So, I didn't realize it back then, but it seems like I didn't take as many pictures as I thought I did for this particular day.
It wasn't because there wasn't anything to take.
It simply was that what I did and where I went didn't seem the right place to be snapping too much away.
We began the day with a Grabbed in breakfast from this place called The Coffee Club. Where the nearest outlet was, I don't know, but all in all they took about 45 minutes to come- it wasn't surprising- and I felt that they had came pretty fast.
We dined in the side lounge of the hotel lobby, same place where we'd had the Gok Fa Yuen dinner the night before.
Not sure whether or not it's permitted, actually, but we were at the back, we were quiet, and we cleaned up after ourselves, tissue and wet wipes to the hand.
What charmed me about these breakfast platters weren't just how well they were done but also the Coconut Coffee, which I loved. It's not often that one gets to have real coconut milk in their espressos without a frightening price, but this place seemed to do that well.
I took a fancy to the bacon, the ham, the eggs and even their salad greens.
Having had little expectations towards my food, I'm glad to say that they made for a great breakfast, enough, I know, to last me my day ahead.
There wasn't much that we chose to do today- I had opted for a quieter time- so after a quick stroll around the property where I got to see birds in the garden and two albino peacocks- they were white- back it was to the room for some stuff to be done.
Afterwards it was to a massage place called Loft Spa that I went.
Located at Thong Lor, they came highly recommended, award-winning even, and no wonder, for the experience didn't begin only at the point of treatment, but began as soon as I stepped in through the heavy glass doors away from the heat and glare of Bangkok's spring sun.
Homely and comfortable, everything about the space made me feel like I were an important guest stepping into the living room of someone's treasured home.
Loft Spa didn't compromise either.
Almost immediately we were served a hot towel and a tea, and then afterwards, when ready, got whisked off gently up a little flight of stairs three floors above to an attic room where the treatment would be.
I wish I had taken pictures of the room.
It was rural-chic beautiful.
And the beauty of the room wasn't even limited to just the treatment room alone.
The outdoor rain shower and bath area- they had a full sized bath tub, mind- with potted plants at the side- were just as earthy and grounding.
But the therapists were waiting, I was keen to begin the treatment, and there was no time.
It was a three-hour treatment that I did this particular afternoon, and I wish I could tell you what name of treatment it was, but I'm afraid I don't remember the actual name.
All I remember is that there was a (very effective) body scrub, after which followed a most relaxing massage where I, as usual, opted for soft-medium pressure with emphasis on the head, and the shoulders.
Here's the thing though.
I'd always thought that I'd fall asleep only at head and face massages but here in Thailand I've actually started falling asleep as soon as they begin on the legs.
I don't know whether it's a different technique they're using but something about the way they massage the calves make it so relaxing that I get gently lulled into serious dreamland.
It's amazing how they do it.
What's also amazing are the refreshments one gets after the treatment.
Especially for someone like me who always end up feeling groggy after a treatment like this, so it's a great thing that we're bolstered with a pot of tea, and a couple of snacks to tide us over till our next activity.
I love how their snacks are culturally driven yet not excessively sweet.
Better yet, they're so cute.
I'm sure I will come back to Loft Spa at some other point or other, but today- after grabbing a couple of pictures outside the House- to the Siam Paragon area we went.
At first I wasn't sure why it was we were there- there wasn't much I was intending to buy- but I soon realized what a different vibe the whole place had, and got immensely charmed.
See, there're a whole lot of other malls in the capital, but if there's one thing that this area seems to have gotten pat, it is the retail mix so carefully curated for shoppers of all ages, all personalities, all budgets, and all kinds.
Of course it is a bit of a maze when you first step in, what with the entire space being connected to Siam Discovery, Siam Square, Siam Scape and MahBoonKrong (MBK Center), but with enough signs and directions and flow of shoppers, you'll soon find yourself seeing more than you thought you would.
If the Siam (Collection) wasn't enough, there was more to be seen at the MBK side. A little touristy with all the knick knacks and all, but there was a DDD in the shopping mall, and a surprising plethora of handphone shops, computer shops, consumer electronics shops, and shops selling computer accessories.
We didn't buy much there this time, save for a Lavender-Chamomile room spray, a Herbal Room Spray, and Dinner, which we had ala carte buffet style at this youth-oriented Japanese restaurant.
Shall I say that the food was gourmet?
No, not really.
But it was comforting, satisfying, and most importantly, fun.
For a great price one got to have as many dishes of different categories as one desired, meaning that you could have as much of salmon (and other foods) within the category of the price.
What I liked- for the youth oriented market in particular- was that you didn't need to go for the highest price category in order to have a delicious meal. There were choices you could make.
Like, you could have as much ramen as you wanted, you could have as much fried fish or gyozas or maki as you wanted. It really was your choice.
There were groups having bowls of donburi and ramen and drinks.
There were couples having a mix of fried, non-fried and sushi on their tables.
Then there were others who attempted to squeeze as much as they could out of the price category they'd treated themselves to, ordering not one, not two, but three whole plates of salmon sashimi. There was another attempt to order salmon belly sashimi after that, followed by scallops that came with some sort of sauce. A small bowl of ramen, a bit of fried in the flavors of gyozas and deep fried salmon, a couple of fresh oysters (which I thought was pretty good) and skillet hot plate beef that somehow we managed to finish.
Post dinner, we took a quick walk around the Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon Mall, after which I had to make an hour-long stopover at the very grand Siam Kempinski Hotel, and by that time because the shops were closing, we decided it better to head back by BTS instead of Grab car, so off it was to the station- I think it was Siam station- and we BT-ed back to Chidlom.