Temple Overload
Updated: Dec 13, 2020
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I had planned this day to be full of temples...because Bangkok is full of them! Pretty much every area of town has some sort of major temple to see. I remembered my first trip to Italy and how I sort of overdosed on churches--every one of them had something special about them that I wanted to see (a sculpture by Michelangelo...some sort of religious relic, etc), but after a couple of days they all seem to run together. I was determined not to overload here and just concentrate on the majors.
Go big or go home, right? So I started today with the Grand Palace--the biggest in town--and also the most crowded. I had read that it was best to go first thing in the morning, because of the crowds, so I got up early and took the train to the main boat pier and took a boat up the Chao Praya river to the Grand Palace. This was my first real look at the financial disparity of Bangkok...unlike some cities where there are poor areas of town and rich areas of town...everything here is mixed together. There will be an abandoned building next to a giant high rise.
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All those people who said you could beat the crowds by going early...LIED. It was already very hot out, and the crowds were overwhelming. I was still determined to see everything...so I headed in. It was so beautiful and worth it.
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It was almost impossible to take it all in. I imagine you could spend a week exploring this place and not see all of it.
I then decided to walk to the next place, Wat Suthat, which is famous for the giant red swing out front that is 24 meters tall, built in 1784. Every year after the rice harvest, young men would swing on it as high as possible, and try to grab a bag of silver coins with their teeth. Needless to say, a lot of them were injured or died. They stopped the practice in 1932. The walk there was much longer than I anticipated...and it was so very hot.
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I knew there was no way I could walk all the way back...so I called my first GrabTaxi--their version of Uber. It RULES. Finally some A/C and a ride back to Wat Pho...which, as it turns out, became my favorite temple in Bangkok. Far less crowded, and they even have a famous massage school on the premises where Thai massage began. After exploring, I had the best foot massage of my life. This Wat is also the home of a giant reclining buddha--150 ft long, built in 1832. Along the side of the giant buddha are 108 prayer pots. 108 is a significant number referring to the 108 positive actions and symbols that helped lead Buddha to perfection. It is thought that if you drop 108 pennies, one into each pot, your wishes will be granted. Also, it will bring you good luck and a long life. Of course I did it.
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Having discovered the joys of GrabTaxi, I took one to Chinatown (largest one in the world...other than CHINA of course), where the taxi let me out at the Chinatown gate and I stopped in at an ubiquitous 7-11 store...they are EVERYWHERE--sometimes 2-3 per block. I had read somewhere that their toastie sandwiches were amazing, so I tried the croque monsieur. They heat it for you in a panini machine that seals in the cheese and damn if it wasn't one of the best sandwiches I have ever had!
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Right across the street is Wat Traimit (the golden spire in the second photo above) where the golden buddha is kept.
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Found some really cute carved wooden elephants at the gift shop here. After leaving, I went in search of a couple of murals by artists who have done work in Atlanta. Found one (by ROA) but not the Nychos one, sadly, after taking the boat back to the main pier. I also spotted a few other cool things...several stores with junk piled up outside...and an INTERESTING sign...
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And when I was at the pier...I spotted this adorable little girl playing a guitar (which in turn made the doll next to her dance) outside. Wasn't sure if she was alone or if a parent was hiding nearby. The music was beautiful but she looked so sad...I had to force myself to move on.
From here, I headed to my friend Don's bookstore. As I was leaving the train station, all of a sudden the girl on the stairs in front of me just STOPPED. Then I noticed that everyone had stopped. It was then I remembered that I had read that every day at 8am and 6pm the King's anthem plays over loudspeakers and everyone stops what they are doing to listen in respect. It is a weird sort of Twilight Zone thing to experience, but kind of nice.
We chatted a bit at the store, then went to dinner at a Thai restuarant he knew...and it was the first Thai food I had while here! We ordered a bunch of different stuff--green curry, coconut curry soup, spring rolls, morning glory, and panang curry. All delicious. Then I had planned to go to a rooftop bar nearby, so I convinced Don to go with me...he has lived in Bangkok for over 15 years but had never gone to one! We went to the roof of the Marriott to a bar called Octave...and had the most incredible views of the city (as Don explains...there is no "downtown" in Bangkok...there are just a bunch of different neighborhoods, so the city is quite spread out).
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After a drink and some photos...I headed back toward my airBNB to shower off the sweaty day. Actually, a bit surprised I didn't pass out earlier from heat exhaustion!
THINGS I'VE NOTICED:
very few garbage cans for the public...especially at tourist sites, which I found odd
no soap or WELL HIDDEN soap in public restrooms
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