The Wildflowers Travel

Bangkok is the most visited city in the world and also, in my opinion, one of the most exciting places in the world. Bangkok welcomes around 11 million tourists every year and the number is growing. It is well known for its spectacular temples and pulsating street life. It is home to over 8 million people and is the political, economic, cultural, culinary and spiritual capital of Thailand. Bangkok has the best of both worlds - the traditional appeal and modern ease.  The city seems a bit disorderly at times but always with a graceful smile. It has also been my home for the past 5 years and admittedly there have been times that I felt overwhelmed by it all but at the same time, this "grand lady of a city" never fails to amaze me with her charming ways. There is so much to experience in Bangkok it can be hard to know where to start.  To get you orientated if you plan to visit I have put together a list of interesting facts about Bangkok. I am sure there are many more but...

How this Adventure started. My visit to Kho Kret was indeed an adventure and I can say that I have definitely earned the " T-shirt" for this one.   As the Songkran Holidays arrived I thought it would be great to spend a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Thus, I decided to go to Kho Kret. I  also had a pretty easy plan to get there or so I thought.  But as with all things in life my straight lined plan had a few curves, to say the least.  My starting point was at the Prah Atit Pier. (One of the many piers along the Choa Praya River)   I boarded the express ferry (cost only fifteen baths) all the way down to Nonthaburi Pier which is the last stop on this route. Once I got to Nonthaburi Pier my plan started to unravel a little.  I wanted to take a taxi boat to the Island but first of all did not think it would be that pricy, secondly,  I did not expect such a small size boat to take me there and thirdly I did not r...

Inspiration Known as the Palace of Love and Hope. This beautiful Palace is truly a place to feel inspired. My first glimpse had my imagination running wild. I conjured images in my mind of children playing in the garden and lovely music coming from the airy hallways.  I imagined the King sitting at his desk in the evenings writing his poetry with the sultry ocean breeze softly blowing through the window. I too would surely be inspired to write poetry living a beautiful place like this one. The Palace of Love and Hope How it was built. The palace was built to serve as a holiday villa. King Vahuravydh drafted his own designs for the palace and construction took place during 1923-1924. The king wanted the palace to be simple, yet elegant and in harmony with the tropical seaside climate. He also was very frugal in his spending on the construction compared to other palaces. The final construction was overseen by the Italian architect,  Ercole Manfredi. The Pala...

I had a few days off recently and since I am such a lover of history and stories a visit to Jim Thompson house was definitely a must on my list. I was utterly delighted to see his beautiful house and wandering through all the rooms you can't help but admire the meticulous attention to detail and his sophisticated taste. The lush garden which he called his ''jungle" was absolutely beautiful and I could linger there for hours under the shades of the Palm trees.  It is indeed an oasis in the middle of Bangkok and a welcome relief from the tropical heat. So here is my long anticipated post about the most famous expat of Bankok and his fascinating story. Jim Thompson  A Brief History Jim Thompson was an American expat who lived in Bangkok from 1945 until he disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1967. The story of Jim Thompson and how he saved the Thai Silk industry is nothing short of extraordinary. Not only that, but the story also weaves between the ...

  Bangkok is pretty much a modern world-class city with buzzing markets, fancy shopping malls, exciting nightlife and many more. Truly the stuff of many travel dreams.  But it is also a city deeply rooted in culture.  If you ever want to get a real-life glimpse of this exotic culture mix you should at least take a ride on one the many city buses.   Although they're not everybody's favourite means of transport, this is the real hardcore Bangkok and the cheapest way to get around for most people including me. From old to new, many colours and cheap. It is clear that these buses have been around for a long time but they all seem to be in working order. They are all different colours and the bus fair seems to fit with the comfort of the bus.  If it is an open air bus you will probably pay around 10 baths. For the air-conditioned buses, it is around  15-20 bath and the really expensive modern hybrid ones are about 25 baths or more....

Dear Friends On my travels, I have encountered amazing places that evoked awe and wonder in my heart and upon contemplation of those journeys, I was transformed in many ways. Although my bucket list is far from complete, I would like to share these five places with you and why I recommend them. As the Sufi mystic, Mevlana Rumi wrote; " Don't be satisfied with the stories that come before you; unfold your  own myth". 1. Camino De Santiago - Northen Spain  The Camino de Santiago is the ancient pilgrim's way across Northen Spain. You do not need to be super fit and people of all ages do it.  If you have a yearning for travel and something life changing this would be the thing to do. As much as this is a physical journey it is also a very deep inward journey.  I also had lots of fun on the Camino and very fond memories that will last a lifetime. The Camino is just the way life is; with good times and bad times, but you g...