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Art Exhibitions Outside Finland Travel

MOCA – Museum of Contemporary Art. A delight for the senses in Bangkok

One of my hidden pleasures when I am in a new city is visiting its art museums. I have wandered around most of the famous museums in the world: El Prado, Louvre, Hermitage, Vienna Museum Quarters, Metropolitan in NY, etc.

So as an art aficionado, I have to say that MOCA, Museum of Contemporary Art, in Bangkok, is my favorite museum in Thailand, and probably one of the best I have visited nor just in Asia, but around the world.

Moca Bangkok is located in the north area of the capital, and unfortunately not so easy to reach by public transportation, so probably the easiest option to arrive there is by taxi, but believe me, it is worth the trip.

With 20.000 sqm, it is an experience to be visited for quite an affordable price (280 baht for normal adult entrance) from the moment you step into the lobby.

Although due to its quality if might look like a state museum, in fact this is a private museum put together by businessman and art lover Boonchai Bencharongkul, and as in some other impressive private collections open to the public like the Thyssen one in Madrid, you notice the special care with the tight security with floormen watching in every of the 5 floors.

However, the museum space lets you breathe and bathe in art, the building is spacious and bright, with a lot of places also to sit and rest while contemplating the art in its rooms, so you really feel welcome there, and the personnel is pretty polite and speaks English.

The array of art forms displayed there is notable, from sculptures to cinema posters, a huge collection of Thai Ramayana and other Asian masks, shadow puppets, drawings and pictures

Some of the highlights that you can see around is an extensive collection of one of the most famous Thai artist, Thawan Duchanee with his trademark style of black and white or red beasts drawing and tools carved from animals teeth and fangs that is beautiful and unsettling at the same time. Also it is notable the huge space, similar to the chapel of a church, dedicated to contemplate the modern triptic “The Three Kingdoms“.

One thing that can be shocking for some visitors is that, even when located in a country such as Thailand that can be very conservative in some areas, nudity is all over the art work here, sometimes even full nudity in some of the pictures displayed. So this museum is not for the conservative minded.

I also love that the museum is big, but not huge, as I usually start to lose focus roaming rooms when a museum contains too many works to contemplate. It is perfect to spend a couple of hours and fully bathed in its art, but you will not end up tired or unable to concentrate anymore, so it makes it perfect for a half day visit.

Besides, when the visit is done, it counts with a very cosy cafe on the ground floor and some tables on the outside terrace with a beautiful view of outdoors amphitheater garden and a couple of beautiful permanent installations there, perfect for a coffee and a snack before leaving the venue.

As I said, not just for the quality of the artwork, but for the sense of meticulously care given in arraying the collection, the beautiful architecture of the building and the space to roam in peace around, this has become one of my favorite museums in the world. And the best part is that every time I visited, it was not crowded at all (apart from the annoying youngsters and teenage girls that do not care about contemplating the art and just want to shoot a million pictures for their instagram). In a way, it is a hidden gem in Bangkok standing in plain view. If you like art, or just feel bored one day and want to discover one more nice spot of the Thai capital, go and visit it. It will not disappoint!

MOCA official website: https://mocabangkok.com/

For more awesome museums in Bangkok, check:

Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys
A Bangkok hidden gem: Bangkok Dolls Museum
Bangkok Hidden Gem: Royal Thai Air Force Museum
Bangkok Hidden Gem: Sam Sen Nai Philatelic Museum
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Outside Finland Travel

Vilnius Dresses its Sculptures in Cozy Knits for Holiday Season

ImageVilnius’ Monument for Lithuanian Hound Dogs. Photo by Ahoy

Vilnius is celebrating the holiday season by dressing its iconic monuments in hand-knitted Christmas attire–eleven sculptures are wrapped in festive red garments. This creative initiative highlights the city’s cultural spirit, contributing to its recent title of European Christmas Capital 2025. Visitors can locate and visit the decorated sculptures with the help of an interactive map.

December 5, 2024. While many are searching for the perfect Christmas sweater this season, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is dressing up the city’s monuments in hand-knitted holiday attire for the Christmas season.  

The sculptures in the capital are dressed in scarves, socks, hats, capes, and various other festive accessories. The project aims to create a cozy feel by bringing warmth and festive cheer to the city. And in line with its motto “Unexpectedly Magical,” Vilnius channels a sense of wonder through these adorned sculptures, transforming them into symbols of festive magic.

ImageVilnius’ sculpture “Lithuanian Ballad”. Photo by Ahoy

According to Vilma Daubarienė, Head of the Tourism Department at Vilnius Tourism and Business Development Agency Go Vilnius, during the holiday season, we all want to believe in miracles, and Vilnius will help make that happen.

“Next year, Vilnius will become the European Green and Christmas Capital, and we are already preparing for this by combining sustainability with the holiday spirit and adding a touch of magic,” says Vilma Daubarienė. 

By dressing historical figures–beloved national symbols–and quirky urban art in festive, handcrafted outfits, Vilnius celebrates its creative energy, cozy festive season, and also draws on a pagan belief that animals and inanimate objects can come to life on Christmas Eve, adding an extra layer of magic to this project.

The initiative to create cozy outfits for monuments quickly gained popularity among the local knitting community–out of 30 applicants, 10 talented knitters were selected to bring this vision to life, who then created decorations crafted from eco-friendly materials like wool and rope. 

Jūratė Jaseliūnienė, one of the knitters involved in the project, expressed excitement about the idea and the opportunity to dress up the city’s sculptures.

“I had been thinking for a while about how fun it would be to decorate Vilnius’s sculptures with patterned scarves for Christmas, and this project gave me the chance to wrap one of my scarfs around Kristijonas Donelaitis himself—a very important Lithuanian writer whose monument is at the Vilnius University. The book he holds in his hands also connects to one of my favorite activities,” shared journalist and Knitted Lines founder Jūratė Jaseliūnienė.

Highlights of the initiative also include the Grand Duke Gediminas Monument in the Cathedral Square, now elegantly draped in a Christmas scarf.

The wings of the Vilnius Užupis Angel sculpture, often associated with the city’s image, have been dressed with a red sweater.

A famous Lithuanian woman writer Žemaitė is remembered not only for her distinctive writing style but also for embodying the image of a traditional Lithuanian grandmother. To honor her legacy, the initiative creators adorned her monument with a knitting basket and scarf.

The modern-day Lithuanian writer Jurga Ivanauskaitė, known for her love of cats and angels, inspired a sculpture of a cat, made in her honor. For the Christmas Knits project, the cat is playfully depicted caught in a checky mishap with a fallen Christmas tree and a bright red hat.

ImageVilnius’ Monument for Lithuanian Writer Jurga Ivanauskaitė. Photo by Ahoy

The monument featuring Lithuanian hound dogs reimagines them as Santa’s reindeers. This dog breed, native to Lithuania, dates back to the medieval Grand Duchy. Known for their energy, Lithuanian Hounds are perfectly suited to the role of Santa’s helpers.

In the newly developed Paupys district of Vilnius stands a striking sculpture of a gorilla, inspired by a motif from the painting of Čiurlionis, an internationally known Lithuanian painter and composer. Normally resting in a bath, for this Christmas, the massive gorilla has been playfully reimagined sitting in a festive sleigh.

To help visitors explore these and many other decorated sculptures, Go Vilnius has created an interactive Vilnius Christmas Map, guiding everyone to the key landmarks, activities, and photo spots throughout the city.

With its festive spirit, artistic flair, and cultural heritage, Vilnius offers a special holiday experience, where iconic sculptures and landmarks come to life in a way that celebrates both the season and the city’s vibrant community.

The city has been honored as European Christmas Capital 2025 by the Christmas Cities Network, which is supported by the European Parliament. This recognition celebrates the city’s embrace of sustainable and endearing holiday traditions that brings back the cozy, unifying feeling of community and connection.

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Antonio's blog Blogs Outside Finland Travel

The most exclusive Starbucks cafe in Bangkok with the best views

Bangkok, like any other big major cities in the world, does not lack of all kind of amazing, great and cosy cafes. You can find them all over the city in a huge variety of sizes, styles, decoration, drinks and food offer, terraces or indoors, more or less picturesque for those Instagram posts that young ladies seem to be addicted to, etc.

Of course among that variety, Starbucks chain is also present in the Thai capital (and not, this is not any sponsored post, I am writing it as a traveller’s tip cause I want to, but if anybody from Starbucks marketing is reading, I am listening for collaborations :) ).

What some of you might or might not know (I did not know until recently) is that apart from the normal Starbuck cafes that the chain spread wide all over the world, there are a few special branded Starbucks “Reserve” cafes that offer some special blends for the really coffee addicted and connoseiurs.

Although is not a roastery one, the Starbucks on the 7th floor of Iconsiam, one of the most visited and breathtaking malls in Bangkok (there is even a small artificial waterfall, similar to what you can see inside Singapore airport, inside), counts not only with the normal array of offer you can find in Starbucks, but also with the Reserve rounded section where you are able to taste some assorted selected blends from all over the world (and I think that bar section sells even alcoholic beverages, which is also you do not see in your normal Starbucks).

But apart from the drinks and food selection that you can get there, the highlight of visiting that Starbucks is that counts with an outdoors terrace space with a breathtaking view of Bangkok’s river and skyline. Bear in mind that tourists will not stop lingering around taking photos, so if what you want is a more relaxed sitting space to chat or read a book, maybe the indoors area is more for you, counting with 2 floors that accomodate clients.

Give a try to the place if you are a coffee lover or you just want to admire some amazing views of the city while losing yourself inside the huge Iconsiam mall on a shopping spree! A must see if you visit that side of the river in Bangkok!

Other great cafes in Bangkok:

A charming hidden gem cafe in Thonglor: Herringbone at Volve Hotel
New amazing cafe for lovers of sports cars opens in Bangkok Thonglor: Curvistan Bangkok
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Outside Finland Travel

One of the most beautiful Mosque in South East Asia: Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Masjid Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur is an exciting destination if you happen to be in South East Asia. One of the most multicultural environments you can find, where Arabic, African, Chinese, Western and Malay cultures interconnect.

Apart from its amazing malls and gastronomy, Kuala Lumpur also offers a rich cultural offer for those eager to discover it. This time we went to the outskirts of the city to visit the impressive Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Masjid mosque, which undoubtedly can be named as one of the most beautiful ones that you can find in SEA region.

The mosque is the main state mosque in Selangor and to reach it you will have to travel by car around 50 minutes – 1 hour outside of the centre of Kuala Lumpur. Luckily in the Malaysian city, services like Grab taxi work like a charm, and pretty unexpensive. A trip to the mosque and back to the city centre would cost you around 50-55 ringgit total, so around 10-12 euro. Not bad for one hour trip to go and 1 hour to return, right?

The mosque closes at 12:00 am and reopens at 14:00, so be mindful not to arrive there during lunch time, or you will have to wait for quite a bit.

Once you arrive, please remove inmediately your shoes or the ladies in the info desk will not be happy that you are stepping with shoes on. Visiting alone by yourselves is not allowed, but after a bit of waiting at the front of the building, a guide will appear and kindly will give you a free tour around the facilities.

Also be aware that being a Muslim religious site, you must wear correct attire. For men it is recommended to wear long trousers and for ladies clothes covering the legs and the shoulders, but do not worry if you did not prepare for it, cause before starting the tour, the guide will also provide appropiated clothes to cover to those that need to.

I found the visit pretty pleasant, as the guide was cheerful, funny and intelligent to explain about the building (the biggest mosque in Malaysia and the 4 minarets are some of the highest in this kind of construnction in the world). Visiting with just the guided tour means that the place was pretty empty, and you are given a lot of time and freedom to take all the pictures and videos that you wish. There is also a nice explanation of the help and services given to the local community, and you can also take some funny memory pictures in the wedding room at the basement of the building.

All in all, if you have half a day free in Kuala Lumpur, I would totally recommend visiting the mosque. Just the view from outside is breathtaking, and inside as you can appreciate in the pictures, it is a delight of architecture to be contemplated. The building was finished in 1989, so it is still very well preserved.

Discover other amazing hidden gems to explore in Asia:

Bangkok Hidden Gem: Royal Thai Air Force Museum
Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys
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Articles Misc Outside Finland Travel

A charming hidden gem cafe in Thonglor: Herringbone at Volve Hotel

Thonglor is one of the upscale districts in Bangkok and one of the most vibrant ones in terms of amazing cocktail bars, restaurants, nightclubs and cafes.

However, it is not so easy to find around a cafe that counts with an outdoors terrace and offers high quality service, food and drinks.

Herringbone cafe, located at the basement of Volve boutique hotel, has been for the last years my favorite place to sit down for brunch, lunch or coffee. A total hidden gem, easy to reach just 5 minutes walking from BTS Thonglor station.

The service is great, fast and friendly and they can speak English. The coffee is tasty and the array of food is great for a fantastic brunch, with a mix offer of Western and Asian cuisines. In addition to that, the small outdoors area is very cozy and fresh with the fans that ventilate the area, and it is one of the few places left in Bangkok where smoking at the terrace is totally allowed.

Try as some highlights in the menu the amazing chocolate panacotta, the Vietnamese sandwich Bahn Mi or the Eggs Benedict. Totally yummy!

Apart from the outdoor area, you also have a comfortable, stylist and spacious indoors area in the cafe, which is also suitable for digital nomads to work, as counts with tables with electricity sockets incorporated.

Although the price is not cheap for Bangkok (most of Thonglor cafes and restaurants are more on the higher tier of prices in Bangkok), it is totally fair for the quality received, nonetheless it has become a very popular spot for young Thai local females to go there and do endless sessions of pics and selfies for their social media.

Herringbone official site: https://www.herringbonebkk.com/

Discover other hidden gems cafes in Bangkok:

A very nice new artsy cafe in Bangkok: Just a Garden
New amazing cafe for lovers of sports cars opens in Bangkok Thonglor: Curvistan Bangkok
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Articles Misc Outside Finland Travel

New amazing cafe for lovers of sports cars opens in Bangkok Thonglor: Curvistan Bangkok

Thonglor is my neighborhood in Bangkok, and not being objective as I live in the area, it is one of the nicest area in Bangkok. Perfectly located and with an amazing array of cafes, cocktail bars, restaurants and excellent location to move around the city. (not cheap for Bangkok, that is the downside).

As a lover of new cafes, I was excites when I heard that a few minutes away from home, just close to the BTS exit of Thonglor station, a new amazing space just opened: Curvistan. So there I was headed to experience it in first person.

The cafe is not just a normal cafe. It is a huge area with a building and open sorrounding garden and parking that has been developed in collaboration with Porsche and the magazine Curves.

The design is therefore top notch modern, and obviously it is not lacking amazing Porsche cars, art and memorabilia related to the historical German cars brand.

Inside the building on the first floor there is a cozy and artsy cafe area with delighting drinks and food, but if you walk around to the exterior back patio, what you will find is a kind of open space sports car exhibition area, where you can find not only Porsche, but some other beautiful and exclusive cars that their owners display for the delight of the visitors there.

A secondary small open patio serves as smoking area and it is decorated with the hugest Porsche wheel you will probably ever see in your life, plus some amazing wall art specially designed for the cafe.

This is not everything. If you take the elevator to the second area, there is a very nice chilling space with more art to contemplate while you can lay down lazily in some fatboys, and some private business room that I guess can be rented for private company events and presentations in the future.

The building counts even with a 3rd floor, but when I took a peak, that was under construction, so I imagine that soon some nice space in a form of cool rooftop will be added to the venue when the works are complete.

This is one of the most interesting and beautiful cafes you will be able to visit in Bangkok. And if you are a fan of fast cars, surely is a must see in the Thai capital! It is also super easy to find, as it is right outside Thonglor BTS exit, so you can also go very comfortably in public transport there.

Curvistan Bangkok website: https://www.instagram.com/curvistanbangkok/

More amazing cafes in Bangkok:

A very nice new artsy cafe in Bangkok: Just a Garden
A Bangkok hidden gem: The Artist’s House
A great cafe in Bangkok: Adamus Cafe by the River
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Art Exhibitions Outside Finland Travel

A Bangkok hidden gem: Bangkok Dolls Museum

In the era where almost all the information is accessible in Internet in posts like this one, it is really difficult to consider a place a real “hidden gem” in a touristic city, overall if that city is Bangkok, with the huge influx of visitors, social media gurus, tourists etc that receives in yearly basics.

However, I bet you a coffee that probably you have never visited Bangkok Dolls Museum. Pretty much cause its location is not so easy to reach (I had to walk around 30 minutes from Victory Monument BTS and got a bit lost before finding its correct street, but during my path I found another small and great hidden gem park “Suan Santi Phap” that might be worthy of a separated own post). And also because their visiting hours are pretty restricted, as it opens just on Saturday mornings until 3:00pm.

Once I arrived to the house, because the museum itself is pretty much based on a couple of big rooms on the ground floor of a beautiful gated villa house, I was not even sure if the place was open. But the owner kindly opened the gates for me, and not only that, but as I was the only visitor, I had the chance to have a small private tour while he explained a bit about the history of the place.

I can say that this is one of the most charming and authentic “museums” that I have ever visited in my life. It is not big and can be visited in a few minutes, it is a bit dusty and some sections are chaotic, but it just exhales Thai tradition all over.

The museum was founded in 1956 by Tongkorn Chandavimol, a lady who became a famous doll maker after studying in Japan, even winning the International Folklore Dolls competition in Krakow (Poland). His son, a friendly a charming elder, keeps the tradition of the handmade dolls making and the place running and open to the big public every Saturday honoring the legacy of his mother. He proudly showed me the trophy that the city of Krakow gifted her as a guest as well as the prize for the competition winning.


The family’s love for traditional folklore dolls can be seen at the museum, cause apart from very beautiful displays of Thai dolls, there is also a section with pieces collected or gifted to the family from other different regions of the world, such as Russia, Spain, Finland, etc.


There is a chance also of buying some of the original dolls from the family there at the museum. These dolls were so renamed years ago that even the Royal Thai Family gifted them to foreign dignitaries when they had some official trips abroad. So although they can be a little bit more pricey than what you can find in some night market, I think that they represent a special unique souvenir to bring or gift to a loved one from Thailand, as these dolls are a part of Thai art’s history.

Bangkok Dolls Museum address:  ติดร้าน7-11 และคอนโด K J S 85 ซอยหมอเหล็ง ซอยรัชฏภัณฑ์ Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400

Discover more Bangkok hidden gems:

A Bangkok Hidden Gem: Nai Lert Park Heritage Home
Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys


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Art Exhibitions Outside Finland Travel

A very nice new artsy cafe in Bangkok: Just a Garden

Bangkok does not lack of great cafes scattered all over the city, with a great variety of flavors, decoration, food options and thematics. However, finding a cosy cafe with super friendly staff, open terrace space and that makes you feel like resting in an oasis in the middle of the chaotic city is a little bit more complicated.

In our endless hunt to explore the hidden gems that Bangkok has to offer, our path led to a recently new open cafe in Sathorn area: Just a Garden.

Mind that the place is a bit difficult to find, as it is located in a beautiful townhouse style area in a narrow street, and a good 20-25 minutes walk from the nearest bts/metro stations. But once I found it, it became instantly at first sight one of my favorite spot in the city!

As said, Just a Garden is a cafe with a big open garden style space around the building, which makes it perfect for people like me who likes sitting outside, enduring the humid heat, but having the pleasure of a smoke while reading a book or chatting with a friend. The interior walls are decorated with really nice graffiti from some artists from the Thai community.

The “artsy” feeling is also found inside the cafe building itself, as it really gives you a chilling vibe all around. You can sit comfortably in some sofa and choose a book to read downstairs while you order a drink, or you can even head to the 2nd floor, that has an amazing atmosphere to relax or even do some remote nomad work, sorrounded by cool paintings.

I had the chance to chat a bit with the owner, a very nice guy half Thai/German and his partner, and they transmitted me their desire to create this chill space where people could feel comfortable and escape from the city. They also seem to organize different workshops and events there, so it is not only a nice cafe but also a small cultural hotspot.

If all what I said before still did not convince you to give it a try, I must say in full honesty that the ice caramel latte that I ordered was one of the most delicious one that I tasted in Bangkok, and this is coming from a Spaniard for whom coffee is almost a religion! :) Fantastic, I hope other beverages in their menu are as tasty as that one I tried!

I will definitely go back to Just a Garden, as it is a place that has everything I dream of when I want to relax in a cafe: friendly staff, chilled vibe, amazing outdoor and indoor space and a cultural vibe.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention 2 more important details: first is that their opening hours are really friendly, as they open most days until 8, 9 or 10pm, opposite to other cafes in Bangkok that are closing around 5 or 6 pm, and secondly is that they also sell craft beers! So you can decide to use the place as a chilled place for caffeine or tea, or as a more social spot where to enjoy some quality beers with friends.

Cafe address: 68 Chan 28, Thung Wat Don, Sathon, Bangkok 10120

You can follow the activities and menu offered in Just a Garden at their official website: https://www.justagarden.com/

For other amazing cafes and hidden gems in Bangkok, please check:

A Bangkok hidden gem: The Artist’s House
A great cafe in Bangkok: Adamus Cafe by the River
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Outside Finland Travel

A Bangkok Hidden Gem: Nai Lert Park Heritage Home

If you have visited or lived in Bangkok for a while, you probably have stopped around Central Embassy mall area, a very busy location in the heart of the Thai capital with easy access to some of the best malls and excellent food choices.

But for many, me included until now, it could escape that just a short walk away there is literally an oasis waiting for you to be discovered in the middle of the jungle of concrete that Bangkok can be: Nai Lert Park Heritage Home.

The location is really a hidden gem in the capital, as it is very near from Phloen Chit BTS station, but its access is somehow not so visible unless you specifically look for the place.


What you will find is a very beautiful green park area, taken excellent care of by gardeners and staff, with very cosy cafes and restaurants at its edge to enjoy a relaxed brunch. The park itself is home to the cottage huge house style of the Lert Park Family and the gift to the city inherited from Lert Park, a successful Thai businessman who owned this land area, where you can see publicly displayed some of the pieces of the family collection, such as a beautiful classic Fiat car or some leisure boats docked by the artificial lake around the villa.

In front of the dock where the boats are anchored, there is a tiny but very cosy cafe with a fantastic terrace that offers some traditional coffee (I tried the black coffee with egg, similar to what you can taste in neighboring Vietnam) and food, that has become instantly one of my favorite spots in the city if you want to seat to chill reading a book.


The Home-Museum offers guided tours, but when I visited it, I did not know that you cannot buy the ticket on the spot and you need to book beforehand in their website or by phone, but maybe some other day I will venture to do it, as the price is quite affordable.


In addition, on one side of the park, you can also contemplate a really curious scene as in front of your eyes they will appear huge carved figures shaped like a penis. Yes, you heard right. The shrine displays a wide array of penises figures in different shapes. As this park is also the new location (before it was located nearby in other spot) for the Chao Mae Tuptim Shrine, a very special shrine to honor fertility and the female spirit.


So next time you are around Central Embassy mall area, walk a few minutes and give it a try to spend a few minutes wandering around this park, I can assure you that you will be delighted by the peace, beauty and delicious culinary tastes to make a small break from the big city, still being at the hart of the city.

Nai Lert official website to book tickets for a guided tour: https://nailertgroup.com/th

Other hidden gems in Bangkok:

A Bangkok hidden gem: The Artist’s House
Bangkok Hidden Gem: Royal Thai Air Force Museum
Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys
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Art Features Outside Finland Travel

A Bangkok hidden gem: The Artist’s House

Maybe not so hidden gem after all, as the location receives a relatively fair amount of tourists and visitors, specially at weekends, but still located off the beaten track in Bangkok, you can find the picturesque Artist’s House located inside Bang Chak Temple Community area, a place that can also be visited in some of the Bangkok channel water tours that are offered in any tourist agency.

The Artist’s House is an old style wooden house reconverted into a cafe and cultural area, and its original decoration plus the beautiful views close to the water channel and some beautiful temples make it a desired destination to run away from other more busy parts of Bangkok and expect a few hours taking some beautiful pics and walking on parallel to the channel.

During my visit, I could see how some courses for painting and for handicraft are performed, so it is a good place to awake your artsy side. You can also buy some handicrafts souvenirs, and taste some delicious coffee while sitting close to some quaint sculpture. The cafe also counts with a second floor where paintings from local artists are displayed, and that also counts with a workshop area. If you get hungry during your visit there are some places around the cafe selling typical Thai food.

To reach the place is not easy so maybe a taxi or bike taxi ride can help. But it is also possible to go with public transportation if you go to metro stop Bang Phai in the metro blue line (it will take you around 30 minutes from Sukhumvit/Asoke station) and then walk along some narrow streets for around 15 minutes. Remember if the weather is very hot to do some stops to buy water as you could feel easily dehydrated with the humid heat of the Thai capital.

If you are planning to have a long stay in Bangkok or you live here, I fully recommend to go to explore this place one day. It is original, it is beautiful and it is also a delight for taking cute pics for your social media.

Artist’s House FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/BaanSilapin/

Other amazing places in Bangkok:

A great cafe in Bangkok: Adamus Cafe by the River
Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys
10 Great tips for a date in Bangkok
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Art Exhibitions Features Outside Finland Travel

798 And 751’s Merger Makes It the Largest Art and Creative Industry Cluster in China

798 Art District and 751 D·Park, two of Beijing’s most iconic cultural industry parks, have announced their merger, a move set to enhance the city’s cultural landscape. This merger will provide larger venues for cultural events, enabling visitors to move seamlessly between the two parks without barriers. The “Summer Rhythm” event in August was directly benefited from this collaboration, highlighting the advantages of the merger by bringing together art institutions and commercial entities in both parks to boost the local nightlife scene.

"Summer Rhythm" Event Poster

“Summer Rhythm” Event Poster

Tracing back to June 25, 2024, when Beijing Electronics Holdings Co., Ltd. hosted an inaugural meeting to launch the Culture and Technology Platform in Beijing, plans were unveiled to merge the spaces, brands, and resources of 798 and 751, with the aim of creating a world-leading platform that integrates culture and technology. This initiative seeks to harness technological innovation to fuel cultural creativity and drive urban growth through cultural development.

Over more than two decades, the 798 Art District has emerged as a hub for contemporary art in China, while 751 D·Park has set a benchmark in fashion design. Despite their shared industrial heritage, each park has developed distinct cultural characteristics.

798 Art District on weekend

798 Art District on weekend

The newly merged parks will form the largest art and creative industry cluster in China, spanning over 500,000 square meters and hosting more than 600 entities. These include a diverse range of industries such as visual art, design, music, film and theater, media, technology, fashion, automobiles, architecture, and culinary arts. Following the merger, the 798-751 complex will further enhance its infrastructure to enrich Beijing’s public cultural activities.

Drama Summer - Beijing Drama Carnival Event Scene

Drama Summer – Beijing Drama Carnival Event Scene

Like the “Summer Rhythm”, a series of events including the 798 International Art Season, Drama Summer – Beijing Drama Carnival, 798 Art Festival, and the 751 Tech-Culture Festival will be held in the second half of 2024 with the doubled power. In the near future, multiple events in 798-751 will dramatically boost cultural consumption, inject innovative energy into the cultural industry, and establish the area as a cultural tourism destination in Beijing, recognized for its “International Vision, Art Leadership, Fashion Consumption, and Industrial Heritage.”

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Articles Misc Music Outside Finland Travel

A great cafe in Bangkok: Adamus Cafe by the River

Bangkok is not lacking in quantity and quality of amazing cosy cafes, although in the concrete jungle that the Thai megalopolis is, sometimes might be a bit difficult to find the combination of a beautiful cafe that gives you a peaceful and relaxed view and environment.

In our continuous exploration to find the best hidden gems of the Thai capital, we came across Adamus Cafe by the River. A beautiful cafe where you can sit outside just on the shoreline of Chao Phraya River, but hide from the buzz of noise and people of the city.

Mind that the cafe is not easy to find, as it is a little far from the city centre. If you choose to go there by public transport, you will have to take the Metro Blue Line to Bang Phlat (around 40 minutes ride from Asoke/Sukhumvit station) and then walk for another 10/15 minutes.

The entrance when you reach nearby is also not so easy to spot. Your best reference is the big Lotus supermarket. Cross the ground floor and go to the backside where a huge parking space is. Once there, continue walking opposite direction from the supermarket to the river. At the bottom of the parking area, you will see the entrance to the cafe.

Once you have completed this small “treasure hunt”, you will be rewarded with a cafe that owns some of the nicest views from the terrace from all Bangkok. The river on one side and a very cute small garden/terrace. If the weather is too hot, you can of course shelter yourself inside the cafe building.

The food options are nice but bear in mind that they only serve “Halal” food. I tried some Indian cuisine with Samosa and a curry plate, and a caramel ice latte. Honestly, I was expecting the food to be a bit more tasty. I think it can be considered average, but nothing super yummy. When you go there, you mainly pay for the location and view. Still worthy.

At the entrance of the cafe you will also find some amazing cute details: a foosball table if you are up for a quick match and a zone that resembles a vintage garage, with some vintage Mercedes cars and motorbikes. All very picturesque and “instagrammable”, both the entrance and the river side of the cafe.

Cafe page: https://www.facebook.com/Adamuscafe

Interested in more Bangkok hidden gems? Check:

10 Great tips for a date in Bangkok

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Blogs FREE! Blog Outside Finland Travel

Bangkok Hidden Gem: Royal Thai Air Force Museum

Bangkok has an almost amount of attractions for all kind of users: from amazing bars and rooftops to some of the most beautiful temples in the world. Many of these places are easily found in any tourist guide or internet article about the amazing capital of Thailand. But other gems seem pretty unknown to many of the citizens and tourists of the city. We therefore present you with a new awesome place found during our exploration around, the surprising Royal thai Air Force Museum!

6 Powerful Reasons to visit the Royal Thai Air Force Museum:

  1. It is very easy to reach by public transportation, as it is located right few meters away from its homonymous stop in BTS Green Line “Royal Thai Air Force Museum”. So you do not need any expensive taxi or Grab ride to reach there, and you cannot mistake the BTS stop name at all

  2. Entrance is FREE! Yes, you do not need to pay a single baht to visit it, just walk in alone or with family or friends, and enjoy a couple of hours of entertainment walking around

  3. You can visit both extensive indoors and outdoors areas. The collection of flying machines, copters and planes is quite stunning. Inside the building there are very nice displays of some classic Thai and foreign carriers, but also outside the main building you will find a lot of more planes and helicopters, and even some secondary buildings/hangars where the exhibitions continue. The area of the museum is quite stunning, so it makes it even more incredible that is totally free. And if it rains, you can always find shelter inside the main building area.

  4. You can even enter inside some of the airplanes and big helicopters exhibited there to have a complete real feeling of how the controls and the interiors area.

  5. It is a great place to bring your kids to explore around, and also for those who love planes in general or are fans of military memorabilia. And it is relatively quiet as not many visitors go to this place, so you can enjoy the place and walk around without bumping or being obstructed by other visitors.

  6. Outside the main building there is also a souvenir shop where you can find a lot of interesting stuff for sale: from toys, planes figures on scale or military badges, medals and memorabilia. Quite a curious place if you want to buy a souvenir a bit more original than the typical elephant trousers :)

Interested in more Bangkok hidden gems? Check:

10 Great tips for a date in Bangkok
Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys
Bangkok Hidden Gem: Sam Sen Nai Philatelic Museum
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Art Exhibitions Outside Finland Travel

Bangkok Hidden Gem: Sam Sen Nai Philatelic Museum

Bangkok has an almost endless array of amazing places to visit, as the big megalopolis that it is. But for the long term visitor or the resident of the Thai city, as it happens in any other city in the world, when you have lived here for long time and have already shown a few times the Royal Place, the reclined Buddha, the most famous night markets… you start to feel the hunger for discovering those “hidden gems” off the beaten track.

One of these places that most visitors never visit is Sam Sen Nai Philatelic Museum. And there I was headed on a free day, driven both by my hunger to discover new places and also, why not to say, by my hunger as a collector, as I do not collect stamps per se, but I have collected since I was a child coins and notes from all over the world

The place has a lot of positive things to make it a small hidden gem in the capital:

First of all, its location is really convenient, as it is just opposite to Saphan Khwai BTS stations, a very short walk away. Just mind that you will have to go inside the postal complex, and that there are no clear signs to guide you in English (mostly written in Thai around), so remember that it is on the 2nd floor, and do not do like me, who went to the upper floor by the upstairs and I had to catch my breath on my way back to the right floor :)

The second great thing is that the small museum is totally FREE. No entrance fee, so you just can happily walk in. And another good thing for you is that not being so popular, is quiet and you have all the space to explore with total tranquility.


The exhibition per se can be seen really quick, but I think that the best charm the museum has is its stamp collection per se, that is divided per continents and countries in sliding shells. You can really get lost watching the amount of beautiful stamps with different motives, from animals to popular artists, from all over the world. And of course the shining part of the collection is the area dedicated to the Thai stamps themselves.

One final great feature that the museum has is that you can buy some local Thai stamps for a bargain price, plus the ladies at the cashier were really super friendly and happy to help (probably they are bored with the lack of visitors and they appreciate anybody who decides to pass by). So if you are a stamp collector, or you just want to buy some small and light local gift for a friend, this is also a great opportunity to purchase some beautiful Thai stamps. I bought a few, among them some that were portraying the local beautiful Siamese fighter fish, for 1.5 euro total.

If you are a philatelic enthusiasms, if you are running out of ideas about what to visit next in Bangkok, or if you just happen to be around Saphan Khwai BTS area with some free time, go and give it a try. Meanwhile we will continue on the hunt of more Bangkok hidden gems for the delight of the audience!

Interested in more Bangkok hidden gems? Check:

https://www.freemagazine.fi/a-bangkok-hidden-gem-batcat-museum-toys/

10 Great tips for a date in Bangkok

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Outside Finland Travel

Tasmania – monelle tuntematon Australian saari

Jos olet kaukokohteitten ystävä, olet varmaan jo tutustunut johonkin Australian kaupunkiin. Sen eteläisin osavaltio Tasmania on kuitenkin suurimmalle osalle Pohjoismaitten matkailijoista täysin tuntematon saari. Lähinnä maataloudella elävä Tasmania omaakin australialaisten eli aussien keskuudessa lempinimet omena-osavaltio tai Australian takapiha. Totta toinen puoli, sillä omenoita kasvatetaan joka lähtöön ja valtaisan mannermaan rinnalla Tasmania vaikuttaa pikkuruiselta 

Tasmania on kuitenkin luontoa rakastavalle todellinen aarreaitta. Peräti 40 % saaresta on kansallispuistoaluetta ja noin 25 % UNESCON maailmanperintökohteitten listalla! Muutakin antia on toki tarjolla vaatimattoman kokoisten kaupunkien sylissä, ja brittien muinoin Tasmaniaan perustamien rangaistusvankiloitten museoalueet kertovat karua todellisuutta menneisyydestä. Ja tietysti casino kulkee aina taskussasi ajankuluna!

Näin pääset Australian mannermaalta Tasmaniaan

Tasmanian uskomattomaan vehreyteen pääset vain mannermaan kautta. Mikään ulkomaalainen lentoyhtiö ei omaa suoria lentoja. Vaikkei välimatka mantereelta ole pitkä, varaudu silti suhteellisen kalliisiin lipunhintoihin!

Lentäen: Lentoyhtiöt Qantas, Virgin ja Rex lentävät päivittäin useita kertoja eri puolille Tasmaniaa, Australian suurimmista kaupungeista käsin. Tasmanian suurimmat lentokentät ovat Hobart ja Launceston, mutta myös esimerkiksi Devonportiin ja Burniehin pääsee lentäen. Lentomatkan kesto on Melbournesta Devonportiin on 1,5 tuntia.

Laivalla: Mantereelta pääset Tasmaniaan laivalla vain Melbournen ulkopuolelta, Gelongesta saaren pohjoisosan rantakaupunkiin Devonportiin. Matkan kesto on 9-12 tuntia, riippuen seilaatko päivä- vai iltalaivalla. Autolautat ovat suuria, uusin Spirit of Tasmania on muuten valistettu Suomessa! 

Tasmanian kolme ”pakollista” kohdetta

Koko saari on luontofanin temmellyskenttää, jossa riittää seikkailukohteita niin ihmisten ilmoilla kuin kaukana korven kätköissä. Käytä siis tilaisuus hyväksesi, sillä uljaat vuoret ja sademetsät odottavat laidunten ja kukkuloitten lomassa. Seuraavassa kolme kohdetta, joita ei Tasmaniaan saapuvan vierailijan tule jättää väliin:

Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clairin kansallispuisto

Tasmanian suosituin vuori on Cradle Mountain, jonka terävät huiput erottuvat horisontissa jo kaukaa. Maailmanluokan vaellusta ja vuorikiipeilyä arvostavat löytävät vuoren merkityiltä reiteiltä unelmoimansa, mutta osa reiteistä soveltuu mainiosta myös meille ”Meikäläisille”. Ikoninen Dove Lake on jääkauden uurtama ja sen rannalla on tänään upea info- ja vierailukeskus. Vuori on monen muualla tapaamattoman lajin koti ja voit odottaa kohtaavasi myös ihanan nallemaisia ja hitaita wombatteja. Myös Tasmanian paholainen saattaa ilahduttaa sinua. Kannattaa joko vuokrata auto tai osallistua päiväretkelle, toki majoittuminen kansallispuistossa on sekin mahdollista, tosin kallista. 

Port Arthurin historiallinen rangaistusvankila

Tasmanian eteläosassa odottaa Port Arthurin alue, joka oli aikoinaan yksi koko Australian kuuluisimmista rangaistusvankiloista. Mahtavat museorakennukset, entiset sellit ja brittien pikkuruiset asumukset huokuvat kauniin meren edelleen rannalla vankien tuskaa ja toivottomuutta. Voit osallistua joko opastettuun kierrokseen alueella tai seikkailla yksin, pyydä siinä tapauksessa itsellesi kartta jo lippua ostaessasi. 

Hobart ja sen anti

Tasmanian osavaltion pääkaupunki Hobart on aivan Port Arthurin läheisyydessä, kauniin merenlahden rannalla. Kaupungissa vietät helpolla päivän tai pari, sillä antia on taiteesta ja museoista kasinopelaamiseen ja vuoriseikkailuun. Maineikas kallion sisään rakennettu Mona-taidemuseo yllättää jo arkkitehtuurillaan, sekä ulkoa että sisältä tarkasteltuna. Kyseessä on eteläisen pallonpuoliskon suurin yksityinen museo, jonka perustajan David Walshin kokoelman suuruus vetää vertoja monen valtion kansallismuseolle. 

Reilun kilometrin korkuiselle Mount Wellingtonin huipulle kannattaa ajaa ihailemaan joka suuntaan avautuvia uljaita näkymiä. Varaudu kuitenkin hyytävään tuuleen ja talvella jopa lumeen. 

Oluen ystävät ilostuvat kierroksesta ja tuopista kuuluisan ja iäkkään Cascade-panimon tiloissa. Vaihtoehtona on katsastaa ja maistaa vaikkapa Hobart Breweryn luomuksia.  

Tervetuloa Tasmaniaan!

Australiaan saakka ei mielestämme kannata matkata, jollei sen aikana vieraile myös Tasmanian ihanalla ja hieman uniselta tuntuvalla luontosaarella.