Bon Marche Market, Northern Bangkok

One of the amazing homemade dessert stalls

(cute Thai girl too :-)

One of my favorite places to go in Bangkok is an upscale market called Bon Marche. Owned by a member of the Thai Royal Family, the market is a huge wet market as well as has an enormous outdoor food court (with delicious Thai food!), lots of individual restaurants and even gift shops and clothing stores.

Also check out Cafe au Lac, one of Bangkok's nicest independent coffee shops - it even overlooks the pretty man-made lake.

For a lot more information on Bon Marche market, check out this article about this wonderful north Bangkok market.

Riding a Motorbike Sidesaddle

If you live in Thailand long enough, you'll know you've become 'Thai' when you are comfortable riding a motorbike sidesaddle. What that means is, getting on the bike of the motorbike, behind the driver, with both of your legs on one side of the bike facing to the left, and your back facing to the right.

To bystanders, this can look precarious, but to generations of Thai women, it's pretty normal.

I know I've now become Thai as I can ride sidesaddle on the back of a motorbike holding 2 bags, 3 packages and on my cell phone. No hands!

For more on instructions on how to ride a motorbike sidesaddle read this informative article.

Zoos in Thailand

If you're in Thailand and love zoos, or your kids love zoos, then going to one of Thailand's famous zoos should be a priority. I love Dusit Zoo and Chiang Mai Zoo as well as Khao Kheow. Khao Kheow is especially fabulous because it's an open-air zoo, so the animals have tons of space to walk around and lots of green areas for grazing, standing in the shade etc. There's even a tram that drives you around the animal enclosures (which is fabulous, when it's really hot!) or you can hire bikes and cycle around yourself.

Read this article for more information on the best zoos in Thailand, where they are and how much they cost.