Ayutthaya by River Sun Cruise - A review

Sunday 25 January 2015 - Ayutthaya by River Sun Cruise

I decided to join a full day tour to Ayutthaya with River Sun Cruise company. They currently have a 1553 baht deal which include admission fees, English speaking guide, insurance, pick up and drop off hotel transfer, coach to the attractions, buffet lunch and a boat cruise back to Bangkok. I will tell you my verdict at the end

Breakfast isn't included so have a big one as lunch won't be served until at least 1 PM. Pick up starts as early as 6.30 AM.
The mini van dropped us off at River City shopping mall to join a big bus coach. 

The coach

It took 1 hour to arrive at first destination, Bang Pa In palace. On the site, there are still guards with weapons.

On the way from Bangkok to Bang Pa In

 

Entry for foreigner is 100 baht. The place is rather odd to me because it has mixed style of architecture, Thai, Chinese and Western. Since it also has temple, the strict temple clothing applies. You can rent a sarong and scarf for a refundable deposit.

Just be aware, that as in most large attraction in Bangkok, when you are making your way to the palace, a man with photographer will take your photo without your consent. Later, after you finish the tour and returning to the bus, you will find a small table set up at the coach's door with all photos that are taken on each person, framed with the attractions images. You are not obliged to purchase it, I didn't ask about the cost, but I guess it would be on the 200 something baht mark.

golf cart for hire, excluded

the entrance

a small temple near the entrance

Inside the small temple

a park inside the palace

one of the bridges

The larger temple where you need to take the shoes off

a pagoda near the larger temple, you can go up, barefoot

Then after a 1 1/2 hours guided tour, they took us to Ayutthaya, the main attraction of the day. It took us another 40 minutes to the first site of Ayutthaya, which is the Wat Maha That, the home of the famous buddha's head in a tree.

On the way to Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya

home of the buddha's head in a tree

Wat Maha That charges about 50 baht.The site itself isn't too big in my opinion.
Here, we are given a free time about 1/2 hour.

It is much smaller than expected, and it's near the entrance, won't miss it

 

The second site, Wat Naphrameru-Rajikaram, only took about less than 5 min from Wat Maha That. It was constructed in 1499 AD, by the tenth king of Ayutthaya, and the site of the peace issue discussion between Thailand and Burma after Thailand was defeated in 1569 AD. It is still used as a place of worship by the locals.
We were given 20 minutes here, no entrance fee.

Donation from the public who worship there

The third site, Wat Na Phramain, only a few minutes short drive from second site. There isn't much to see here, other than a big reclining buddha statue, which the locals also prayed too. No entrance fee.
We took only 5 minutes here, just for a photo

Under tour guide's advice, some tourist took the reclining position on this spot for a photo

45 minutes drive later, we were dropped at a pier to board the 2 storey cruise. Buffet lunch was served and we cruised slowly back to Rive Sun City mall where our mini van was waiting to the hotel. I think the cruise took about 2 hours or so, I can't remember but it was slow.

For the buffet, there are arund 6 types of Thai menu style including tom yum soup, a selection of fruits, about 6 Thai sweets and some chocolates cakes, a salad bar, selection of mini sushi, and 3 western style food, hot tea and coffee. Other drinks are additional.

Inside the cruise

The main course corner

appetizer

Dessert corner

mango and sticky rice with coconut sauce - not the best one I've had

The drinks are not included - 80 Baht for a coconut, which is about double the street price

I will posted the photos of the chao phraya river where the cruise sails in another blog.
So my verdict of the tour is, I will give it 4 out of 10.


The good stuff: The overall tour didn't feel rushed, the middle aged tour guide was pleasant and chatty, sharing Ayutthaya history and Thai current affairs. They do stick to the program as stated on the website: http://www.bangkok.com/river-cruise-tours/riversun.htm

The bad stuff: Too much unnecessary stops, for me Ayutthaya is the only one you would want to go (but even so, I was quite disappointed, if it isn't a UNESCO heritage site, I wouldn't go there). So my recommendation is, skip the tour, better yet, forget Ayutthaya and go to Sukothai instead, but only if you have like 2-3 days as Sukothai is quite far from Bangkok and cannot be a day trip. 

If you really want to go to Ayutthaya, I suggest a half day tour or rent a van with a driver just to go there. The buffet was so so. The tour company didn't even provide a complimentary drink

B1A4 Road Trip Sydney Concert 20 September 2014

So since becoming a kpop fan in January 2014, I had my first kpop concert on Saturday night 20 September 2014. Few months ago since I knew about B1A4 and like most of their songs, I promised my self that I would go to see their concert if they ever come to Sydney, and on July, I found out that they are having their first world tour including Melbourne and Sydney on September.
My only regret was that my first kpop concert wasn't my bias group, BAP since I became their fans 2 months too late, it was after their Sydney concert. 

Below is my review of the concert, it won't be as comprehensive as other reviews, so let's call it my account on the concert.

Luna park's entrance, after the concert

Venus is at the Big Top, inside Luna Park, apparently this is where all kpop concerts are held. The venue is small, but I prefer it as it is more intimate. In front of the stage is the VIP standing, then the general standing, then at the second floor is the seated area.

We arrived around 4.30, the gate openend at 6ish and the concert started on 7.10 PM.
When we arrived, I found that there were already a long queue, but turned out it didn't really matter as there were still plenty of space at the VIP area (we upgraded from seated ticket to VIP when i found out about a week to the concert that all VIP ticket holders are guaranteed to high 5 the boys after the concert.

the queue, all the way passing the tall building

The VIP area was about 80% full, and the seated area was about 90% full, i couldn't see how full the general standing but i guessed wasn't that much.

the screen on stage

B1A4 started the concert with their debut song, OK, then they sang most of their hit songs like Beautiful target, What's happening (seems like the crowd's favorite), tried to walk (They did a soft version which I like), amazing, Lonely, few other songs from their albums and three songs from their SOLO DAY album. They closed the concert with Baby goodnight. They also sang one English song, accoustic version, which I don't remember the title now.They changed their clothes twice plus a plain printed white shirt for the encore. During the brief talk session, it was mostly CNU who has been to Sydney once 10 years before and Baro who conversed to the audiences in English. Theirs are pretty good and clear.

During chu chu chu, they serenaded the song to one fan who was chosen by their manager. They gave a really great fan service by back hugging the girl, being so close to her, holding hands, also gave her a big bear plush. 

The guys sang live with a band and it was good.
Overall the concert went for about 1 1/2 hours and the crowds were shouting, screaming and singing along nonstop.

Then we waited about 10 minutes before we lined up and went to high 5 the guys before ushered to the exit doors.

The highlight of that night was during one of the songs of the encore when i realized my bias member, Jin young went missing, so was Gong chan. I had a feeling that they would turn up somewhere near the VIP area, and my hunch was right, as suddenly I saw Jin Young appeared on the left hand side below the stage with a polariod camera, noone realized yet there was only a guy in front of him, I ran and stood so close too him, there was only a barricade between us, soon other people followed. I couldn't say anything, I think I touched his shirt a little bit, I didn't even thought about what I was doing, and when he was about to take a self polaroid camera, of course the only sensible thing to do was to pose....so I did, but his hand which was making an OK sign, completely blocked my face, lol...it's ok, I never really want to show my face here anyway. He was so so close, I swear I regretted not just pulling him into a hug.

the polaroid taken by jin young on the night, which i get to keep

Then he disappeared, a while later, i saw Gong chan running next to me, straight to the second floor and said hi to the audience there, no one ran or tried to hug him, they were probably surprised. 

During the high touch event, we get to see them very close and clearly, they don't seem to be that tall, or maybe they hunched a little bit, but anyway they are all more good looking in person, Baro especially surprised me the most as his face is so small. It all went so fast that I couldn't feel anything or their hands, lol.

Overall, it is a good performance, I know all along that B1A4 doesn't do fancy choreograph or stage, they are faithful to their boyish and cute concept since debut.
On other note, I saw SBS pop asia's Jamaica and
So that was what I remembered, I'm sure in the future I will be going to another kpop concert.

Thailand November festival Sydney 2012 - Loy Krathong (ลอยกระทง) Part 5 Final

Every festival must have performances. The Parramatta's Thai Festival on the river is no exception.

Thailand November festival Sydney 2012 - Loy krathong (ลอยกระทง) Part 4

Here are some of the showcases of Thai products

I was surprised to see how similar the showcased Thai products to Indonesian and balinese products. Apart from batik, Thailand also have shadow puppet, which is called 'wayang' in Indonesian.