Terminal 21: The World In A Mall

It is a myth that all women love malls and shopping. This woman would rather be out and about, exploring the world than stuck in a mall.

During my trip to Thailand a few weeks ago, after spending most of the day indoors in a conference, I was whisked off to a mall. At first, I was not terribly excited. But as soon as we entered Terminal 21, I was thrilled. Terminal 21 is located in Sukhumvit 21 in the heart of Bangkok, right on Asoke intersection(easily accessible through the BTS and MRT stations), yet I felt like I was in an airport terminal, not a mall. You enter the mall through what seems like an airport x-ray. The doorman is dressed in all white-pilot’s outfit, while the customer service lady manning the counter, was dressed like a stewardess. Each floor was devoted to a different destination namely: Rome, Paris, Tokyo, London, Istanbul, San Francisco and Hollywood.

Not a stewardess! She's the mall's customer service attendant

I easily fell in love with Tokyo, with giant sumo wrestler statues and cutesy arcade games and photo sticker booths. But it was the romance of Istanbul’s vibrant lamps that endeared me the most.

Welcome to Tokyo, sumo-wresters and all..

A giant version of the ubiquitous lucky cat

The toilet in the Istanbul Floor

The shops and restaurants match the theme on each floor. And don’t miss the toilets, which are an attraction on their own. It felt like I was in the underground in London, waiting for a subway, instead of heading to the loo.

Nope, not the Underground. This is the Loo

It really feels like this guy is waiting for the train. He's actually on the way to the loo.

After exploring the mall, my host, Inthira, from the Tourism of Thailand, scheduled a Thai massage for me. To my surprise, most of the attendants were Filipino. So, while this mall did not have a floor devoted to the Philippines, head to the sixth floor and you get a taste of Filipino warmth and hospitality at Let’s Relax Spa.

Filipino hospitality in the sixth floor

 The sticky rice served after the relaxing massage, reminded this disoriented shopper where I was... still in Thailand!

It’s the perfect shopping destination for travelers like me, who can’t get enough of the world.


Copyright2012. Maida Pineda. Thanks for journeying with me. For your daily dose of Delicious moments that spark a journey within join me on Twitter  and Maida's Touch Facebook page