Postcards for the weekend 58: Markets

Souvenir Postcard from a trip to Bangkok, Thailand

So I've been to Thailand for many times, both for work and personal visit, but, for some reason, I've never been to the famous floating markets. I mistook this market on the postcard for Damnoen Daduak, a floating market which I know is just in the capital. However, upon reading the information at the back, this market is actually farther away in a province called Rajburi. I can't imagine how busy and how organized this chaos is in real life!

Postcard sent for postcrossing

Here's one of the busiest markets in Singapore. I've been to the Little India several times and I have always enjoyed the vibrancy of the place. There's a section for fruits and vegetables. There's also a section for dry goods that we can see on this postcard. Insets are a snap of a Hindu temple and the Taipusam Festival, where people puncture their body.

I hope you like these insights of markets from my side of the world, South East Asia.

Happy weekend,

~ maria

Postcards for the weekend 21: Sunrise/sunset

Thank you to everyone who wished me well for my trip to India. I'm now in Malaysia and will be back to Singapore in 2 days. It feels like I've been chasing sunrises as for two consecutive days, I was on the plane very early in the morning. One was coming in and another departing from Singapore.

For most of my postcards that has sunrises or sunsets, I reckon the most beautiful ones are those that are coupled with a water reflection. From the country that I just visited:

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sent from Dehradun, India
Traveled 4,710 km

On the above postcard is a Colva Beach sunset. Colva is in the west of India. It's a popular destination because of its powdery white sand beach, tall coconut trees, and yes, beautiful sunset. I've never been to this part of India and really keen to visit just for leisure and play.

Sent from Bangkok, 18 Sep 2016
Traveled 1,434 km

One of the many postcards I've sent to myself from Bangkok ... it's from September when I was really longing to watch the sunset while on a longtail boat ride through the Chao Phraya River. This wish finally came true before Christmas when I came back to Bangkok with my partner.

This postcard is from Thailand's neighbor, Cambodia and had been shared here in my blog in the past. It's one of my favorites to send out whenever I visit Phnom Penh, where my partner currently lives. Siem Reap, the city where Angkor Wat is more accessible is approximately 6 hours from Phnom Penh. Angkor Wat is truly magnificent! 2D photos like on this postcard isn't enough to give justice to the wonders within this religious and cultural complex. It's a sight to behold though with the silhouette of the towers amidst the fiery sunrise sky.

I'm traveling again to Phnom Penh at the end of the month. If any of you wishes to receive a postcard from there, please send me an email to avi_resha@yahoo.com and I'll happily mail you one! :)

Thanks in advance for sharing your sun!

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 10: Foods of the world (Asia edition)

Sent from Bangkok, Thailand by myself
Sent 5 Dec 2015, Traveled 1,409 km

My partner and I love Pad Thai! This is our favorite street food in Thailand. There's a food cart run by a couple in their late 50's at the end of the street of Sukhumvit Soi 11, Bangkok. Facing the Holiday Inn Express, the cart is on the right. No trip to Bangkok is complete for us without eating Pad Thai at that humble street side location. Sukhumvit Soi 11 is accessible via BTS Nana station.

Sent from Yokohama, Japan by myself
Sent 16 April 2016, Traveled 5,291 km

I had the pleasure of enjoying Kumamoto-style ramen at the Shinyokohama Raumen Museum earlier this year. This ramen style is said to be invented in Fukuoka, the origin of pork bone soup base or tonkotsu. Eating ramen at the Museum felt like an experience in a different era of Japan. The place has street and shops scene replication from 1958 Japan. It's the year when the first ramen was invented.

Outgoing: sent to Manila, Philippines

Chili Crab is on my top 3 must-try dishes for a visitor in Singapore. One must be willing to eat with bare hands to enjoy this dish the most. It is savory, rich, and fluffy. To be honest, I love the sauce more than the crab meat. But it's always fun cracking the shell and extracting as much meat as you can from the delish crustacean.

I'll be traveling to Japan & Thailand before the year ends. I'm excited to enjoy the first two dishes in their home countries. I'm also very much looking forward into inviting my whole family who will visit me here in Singapore soon to one of the restaurants that serve good chili crab. I can't wait!

Happy weekend everyone,
~maria

Postcards for the weekend 2: Bright Colors

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Ming

 

Just the second week of hosting my linky party and I'm extremely sorry for everyone who checked in earlier and the linky wasn't up yet. Today has been really occupied. I'm moving soon into a new city and the demands of preparations are taking more time & energy than I thought! 

Our theme this weekend is "bright colors". Here are brightly painted umbrellas from the north of Thailand. I've never been there myself and even the sender, Ming - as mentioned at the back of the postcard. I will be in Thailand next week but again, only into Bangkok. Hopefully someday, I'll get a chance to go to Chiang Mai and see this umbrella painting industry for real. I heard that the weather there in the north is amazing relative to the hot & humid conditions in the capital.

I'm so excited to see who are the participants to our party this week. Last week, our theme was "monochrome". We had three participants: Joy shared a George Minne artwork, John had a cat & a bookstore in one and a ferry in another postcard, and Caijsa posted real photos turned into postcards from Latvia & Czech Republic. Eva from Mail Adventures gave me a list of topics for future themes. Thanks Joy, John, Caijsa, and Eva for your participation!

Our theme next week is "flowers". For the guidelines of the linky, please check here. See you all again next week! Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

~maria

Stamps: 50th Anniversary of Thai Tourism Authority

I'm going to Thailand again one week from now. How I wish my trip isn't about being stuck in heavy traffic jams in Bangkok. How I wish my destination is about kayaking in one of Thailand's beautiful islands, instead.

This stamp is one of four designs issued back in 2010 for the above event. The other designs from this set can be viewed here.

Visit See it on a Postcard for other commemorative stamps at the Sunday Stamps linky.

~maria

Thai novice monks

Facebook Postcard Swap, Sender: Ming
Sent: 18 October 2012, Sent from Bangkok, Thailand
Received: 29 October 2012, Traveled 2,206 km in 12 days

Ming wrote: I'm sending you the card showing a monk receiving alms offering. In Thailand you can see this very often in the morning since most people here are Buddhists so they practice it quite regularly.

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Marie Laurent
Sent: 19 April 2013, Sent from Chiang Mai, Thailand
Received: 22 April 2013, Traveled 2,386.15 km in 4 days

On this other postcard, the young Buddhist novice monks are shown paying respect to Buddha image's head in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Ayutthaya is from the Indian word, Ayodhya, which is the birthplace of Rama in Ramayana.

~maria