Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Bangkok
The 7,975 mile/13,292 kilometer trip to Bangkok was via Hong Kong. We arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport about midnight Thursday/Friday, a trip of 19 hours. The airport was new since our last trip to Bangkok.
Next morning we set out for Wat Po and the Grand Palace. We had visited these sites in 2004, but decided to return with a better camera. Also, due to the “Bangkok Shutdown”, it seemed prudent to focus on areas that could be reached by public transit. Our transportation was on a Chao Phraya Express Boat. The boats stop for only about 20 seconds at each pier, and then they are off.
Here’s the view from near the stern, looking forward.
Here is a the part of the map showing the area of our hotel, the Chao Phraya River, Wat Po and the Grand Palace. Link to interactive map of Bangkok here and full trip here.
Wat Po is a large Buddhist temple with wonderful architecture and art. We liked it enough on our last visit to Bangkok, that we elected to return.
Here is a statue guarding an entrance door to the temple.
Stupas are all over the temple.
Detail of tiles covering a roof.
Here is another guard at another door.
There are hundreds of Buddha statues inside the temple.
The reclining Buddha is the biggest, 43 meters/150 feet long.
It isn’t easy to photograph!
Near the head, looking down toward the feet. Visitors are illuminated by light from a doorway.
The visitors are looking at the 108 mother of pearl panels on the Buddha’s soles.
One last close up of the artistry on display at Wat Po.
Then we walked out and over to the Grand Palace (another return visit), and saw these delightful elephants in a street intersection. The taxi on the left is a tuk tuk.
This is the monumental view after walking through the entry gate.
The detailed work on everything is remarkable. This is a typical window; each one is unique.
Another guard, another door.
Here is a real guard, at the entrance to the Palace.
There are also illustrations along covered arcades.
This is a life size statue. Note the fellow has a lion’s tail.
This is a colorful corner of one of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, a highlight of the buildings on the Palace complex.
Just a bit more detail to show.
We got back on an express boat and went down river several stops to have lunch.
As we overtook a long train of barges, the conductor walked by, shaking her fare box to get the attention of passengers who had not yet paid.
After 16 hours in the air, we arrived at the new (for us, anyway) international airport in Bangkok about midnight. The next morning, we revisited Wat Po and the Grand Palace, not far upriver from our hotel.
Next—Chatuchak Weekend Market and a trip north to Ayutthaya, the old capital of Siam.