Backpacking by train starting from Kuala Lumpur than transit for almost 5 hours in Butterworth, Penang than continue to Bangkok with different coach. This video show our journey in coach from Butterworth, Penang to Bangkok.
"Think Your Next Trip, Think Malaysia Backpackers"
During our 5 days train trip from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok, we actually plan to visit Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of Emerald Buddha) or known as Grand Palace. We want to visit temple because my buddy Lim, want to make a wish. Do you want to know what his wish? He wish to have girlfriends and get married. From his face I know he pray so hard in the temple . But because time constrain we manage visit Golden Buddha Temple just near our hotel and also near to Hua Lampong Railway Station. I didn't know about this temple until i read some website said that
The Golden Buddha, officially titled Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon (Thai: พระพุทธมหาสุวรรณปฏิมากร), is the world's largest solid goldstatue
This temple become tourist spot either for local or foreigner. A little bit about Golden Buddha is the origins of this statue remain uncertain. It is made in the Sukhothai Dynasty style, and is thought to have been made during the Sukhothai period in the 13th-14th centuries, though it could have been made after that time. The head of the statue is egg-shaped, which indicates its origin in the Sukothai period. Sukothai art had Indian influences.Metal figures of the Buddha made in India used to be taken to various countries for installation. So the Golden Buddha statue may have been cast in parts in India.
The shape of the statue's head dates it to the Sukothai periodLater, the statue was probably moved from Sukhothai to Ayutthaya, after the latter kingdom came to predominate. This move may have happened in 1403.
Some scholars believe the statue is mentioned in the somewhat controversial Ram Khamhaeng stele. In lines 23-27 of the first stone slab of the stele, "a gold Buddha image" is mentioned as being located "in the middle of Sukhothai City". So this is interpreted as being the reference to the Wat Traimit Golden Buddha.
At some point of time, the statue was completely plastered over to prevent it from being stolen. Thus, the statue was covered with a thick layer of stucco, which was later painted. The plaster was also inlaid with bits of coloured glass. It is believed that this plastering over took place before the destruction of Ayutthaya kingdom by Burmese invaders in 1767. The statue remained among the ruins of Ayutthaya without attracting much attention.
In 1801, Thai King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I), after establishing Bangkok as a new capital city of the Kingdom, and after commissioning the construction of many temples in Bangkok, ordered that various old Buddha images should be brought to Bangkok from the ruined temples around the country. So this was the time that the Golden Buddha was probably brought from Ayutthaya to Bangkok.
At the time of King Rama III (1824-1851), the statue, still covered with stucco, was installed as the principal Buddha image in the main temple building of Wat Chotanaram in Bangkok.
After Wat Chotanaram, located near Chinatown, fell into disrepair and was closed, the statue had been moved to its present location at the nearby Wat Traimit in 1935. At the time, Wat Traimit was a pagoda of minor relevance (like hundreds of other Buddhist temples that exist in Bangkok). Since the temple didn't have a building big enough to house the statue, it was kept for 20 years under a simple tin roof. Thus, it seems as though the true identity of this statue had been forgotten for almost 200 years. (source Wikipedia)
2 things you need to know about this statue :
1. The statue is 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tonnes (5.4 long tons; 6.1 short tons). (According to another account, the statue measures 3.91 meters from base to top, and 3.10 meters across the lap from knee to knee.) It can be disassembled into nine pieces
2. At US$1,400 per troy ounce, the gold in the statue (18 karat) is estimated to be worth 250 million dollars. The body of the statue is 40% pure, the volume from the chin to the forehead is 80% pure, and the hair and the topknot, weighing 45 kg, are 99% pure gold.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 Location: Traimit Road (west of Hua Lampong Station), at the very beginning of Chinatown Price Range: Around 30 Baht to visit the museum located half way to the top of the building. Visiting the golden buddha itself is free. Web :http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-temple/wat-raimit.htm
"Think Your Next Trip, Think Malaysia Backpackers"
Madam Tussauds is a wax museum that originally started in London. I never been to wax museum before so I don't expect anything how the wax museum is all about. A little bit about the Madam Tussauds
Million and millions of people have flocked through the doors of Madame Tussauds London since they first opened over 200 years ago. Madame Tussauds opened its doors in the heart of Times Square in New York City in the year of 2000.
There are many reasons for this enduring success, but at the heart of it all is good, old fashioned curiosity. Today visitors are sent on a unique journey through the realms of history, power and fame. The museum-style ropes and poles have gone so guests can truly get up close and personal with A-list celebrities, sports legends, political heavyweights and historical icons, reliving times, events and moments that made the world talk about them.
Once I enter,I feel amazing with the wax statue because looks almost 100% look alike , the face , the physical even the eye also almost the same. The wax museum is divided into several section such as Influential Leader / Political Leader / Public Figure, Athletes, Singer dan Actor even Doremon also have wax statue. I really enjoy the wax museum even tough is wax statue there have 3D game and karaoke session rather take photo only. Don't easily touch any part of wax statue such ass or breast because you might suddenly touch the human one hahah just kidding.
Visitior Map : Your journey start here
Kick like David Beckham
They also provide karaoke facilities free of charge but very very limited song to select
3D Game : I looks like Ryu in Street Fighter game hehe. Let kick yeaaahhh!
Hi guys, for this time our trip is just to meet our local friends and have a short visit around Bangkok city. I would like to share my intenary so that you guys can use as reference if one day plan to go to Bangkok by train Day 1 : Departure at Kuala Lumpur Sentral Train Station at 9.30 pm because we take night train . Before that let see my video about price of food in train restaurant from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth, Pulau Pinang. Sorry it is in Malaysia language.
Day 2 : Arrive early morning at Station Butterworth , Pulau Pinang. We take at ferry to mainland then breakfast overthere. Then we take a bus and walking around the city until 12 pm . After that going back again to Station Butterworth and take another train to continue our journey to Bangkok. Sharp at 2.30 pm the train start moving
The train stop for a while for immigration at Padang Besar. Then the train will continue to Bangkok and stop for while at Hatyai Train station to connect another coach that also consist of restaurant. Now the coach are longer than before.
Along the way the train pass by some place and stop a for a while at some main station to drop off passenger.
Day 3 : We arrive at Hua Lampong Train Station around 1.00 pm. Our hotel just 5 minutes from train station. After check in hotel and we take a rest for a while. Then we went to The Golden Buddha Temple just for short visit because near to out hotel. Then went to MBK Mall. We have take our dinner there because the food court area they have halal food. A variety halal food you can find there and very convenience for muslim to eat there.
We meet out local friends at food court then after we finish out dinner , he bring us to Asiatique The Riverfront. The meet another friends there. The place actually is just open one a year ago and became a tourist spot for local and foreigner. Very nice place for chill and hangout.
Day 4 : After having breakfast at hotel , we went to Madam Tussauds (click for more story) a wax museum at Siam Discovery near MBK Mall. My 1st time to wax museum and we spent almost 3 hours to covers every section. Every section have different theme like sport , national leader and many more.
Then we have our lunch at MBK Mall but different restaurant not same place like yesterday. After that we just walking around the mall.
At 4.30 pm we move to Port Huas for our SSEAYP Reunion On Board. The reunion officially start at 6.30 pm . So happy to meet our batch 2010 and other batch too, remind us those day crazy thing doing on board hahah.
Day 5 : We wake up early morning because we because our flight at 11.00 am something and we need to be airport 2 hours before depart. For your information the demonstration just sparkle up just in Bangkok so we need to check out early as soon as possible. We took at taxi and he use alternative hight to avoid the demonstration.
Time flies very fast and the plane take off at 11.00 am. Bye bye Bangkok See you again in the future.
Our itinarary :
You may want to see the vlog about train trip at MBTUBE
"Think Your Next Trip, Think Malaysia Backpackers"
Hua Lamphong Railway Station one of oldest building in Bangkok city. It is well known among tourist and traveler as Bangkok Railway Station. It is main railway station in Bangkok city because the station will connect to almost very part of city through MRT and also other part of Thailand. A little bit about history of Hua Lamphong Railway Station
The station was opened on June 25, 1916 after six years' construction. The site of the railway station was previously occupied by the national railway's maintenance centre, which moved to Makkasan in June 1910. At the nearby location of the previous railway station a pillar commemorates the inauguration of the Thai railway network in 1897.
The station was built in an ItalianNeo-Renaissance style, with decorated wooden roofs and stained glass windows. The architecture is attributed to Turin-born Mario Tamagno, who with countryman Annibale Rigotti (1870–1968) was also responsible for the design of several other early 20th century public buildings in Bangkok. The pair designed Bang Khun Prom Palace (1906), Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in the Royal Plaza (1907–15) and Suan Kularb Residential Hall and Throne Hall in Dusit Garden, among other buildings.
There are 14 platforms, 26 ticket booths and two electric display boards. Hua Lamphong serves over 130 trains and approximately 60,000 passengers each day. Since 2004 the station has been connected by an underground passage to the MRT subway system, which has a nearby station of the same name.
But don't aspect the railway station like moden railway station like other develop country so prepared for the worst. Facilities that you maybe need is there have toilet plus bathroom and musollah for muslim to do their prayer. Other facilities like groceries shop, cafe and tourist information center.
MY ADVICE : Take taxi with meter and the fare cheaper than Tuk Tuk
"Think Your Next Trip, Think Malaysia Backpackers"
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