Smiling Asia ~ Thailand

Apart from pealing off from half an hour of sunburn for the third time (did you know, that even your ears can peal off?). Apart from dealing with rather annoying attacks with different offers from Tuktuk, boat and taxi drivers, jewellery shops managers, tourist agents and guides, bell boy, salespeople and almost anyone who has a relative with profession mentioned above. Apart from loosing trust in everyone who offers you help or nice a advice. Apart from hot damp sticking to you weather. Apart from view to rubbish piles from your room/cell. Apart from scrambled egg, fruits, potato and bread served in one plate for breakfast. Apart from delayed flight. Apart from all that - Thailand was amazing!!! :D

We've spent 2 full days in Bangkok - visited huge statue of lying Buddha and huge statue of standing Buddha, saw golden Buddha and got a beautiful view of Bangkok from the Golden Mountain. Were in temple all made from white marble imported from Italy. All the time travelled with boat (it's faster and much more fun, than being stuck in traffic jam) and also tried out Tuktuk - I really enjoyed it! Where in legendary tourists street - Khao San. And also went to a huge aquarium.

After Bangkok we travelled to Krabi and took ferry to Koh Phi Phi island famous for it's beautiful white sand beaches with clear turquoise water. These were relaxing days spent just swimming and drinking fresh fruit shakes :) One day we took a long tail boat and travel around visiting Vikings' cave (locals are picking birds nests there), Monkey beach (aahh, I saw wild monkeys!), beach where the movie "The Beach" was filmed, Bamboo island, we were snorkelling (the colours of the fishes are indescribable!!) and saw a sunset in the middle of the sea. Mmm :)

Last day in Thailand we've spent in Krabi - small seaside town, just swimming in a pool, eating delicious Thai food, walking around in the seafront path and having dinner in the open night market. Our favourite discovery of the trip - Thai pancakes with bananas and chocolate cream :D

It has been an amazing journey and I really need to come back there again. Next time I want to go to Chiang Mai. There's so much I didn't do this time - I didn't have Thai food cooking classes, I didn't ride on the elephant and I didn't have Thai massage. But I will! One day :)

Oh! And advice for the end - when someone is offering you something the only way to get rid of them is smile :) Don't say anything, just smile!

Oh (No.2)! Yesterday on BBC I heard that one man from Switzerland will be jailed for 10 years for spraying black paint on king's Bhumibol Adulyadej posters. How crazy a man can be to do that?! Every second person is wearing yellow T-shirt to honour his majesty, his and his wife's pictures and posters saying "Long live the king" are all over the country and everyone just loves him in Thailand.

Beloved HK

Hei my beloved ones!

A bit late, as always, but still - Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy Chinese New Year of Golden Pig !!! May they bring you only joy, happiness and fortune :D

Mmm.. Dance.. Since I have written last time, there have been soooo many amazing adventures! I've seen Maria Pages dancing just in front of me (for those who don't know - she's the best flamenco dancer in the world! At least for me :)). And for the first time I saw Hong Kong audience reacting as a real audience in Camut Band show - but how can you not react seeing those man dancing like that! And I've been in legendary interns' club Trebecca - it was so great to dance throughout the night, I've missed that :) And there's not only dancing in my life - there's also singing! With Karaoke becoming more and more.. hmm.. appreciated :D

Mmm.. Beijing.. Yeah! There was cold, clear blue sky, amazing hotel, crazy drivers, no English, shopping stops during excursions (jade, pearls, silk - who needs all that?), roasted Beijing duck, beautiful places - Ming Tombs, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven. And I climbed up to the top of Great Wall, so according to chairman Mao - I am a real man now. Does anyone want to take that? I'm giving it away for free, as I prefer being a woman.

Mmm.. Red fever.. I loved celebration of Chinese New Year! Finally visiting home of a local family (Traz, thank you sooo much! You can't imagine how much that meens to me) and trying out salty and later on sweet and sticky rice balls (Tung Yuen). Flower Market in Victoria Park - that was unbelievable, thousands and thousands of flowers and their smell is.. Mmm.. Kumquat trees, narcissus, peonies, peach blossoms, tangerine plants.. Oh, and parade with long dragons and Lion Dances. A swim in Shek O beach on the first day of new year, again :) And deliciuos lunch in Thai restaurant there - I've tried fresh coconut jiuce for the first time! Fantastic 20 minutes long fireworks - I have never ever seen anything like that, the final minutes hypnotised me! Visiting Stanley - they really have a nice market there, but most importantly - I've got a half pint of white beer!! Traditional Dim Sum with interns and visiting huge Wong Tai Sin temple with crowds of people, unbearable mist of incense smoke and ashes falling all over you. And I received 4 red pockets!!! Yeah :D

All in all, it has been an amazing February - with lots of good food (xexe) and memories, that I will cherish for the rest of my life. And as I face half-way of my internship, I proudly announce that I am truly madly deeply in love with Hong Kong! :D

Mmm.. Future.. I am taking vacations for two weeks and going to Thailand (Bangkok, Krabi - here I come!). Most hopefully I will facilitate one more national AIESEC conference in the beginning of April. And then there will be Sfiesta, one of my best friends, visiting me for 2 weeks. Yeahhh!!!