Hua Hin Part 3 : Summer Palace & (Bangkok) Chaopraya Dinner Cruise

Later that evening, we had a meeting back at our hotel.

Basically, on fam trips, we have meetings every now and then to provide our feedback to the Thailand Tourism or Hotels to improve their services for future tourists.

I was the only blogger represented there.




Don't tell anyone, but I was actually chatting on msn when they were having the meeting. :p


The next day, we packed and left for Bangkok, but not before stopping by the summer palace for a visit.





This is the Mrigadayavan Palace, the famous summer palace of His Majesty King Vajiravudh, Rama VI.


Big family huh?


FYI, this is the current King of Thailand.




King Rama IX.
Quite the loyal guy if you ask me.

If you can't see the image of the royal family tree properly, here's a clearer image of it.


The Summer Palace has been abandoned and was converted to a tourist area.




But there are some parts of the palace where you are forbidden to visit to respect the royalty. Like the concubines quarter for example, where only ladies and lady guards are allowed inside.




Like down this corridor which led to the sea was the resting room of her queen who was constantly sick during her reign.




The whole palace was made of wood, hence was severely deteriorated decades after it was abandoned.

I've always like walking through an ancient building or structure. It's like you've been transported back in time to how the olden days was.




Where royalties have to be dressed properly every evening before being adjourned to gather at the royal dining hall to dine.




You will see some of the ancient instruments where the king and his concubines would sit and listen to the music played by their servants/performers.




Walk down the staircase at the back of the palace,




you will find the servant's quarter.

Row of four walled rooms where a pair to four servants will sleep at night.




The head of servants however will get his/her own room.

At night, with the help of oil lamps, the lady servants will stay awake to do some sewing for the royal wardrobe.




This must be the cutest sewing machine I've come across.




It's pretty cool listening to the stories of the olden days, of how servants washed mass amount of heavy royal clothing daily, or scouted and guarded the palace at night.


Then like every tourist place, we were ushered to the souvenir shop to buy some things where has no relation to what was visited before.




I got this huge pink straw hat that cost me 600 baht (RM60). -.-

If you think the hat I got was huge and ridiculous,

you'll be surprised that I was almost tempted to buy this straw hat.




So big it drooped to my arm and it cost RM120.


If you're a shopaholic, remember to drop by the shopping village before you head back to Bangkok.




The last time I visited a shopping village was in England. God I didn't know they have something like this in South East Asia too.

Basically it's like a whole village area created for the sole purpose of shopping. All outlets here are shops and shops and cafes, a shopper's heaven.




The final leg of the journey was back to Bangkok.

That night, as a farewell party, we have the inevitably most romantic dinner you can find in Bangkok - Chaopraya Dinner Cruise.




Anyone who wants a complete Bangkok experience cannot leave the country without experiencing dinner cruise on the Chaopraya river which separates Bangkok old and new town.

The boat cruises pass some of the most prominent sculptures and buildings in Bangkok, like the imperial palace.





Hilton hotel?








While having a saxophone serenade you through your dinner.




Good view, good food, good music, good company.

Really, top that for a perfect romantic evening.


ps// read Part 1.
and Part 2.