First order of the day: explore Terminal 21.
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| Artist's rendition of Bangkok's newest themed shopping destination (net photo) |
Terminal 21 is the newest addition to Bangkok’s shopping destinations. I was told these are where the budding local designers set up shop and showcase their creations hoping they’ll penetrate the market, build a following and ultimately, move in with the big players of retail and design.
With the hype this mall is creating, it certainly is luring the clientele, both the young and the middle-aged professionals, and the daily foot traffic shows proof-- Terminal 21 has arrived.
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| Inside the multi-level "destination shopping" of Terminal 21 |
Why not? Terminal 21 certainly was created from an ingenious concept and encased it in a curvilinear structure to complete a look that will make heads turn toward its direction. This mixed-use complex mimics the look and vibe of a modern airport terminal with airline crew manning its information desk, the escalator ramps the departure and arrival gates, and the escalators (including the longest in Thailand at 36 meters) the ride to exotic destinations.
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| Your boarding pass , please?... Your "flight" attendant at the information desk |
A one floor one concept mall, each of the nine levels is inspired by a famed city—a Caribbean beach town look for the lower ground floor; a Roman city with its signature sculptures in the hall; the mezzanine level take you to Paris and the Champs Elysees where the Thai designer shops are; it’s Tokyo with the vibe of Harajuku on the first floor for women’s wear; for the men, it’s the third floor with the look of London; the array of colored lamps on the third floor conveys you’re in Istanbul and the souk sells accessories and decors; the look of San Francisco’s Chinatown and famous Pier adorn the fourth and fifth floors where the restaurants are; and on the top level where the cinemas are is appropriately designated as Hollywood.
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| The City of Rome at the Ground Floor |
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| Departure gates |
Another factor that contributes to the mall’s high head count is its proximity to two of Bangkok’s main transportation systems—the BTS Skytrain and Bangkok Metro. It’s a very convenient stopover for a breather after a day at work or weekend retail therapy where the coming and the going never pose as a problem with the mall’s easy access to the Asok BTS Station and Sukhumvit MRT Station.
From Paris...
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| Depart... |
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| Arrive.... |
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| Enjoy! |
To Tokyo...
To London...
To Istanbul....
To San Francisco....
And speaking of easy access, nothing beats staying at the connecting, the Centre Point Grand Hotel. The hotel has direct access to the mall and the Let’s Relax spa on the top level (www.letsrelaxspa.com) where I had a most relaxing aromatic hot stone massage. The charming Filipinas at the receiving area made sure I had the best therapist. It was a perfect day to end an entire day of exploring the world’s most exciting cities, in a single stop.
For more travel & lifestyle stories, visit http://jeepneyjinggoy.blogspot.com/ and http://apples-and-lemons.blogspot.com/
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on December 13, 2012.
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