of that during Christmas. There is a tradition in our family where my Grandpa and Grandma would climb midway on our stairs and would throw lots of coins and paper bills to the living room and all my cousins, aunts, and uncles would all drop to the ground and pick up as much money they can get. With all the laughter and happiness comes massive amounts of screaming which annoys and scares me so much (I don't know why, are some of your kids like that too?).

So to stop me from crying my lungs out, I can still remember how tired I got from crying, my Mom and Dad knew where to bring me. They drove 10 miles from our house to this Economic Zone called "Gateway" where a lot of flags are hoisted. It was an instant pacifier for me. I love flags. That tiny little boy on the picture knew every country, every flag, and every capital in the world at that age. It was my Uncle, he taught me that and my love for Geography and culture had never left until this very day. I can even remember how I would watch Pilot Guides as a kid and I would cry (see I'm pretty sentimental even from before) praying to God that someday I can see France and Thailand and New Zealand and Australia and Romania and Argentina and all the states in the USA and all the countries of the world - countries that kids my age never even knew of existing. So visiting them now one by one is a very big deal to me, they literally are dreams coming true and prayers being answered.

So Yes, seeing all those flags were a treat for me. So yes, they took me there and promised to take a photo of me with the flags and we went home with relief, especially my parents for sure.

***

It has been a crazy journey for me in the past 29 years of my life. A lot of tears, a lot of laughs, a lot of adventures, a lot of sadness, but all of it are filled with so much gratefulness. I thank the Lord for a lot of blessings that have come into my life, most of them wrapped in fancy colorful paper in the form of joyful and beautiful memories with my family and friends, but of course some of those blessings are in the form of lessons learned which made me the person who I am today. 

As I view myself today and to describe the product of the past 3 decades of my life, I can shared them through a series of words. Sentimental, Anxious, Jolly, Energetic, Driven, Ambitious, Warm, Grateful, Appreciative, and most of all I think I am Strong. 

I used to be someone who cries at school every time classmates would bully me or tease me based on their own liking, had a fair share of teachers who did not believe in me, and those who really did. Trust me I cried a lot when I was younger, even until high school. But that changed through time and even the hardest of pains just made me stronger, even losing loved ones were challenging but they don't make me cry so fast. But there's one thing about me when I grew up in the past few years. I became very sentimental. Not really with things but with people. Even the slightest gestures make me very happy. I guess it's really in my personality. That people who are just like me who are fond of making other people happy, finds so much joy when it's my turn to be shown kindness and thought. That is something I am very thankful of having, I think that is a great virtue life has instilled in me.

Today, at this very day, I celebrate my 30th birthday and I am very grateful to be celebrating it with you all my blogging friends from around the world. I may live a busy life at work and at grad school, but the love and friendship I have found with all of you is just so warming. With every visit, every comment you have left on this blog and at Cavite Daily Photo, it makes up my day and brings me so much joy, smiles, and a good feeling that I am not alone, never alone. I battled with anxiety in this past few months which brought me very low, but you guys have done a very big part in lifting me up. I just can't thank you all enough for the kind words, the long encouraging emails, for turning yourselves from strangers into good friends who I never even get to see yet. I pray that if I can be fortunate enough, that I may get to see some, if not all of you, in this lifetime. With all my heart, thank you all so much!

***

I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join this new Linky that I thought of starting - Timeless Thursdays. (Bear with me for any short-comings, this is my first link ever)

Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.

This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Monday the same time (12 am)

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

A Missed Adventure

Me and my Backpack

As I write this post, Monday evening, I should have been at a riverside cottage in Vang Vieng with my father. It would have been my 23rd country and would have been another trip that will surely be memorable because I would have done it with my Dad. I planned a trip for both of us to three countries - Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar - which my dad has never been to. It would have been my third time in Thailand (I love that country so much) and, Laos and Myanmar, aside from being my 23rd and 24th country, would also have completed my list of 10 ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations. But of course, the pandemic (or Corinna as my friend Iris Flavia would call it) decided to visit us all for good. I feel really sorry for my father more than me, because he has been very excited to travel again to another country and it would have been very fun for him to spend a week in three different countries.

As a little boy, I have always been a lover of Geography. My uncle taught me each and every country, its flag and its capital, and got me to memorize all of them at the age of 4. With that, it was more than drills and mind-sharpening for me, it started my love for culture, diversity, and the different kinds of people on this planet. Different attitudes, skin colors, and lifestyles, but all my brothers and sisters. 

Travel has taught me that I am not alone and I am not original. That people can differ in ways and beliefs but all are capable of understanding and accepting. For every photo I see on books that have become a "right in front of me", they all were proofs to the cliche 'dreams do come true'. It has helped me know amazing people who some become my friends, foods so foreign but became tastes that are stapled to my mind, and experiences and adventures that books and movies can never really enlive. 

About the Photo: This photo was taken by my cousin. All the patches on my backpack represents each and every country and territory that I have visited. In front of me in the middle of the lake is Taal Volcano, which erupted earlier this year and spewed out tons of ashes into the sky that covered a huge part of the Cavite Province. It displaces thousands of families not just those that are living on the volcanic island but also those that are at the coast of the lake. At this moment, some of those families are still in evacuation area battling more of nature's challenges such as this pandemic, and worse, the upcoming storm months. I just hope we don't have strong typhoons to come in this year. 

I missed an adventure, but never the hope that it will still happen, just on a different time.

***

This post is part of my friend Jesh's All Seasons, Our World Tuesday, and Betty's My Corner of the World

My 2020 So Far

Four days late, but I would like to write something to welcome this new month of May by looking back at the first parts of this crazy year. It's been a different past couple of months for all of us around the world with so many restrictions, but I have to say, looking through a lens of positivity that there are some good things that came with staying at home. Aside from the fact that we get to spend more time with our family members than the times when we are all busy with work, we get to learn more things to do, more time to accomplish other things we always wanted to but never had the time too, and even learn more things about ourselves.

"Barred" view from the back of our Terrace

One can hear a lot of complaints in social media about how bored they are, well I can't blame them and it can get really boring. But if, instead of whining every single day, they start looking for a hobby or keep themselves occupied through having their hands on something. Alright, I know it can be really hard for some people but even reading books can be pretty productive and at the same time entertaining.

Now, let me look back and share you some things that I can coin as accomplishments from the very first day of this year and the four months that came after that. My friends, may I present you:

Steve's "Accomplishment Report" for the first 4 months of 2020

• Spent New Year's Day in Paris (Last day of my three weeks in Europe) and flew back home the next day.

• Edited and Published a few VLOG episodes on my YouTube Channel
• Prepared my own lunches for work every single day 'bento' style.
  
• Re-Designed this blog's theme and template and added a Destination's Tab.
• Repainted my bedroom wall and added new frames to complete the 22 countries I have visited.
  
• Been a part of my younger brother cousin's wedding last January 25th. (Can you find me?)
  
Photo Credits to CamZar Photography
• Re-opened Cavite Daily Photo and posted daily since the lockdown.
• Prayed the Rosary every day since the lockdown which helps and calms me.
• Treated my baby cousin's to a long waited Ramen Night
  
• Coping up and continuously battling my anxiety (with big help from ALL OF YOU my blog friends)
• Fixed My Garden and found a new hobby and place to find peace and relax.
• Work with Scraps and add DIY fixtures to my Garden.
  
  Linking Jesh's ALL SEASONS - SPRING BLOOMS linky
  
  
• Finish my third Semester of Graduate School in University of the Philippines.

Also, my friend The Padre from his blog What Else is Possible (visit his blog for a big doze of positive energy all the way from Colorado) shared a list of Goals on his last post which inspired me to write one of my own for this coming month. Besides, this will be the last Month of my 20's because I'm stepping up to the 30's platform this coming June (exactly 30 days from now). Let me also share some accomplishments in this past 4 months.

Goals for May

1. Spend afternoons in the Garden instead of the hot bedroom
2. Continue repotting more 'pups' into their own planters
3. Present my dashboard at work to North America managers
4. Finish reading "Empress Dowager Ci Xi"
5. Start reading and finish "History of Thailand"
6. Look for old photographs
7. Post on all Thursdays of the month for Timeless Thursdays
8. Daily Rosary
9. 9-Day Novena to Our Lady of Fatima
10. Host weekly video conferences for my High School friends and another for my College friends
11. Read more about the plants I have in my garden and how to take care of them
12. Think of more ideas for photography even inside our house
13. Fix refunds or rebooking my tickets for my cancelled Myanmar trip
14. Spend more time of meditations and grateful thoughts per day
15. Try my best to spread more positive vibes to my blogging friends through my posts

Never Stop Getting Busy

Steve

***

This post is part of Our World Tuesday. Click on the photo and be taken to beautiful views around the world!

A Therapy for my Anxiety

With the current COVID-19 situation where a lot of the world is on their own levels and modes of alerts and lock-downs, anxiety is very rampant especially to people who already have them even before this outbreak started, one of which is me. I have not been diagnosed with Anxiety clinically but it has always been a problem about me, especially when it comes to thoughts about health. I have type 2 hypertension so it also became an extra factor as to why I am having a hard time in this scary period of time.

What usually happens to me is whenever there are outbreaks like these, I start by the usual reading about what the disease or illness or virus is about, then I tend to get too immersed on reading more about its symptoms, until it gets to me very badly that I can;t stop thinking about it, most especially now that we are on lockdown and it's quite hard to distract myself that even if I have work and graduate school, the constant scare and thoughts just never leave. Do I have it? What if I have it? What if I become a reason for my brother or father or yeya to get sick? (Yeya is our maid and who is a family member because she has been with us for 32 years now, 2 years before I was born).

With constant thinking, it takes its toll to me and then I start feeling the symptoms physically which is very scary. This might be confirmations and manifestations of the virus, but of course I still start to think that 'it's all in my mind' especially that I never went outside our house for a month and a half now because we all are locked down at home and only my brother goes out to get our supplies because he also has to go to church and serve almost every day. It ran for weeks and weeks, symptom after symptom but the thing is, whenever I get successful in thinking that it's just all in my mind like the time when I felt so hot and scared that I have a fever (thermometer says I'm not getting beyond 37 degrees) and it was gone after a couple of days, another symptom will show up like difficulty in breathing, then once a new one starts, the last one will then be gone. The only thing that persists is my fear that words from my close friends that relieve me works for a time until my start woud automatically worry again.

As a Christian, I pray the rosary everyday and talk to God in my personal prayers which does help especially if I'm feeling very hopeless and needed some rest for my mind. But still the anxiety lives through. Then one day after prayer, I suddenly thought about an old garden here at our house terrace. As you see in my older posts I have a small garden of succulents and cacti on cups but I thought about what if I fix that side of the house and revive the beauty of it that was once my grandma's sitting place on late afternoons when she was still with us.

It took me three days to work on this garden into a better state, and you know what, it did help me with my anxiety. As compared just staying at my room almost the whole day since I also work from home at my room desk during evenings, having this garden not just as a project but as a growing place to relax at gave me peace and an effective means to stay away from thoughts of fear for bigger chunks of time on the day.

My Grandma's old terrace garden

Above you can see a photo of the Garden I was talking about. Most of the plants here were mine from about half a decade ago until I just left them to thrive and yeya to water everyday. Yeya has a green thumb and she even was succesful to make our Moth Orchids flower again for the third time since it was bought only as a decoration for my Mother's Tomb two All Saint's Days ago (Here in the Philippines, we visit the tombs of our loved ones during November 1st). But every thriving Bromeliad were left from my old planting stint. All I wanted before was to plant these plants but not really to make a garden with it, which I was hoping now.

So I started by repotting the pups or 'babies' that you see growing on the mother plant's roots and sides. Some of the old mother plants are already dying so I had to take them out to give way to the pups to grow better. I said my thanks to every mother plant that I decided to take away, just like what I do before I throw away some old things that are not functional or not needed anymore, learned that one from Marie Kondo and it is a peace-giving practice for me at least.

In the next two photos, you will see a before and after. Old and dried leaves and mother plants with the thriving pups crowd the pots (left). The other photo shows a repotted version with 1:1 ratio of plant per pot(right).

For those that have more than one pups, I transfer them to other old pots here at home, especially the large ones, the smaller ones I converted into hanging plants. My larger variety of Bromeliads gave me two more large pups that I repotted also on the separate pots while the old mother plants were thanked and discarded.

This is how it looked like on Day 2 of my Garden project.

While I was here and there from the garden and on my bedroom, I saw an old wind chime that I got from an old grandpa vendor here in our city, which I only bought because I wanted the grandpa to have sales and then kept on my room with no use. So after all those years, now I knew why I bought it.

I then thought of an old brass bell I bought during my first international trip. I got it from a market in Ayutthaya in Thailand near the Wat Mahathat heritage site so it is both memorable and sacred. I had initial doubts whether to hang something so precious on my garden but I thought it is meant to be blown by the wind which never happens indoors so yes, it went to the bar with the other chimes and hanging plants.

I was still not satisfied because I thought that this garden would be a good place not just to visit and pass by, with the cooler afternoon winds, this place is a good place to stay at during hot afternoons inside the house. This terrace is facing east so the sun is already on the other side which tends to make it cooler a cooler choice of spot to be in on this lockdown summer days.

So I did a bit of further rearranging to give more space for a chair and a small laptop desk, and also perhaps for a small table where I can invite my cousins or friends when this lockdown is over. So here it is!

As of now, it's been 5 days since I started this garden project and I am beyond happy with the results. I even got recognition from my father and yeya who also helps me in things that I need for like pots and soils and things like that. Now I feel so happy that I have something to visit everytime I wake up. I talk to the plants and greet them good morning and that I will be back in the afternoon to join them, just as I am in here currently writing this blog post for all of you my dear friends.

I still have my anxiety visits and some symptoms that I still tend to feel whenever I have idle moments these days, but I can say that this garden has helped me a lot and hope this is just the beginning of my path to a better and more peaceful mind, because it really is true that whatever stresses our minds really shows in our bodies.

Aside from these plants, I also want to thank all the blog friends I have gained in the past couple of months since I went back to frequent blogging through this personal blog and my Cavite Daily Photo for you all have been so helpful for me in keeping myself sane because work and school alone has not done a good job in maintaining my peace away from this pandemic. Your comments and visits make my heart so happy!

With this come prayers for all the people in every nation who experiences the same anxiety that I suffer from and every patient and victim of this horrible virus.

***

This post is part of "My Corner of the World". If you wish to see other points of views from across the globe, click on the image link below:

Never Stop Looking for Peace

Stevenson

Metro Train Tour in Bangkok

Ratchadamri Road, Bangkok, Thailand

Probably one of the most visited cities in Asia, Bangkok offers a lot of things to travelers from all over the world. One thing that I admire about this city is its well planned and placed Metro stations that enables tourists like me to reach a large number of attractions and shops faster and at ease. So one late morning, I decided to not plan on anything and just see what the city has to offer.

I purchased a BTS One-Day Pass that lets me have unlimited rides on the BTS system for just 140 Baht (Php 233). I was so happy that day because I was able to see most of the city with just a little more than 200 pesos! So I did my self-guided tour by visiting spots that are within the BTS Train Stations. Click on this link to know more about BTS One-Day Pass.

Central World

One can reach and visit one of Bangkok's biggest malls, Central World, by riding all the way to the heart of the city. You can exit either by Siam Station or through Chit Lom Station to reach this area. As you can see on the photo, it is still the iPhone X posted on billboards because I was there at January 2018.

Khlong Saen Saep

Walking along the overpass along Ratchadamri Road, I passed by this beautiful river where water taxis are passing through. This river is called the Khlong Saen Saep which is a very important canal that has been used by the Thai people dating back centuries ago to transport people and goods as well.

An overpass by the Pratunam Market

Pratunam Market is also reachable by foot from the stations Chit Lom and Siam. It's not that near though but for afternoons like mine, it was a good stroll for me. Pratunam is famous for its cheap selections including clothes and cute trinkets and souvenirs. I got my Dad and my brother some pasalubong (travel gifts) from here and they were very happy.

After buying stuff at Pratunam, I made my way back to Siam Station by foot and headed back to Central World to see what's inside the mall and yes, to cool myself down from the hot and humid Bangkok afternoon. Aside from shops and restaurants, I was able to find a few interesting things inside this mall.

Art Gallery inside Central World

One of the walkways inside the mall was turned into an art gallery. I am not very sure if it is a usual place for such art exhibits or I was just very lucky that day to see these beautiful pop art posted for the public eye.

Then it was time to get back to the train and on to my next stop, Victory Monument Station. This is one of the most interesting legs of the BTS tracks which I will elaborate later. But for now, Let me give you a little history of what is the Victory Monument and why it is important for Thai People.

Victory Monument

Victory Monument is a landmark in the heart of Bangkok which features an obelisk with several statues around it. It is a remembrance of Thailand's victory over the Thai-Franco War that happened between October 1940 to May 1941. It is a reminder of the victory of the Thai people against the French forces that led the Thai Kingdom to expand to several areas in Cambodia and Laos. It is erected last 1942 and is now located at the intersection between Phaya Thai, Phahonyothin, and Ratchawithi Roads.

I would like to thank the very kind policemen who saw me struggling for a selfie. One of them offered to take a decent photo of me with the Monument at my back. Thank you so much and also for holding my two litter drinking water. (that afternoon was really hot)

Victory Monument Station

As I have mentioned above, this leg of the BTS tracks are probably one of the most interesting. You have to hold on the handrails if you are standing because it literally went around the victory monument and gives you a beautiful almost 360 degree view of the landmark. It was a very beautiful moment and goes to show how important for the Thai people this monument is that it went all around it so that it can retain it's place at its center.

Mo Chit Station

Mo Chit Station was my last stop that afternoon. It is the farthest station at the North Route of BTS (as of now because construction is on going to expand up to Khu Khot). This station is well known not just because it is the last but because it is the station to exit if you wish to visit the biggest night markets in Bangkok, the Chatuchak Weekend Market. But since it was a weekday, I have decided to just visit and stroll the beautiful park just below the station, Chatuchak Park.

Chatuchak Park

Chatuchak Park is located at an area donated by the State Railway of Thailand and was built during the late 70s. It is a beautiful place at the middle of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok where you can take a break and press pause on your busy day. Though it was hot that day (okay I know I've said it so much but REALLY it was hot) all the trees and the lagoon gave me a fresh feeling, at least for my eyes.

A kind lady took this photo of me at Chatuchak Park

Solo Travel Tip: I know we tend to get a little shy whenever we ask strangers for a photo, but believe me you'll get through it. And when you do, if you want better photos taken, look for students and younger people, or better yet other tourists that have cameras on their necks (that's quite usual on touristy cities) to take your photo. Promise, you'll never regret the quality of their photos. Mine above was a bit far HAHA but hey, I can still crop it if I want to, important thing is that it's clear.

Aside from the fact that it is free, another metro line, the Bnagkok MRT has a station just below the park which is named after the park as well, Chatuchak Park MRT Station. Chatuchak was amazing and I was able to experience it on another day that week so hopefully I can write about it soon. But yes, if you wish to go shopping and get lost in the middle of markets, markets, markets, Chatuchak is a must.

Map marker of Chatuchak Park

Bangkok will always have a special place in my heart. Mainly because of its people who are always willing to give you their smiles for free. With my experience of travel around South East Asia, I must say that Thai people looks so much most like us Filipinos. They would even talk to me straight in Thai and when I politely inform them that I am not Thai, they easily recognize me that I am a Filipino maybe because of the way we speak English. And yes, they would even shout Manny Paquiao's Name once they knew I am Filipino HAHA!

Clear Blue Skies on that Summer Day in Bangkok

So what now? Book that flight to Thailand! If I can make it with just a BTS One-Day Pass, then so can you! I love Thailand, sure you will!

This post is part of Skywatch Friday that features different views of the sky around the world. Visit Skywatch and go on tour around the globe seeing sunrises, sunsets and so much more than the sky that you know at http://skyley.blogspot.in/

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For more information on BTS, contact them through:

Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited

BTS Building, 1000 Phahonyothin Rd., Chomphon, Chatuchak Bangkok 10900 Thailand

Tel : 0 2617 7300

Fax : 0 2617 7133 , 0 2617 7155

Email : nuduan@bts.co.th

BTS CALL CENTER : 0 2617 6000

Daily from : 06.00-24.00 hrs.