Coming in at a whopping 2.5 kilometers in length, the trail at Lumphini Park may be too long for visitors to tackle in one go. That said, this park provides visitors with a number of things to see and do. In addition to jogging or cycling the path, the park is home to a number of sporadic aerobic classes that visitors can jump in on. Paddle boats can be rented by those who want to take to the water for the day and slowly explore the lake which sits at the park’s core. Chinese-inspired gazebos, sunbathing monitor lizards, a concert in the park; visitors never know what they are going to stumble on upon visiting this massive green space in the heart of the city.
Bangkok shopping pick : Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin Night Market : A shopping paradise for fans of vintage stuff: If you are into things in vintage style, then you will find your place at the Warehouse Zone and Rod’s Antiques areas. Products are impressive in variety and quantity. And shoppers can get more inspiration for their love from many fellow vintage stuff lovers and hunters there. Genuine vintage and antique items available: Collectors can rest assure that items showcased at Rod’s Antiques section like French chandeliers, classic cars, motorbikes, cameras and kitsch furniture are all real things. Some comes from Thailand while others made their long way from all over the world (American, Europe, China and Myanmar) to shine their beauty at the market.
If you think Siam Paragon is gargantuan, wait till you know about Central World right next to Siam Paragon. Overall, its area size is a whopping 830,000 square metres dedicated to the retail shops, restaurants and entertainment. This makes Central World the largest shopping mall in the country and one of the world’s biggest. With a size this big, one only ought to say that it has everything from luxury boutiques, the newest technology, gourmet restaurants, entertaiment and so much more. It also houses an ice-skating rink and an outdoor venue for big events such as Bangkok’s New Year countdown celebration. I actually stood here celebrating the New Year in 2014, what an experience! Read more travel news about Paris, Bangkok or Los Angeles at Bangkok Shopping guide.
If you have your eye on everything high class, luxurious, and upscale, Gaysorn Village is the shopping mall in Bangkok to go to. The marble and chrome interiors reeks nothing but sophistication and class. To put it simply, Gaysorn is where the rich and famous head to for their fill on fashion and fun. In this exclusive shopping centre, an impulse of shoppers isn’t the normal case here but just a few elite members out on a splurge. Other than the international brands such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Louis Vuitton, and Hugo Boss, another note-worthy feature here is its innovative ‘Purely Gaysorn’ campaign that aims to offer a gold standard lifestyle shopping with its new Lifestyle Consultant team that exclusively helps you out on your style, parties, and gifts. With only a few shoppers at a time, the shopping experience here is truly relaxed. Expect only up-market fashion brands, jewellers, and the like when you enter Gaysorn Village.
The Arc de Triomphe is dedicated to the soldiers who fought in the French armies of the Revolution and the First Empire (Napoleonic Wars). Napoleon commissioned the building of this mighty structure in 1806 but did not live to see its completion in 1836. Designed by JF Chalgrin, the massive 50-meter-high arch features bas-reliefs with larger-than-life-size figures, which depict the departure, victories, and glorious return of the French armies. Particularly noteworthy is the bas-relief by Francois Rude on the Champs-Elysees-facing side: Departure of the Volunteers of 1792, also known as The Marseillaise, illustrating the troops led by the winged spirit of Liberty. On the inner surface of the arch are the names of more than 660 generals and more than a hundred battles. From the top of the monument, a viewing platform affords panoramic views of the 12 avenues that radiate from the Place de l’Etoile, including the route from the Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. It’s possible to see all the way to La Defense, Montmartre, and the Eiffel Tower.
Wat Arun is something of a triumphant complex, dating back to ancient battles between the former Siam and Burma. Having fallen to the Burmese, Ayutthaya was reduced to rubble and ashes. But General Taksin and the remaining survivors vowed to march “until the sun rose again” and to build a temple there. Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, was that temple. It is where the new king later built his royal palace and a private chapel. If you climb to the top of the prang just before sunset, you are rewarded with an unforgettable view as the sun sinks over the Chao Praya River. Even if you don’t plan to be doing any climbing, sunset is really the time to take in this place in all its glory. Source: cheap hotels.
Paris shopping pick : Grand Magasins on Boulevard Haussmann, Rue Tronchet & La Madeleine Start exploring this shopping area in Paris by strolling around the Place de la Madeleine. The streets surrounding the church-with its stately neoclassical temple design-are lined with trees and elegant shops, cafes and gourmet food shops such as Fauchon. Follow Rue Tronchet from La Madeleine and you’ll head directly toward the huge department stores Printemps and Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann (See Department Stores section below for more details). Along the way you’ll pass lots of neat shops. Keep your eyes out for a super handbag and luggage store called La Maroquinerie Parisienne on the right as you approach Boulevard Haussmann. The streets here are lined with shops all along Boulevard Haussmann leading toward the beautiful Opera Garnier. Stop in the huge Monoprix store near Galeries Lafayette for an uniquely Parisian shopping experience. This area is a shopping haven all day long and also after dark when the Opera creates a dramatically beautiful backdrop.
To truly soak up the alluring ambience of Paris, tourists should try taking a boat cruise along the Seine River. Besides being one of the most enjoyable things to do while visiting the city, Seine River Cruises allow tourists to see the sights from a different perspective. The Seine River bridges, Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum look stunning from the viewpoint of a riverboat. While a daytime cruise allows tourists to appreciate the glory of the monuments brightened by sunshine, the most romantic experience is an evening cruise. After sunset, the city’s landmarks are illuminated, which creates a special effect, and somehow the city seems more magical. For a cruise that includes dinner, try the Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Cruise. This four-hour sightseeing journey departs near the Eiffel Tour, and guests are treated to a gourmet three-course meal.
Paris restaurant pick : The one haute-cuisine restaurant in Paris that’s really, truly worth it? L’Astrance. Chef Pascal Barbot has the most elegantly lyrical gastronomic imagination of any chef working in Paris today, and it’s expressed by dishes that are often spectacularly simple, like his buttermilk and burnt toast crumb soup. The dish is not always on the menu, but if you tell them you’re desperate for it when you make your reservation, Barbot and maitre d’hotel Christophe Rohat are such nice guys, they might make it for you. Otherwise, you should beg for the mille-feuille of white mushrooms, apple, and foie gras.
