My Travel to Bangkok for Carving Art Study. Malisa School

A few days ago I came back from my trip to Bangkok, Thailand. 

I had a week there to study carving art, to travel Thailand and meet friends. Do you think one week is a short period? Every day I had carving practice, new friends meeting and nice talks with local people. 

My route wasn't a typical tourist route. Besides Bangkok I visited  Chiang Mai, a heart of Thai culture. Thanks Karla from TempleofThai.com for showing me around and getting me acquainted with Thai food and  culture on my first visit to Thailand! 

I have a lot to share with you my friends :) I will write several posts about my travel and study, you are able to read all of them by clicking the "Thailand' label in the sidebar of the blog.

Malisa School in Bangkok

Malisa Language and Culture School is very famous among Japanese carving artists. The school teaches fruit and soap carving art, Thai cooking and Thai dances. I took a soap and fruit carving course from Malisa teachers. 

The school is located at Sukhumvit district in Bangkok, a noisy place famous with its night life. So you have a great opportunity to learn a traditional Thai culture at the school in day and experience a mad city with pubs&girls in night (that is a contemporary Thai culture:)) 

Spirit house by the entrance to Malisa school.
Pray first before going for fun in the city :)

A hotel building with beautiful plants on the way to Malisa school

I have stayed at Orchid Place guest house in 3 minutes walk from the school. The guest house is aside of the noisy streets with a good location close to the train city line (Nana station). It was a safe place with surprisingly calm neighbours :) If you want to come to Malisa school I'll give you a contact of Malisa person to help you with accomodation and study schedule.

Malisa's teachers speak Japanese and English languages. You will need a knife for your study. You can buy it at the reception or bring your own knife. Malisa's designs are intricate, be ready to carve many small details.  

I was surprised to meet a famous carving book writer Narong Kasinsit at class, he is a teacher in Malisa.

with Malisa school's teachers and personnel (not all here)

with Tui-sensei

I had two lessons that day, on soap and melon carving.

my soap carving

my melon carving

melon carving in process

can't carve deeper, the melon is hollow inside

After lessons I went to find out what is Sukhumvit. Friday night was on. Loud music, pubs, food shops, narrow streets, people, cars, taxi, people, dogs, bikes, people.. Oh my! I found a post office and sent a postal card with greetings to my home (I have a custom to send cards from places I travell to). Went back to my hotel and got asleep. The next day I had early flight to Chiang Mai. That was my first day in Bangkok.

Morning in Bangkok, sunrise at Sukhumvit

Sukhumvit street in evening.