Day 5 - Asok Penthouse Cat Cafe!

Today was a day to take it easy. Both Darrell and I have been burning the candle at both ends on this holiday, and at 55 years old, we are feeling old age creeping slowly up on us. Despite my love of humid weather, it really doesn't love me. It is well known for creating the right moist environment for germs to breed, which is probably why I had infections after returning from holidays in the past, and it does make one's arthritis flare up. For those reasons, and one too many pints last night, we decided to take it easy today and visit a local Cat Café, one of our favourite things to do on holiday.

The Asok Penthouse Cat Café, situated next to the Terminal 21 shopping mall, just a few stops on the BTS sky train from our hotel, is a delight. Now, we have been to many Cat Cafés in the past, with varying degrees of success. Sadly, the majority of them were badly run and maintained, and the poor cats looked decidedly down and depressed. This is one of the reasons why I didn't want to go to another one this time around in Bangkok.

However, Darrell persuaded me to go, and I am so glad I did. The last thing I want to see are animals in distress, as I have in the past, but here, you could immediately tell how happy, content, and loved they are. The café is not a money making machine, it is a not for profit organisation that is there to care for cats who need it most. 

Situated on two levels, there are cats everywhere you look. After ordering a drink and piece of cake, we made our way upstairs to the second floor, where there are cats that are waiting to be rehomed, or in need of more, one on one care. Here I met Som, a three-legged ginger kitten who had been involved in a car accident and was now being cared for by the staff and volunteers at this amazing place.

Som was lovely, such a sweet girl and so loving. You could tell she was still very fragile, but as one of the volunteers said — 'she is growing stronger each day'! I am sure that with a bit of help and encouragement, she will be fine eventually. I would have taken her home like a shot.

All the other cats are equally well-adjusted and very friendly. The Asok Penthouse Cat Café, gave me faith back in these most unusual of eating establishments, and I may just go to another one in future. For now, I am happy we spent time there and would like to offer my sincere thanks to all the volunteers who work there, for an informative and relaxing few hours in the company of their cats!

Over the road from the cat café is Terminal 21, which has become our new favourite shopping mall in Bangkok. I suppose it is set out like an airport terminal building, with each floor named after a country. The signage, throughout Terminal 21, looks similar to an airport and the sheer size of the place mimics an airport in every respect.

This is a place where you can get lost pretty easily, and like most of Bangkok itself, there appears to be no logic in regard to the layout. Having said that, the atmosphere of the mall was friendly and unlike Icon Siam and Central World, it isn't overpriced in the slightest. Unusually for me, I enjoyed walking around this rabbit warren of shops and stalls and could have spent the whole day and a hell of a lot of money being there.

The London floor, was particularly well done, with the restrooms created in a London Underground theme. I'm not sure that it was entirely appropriate to be taking photos in public toilets, but I was just so taken with the place, it just had to be done.

If you are coming to Bangkok, give Terminal 21 a visit, I know you won't be disappointed. Equally, bring a rather fat wallet of cash — cash is most certainly king here. Yes, they do take cards, but they would rather you give them money, which, it has to be said, much of Thailand prefers as well!

​I'm sure me and Darrell will be back before we leave for Singapore on Sunday!

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