So after Pattaya we headed back to Bangkok. Stayed in a very nice hotel called Hotel Solo. It was within easy walking distance to the elevated sky train system they have so we could get around the city very quickly.
Our only pre-paid excursion was a bus ride around the city where we went to Wat Trimit and Wat Pho where we saw a massive Buddha. I think it is the largest leaning Buddha in Thailand. We decided to split from the tour group from here rather than continue on to shopping malls and gem galleries. Instead, we thoroughly explored Wat Pho, walked around the area. ate at this magnificent little hole-in-the-wall restaurant which overlooked the river and Wat Arun (The Temple of the Dawn).
 |
| both of us at Wat Pho |
 |
| Wat Pho |
 |
| Wat Trimit |
 |
| One of many Buddha statues we saw |
 |
| the largest leaning Buddha in Thailand |
We ran into a couple other expats from Thailand. They were very friendly and pointed us to some cool night markets where we could walk around and see everything from restaurants to art stands, to live performers. Really cool place!
 |
| a night market we visited |
 |
| the view of Wat Arun from our restaurant |
The next day we went to the Grand Palace which is right next door to Wat Pho. Got to see the Emerald Buddha. Also rode on some river ferries and hiked up to the top of Wat Arun. The steps were incredibly steep.
 |
| The Grand Palace |
 |
| The Emerald Buddha |
 |
| an awesome green door to one of the government buildings in the complex |
 |
| more Grand Palace |
 |
| more Grand Palace |
 |
| statues at Wat Arun |
 |
| Wat Arun |
 |
| really steep steps at Wat Arun |
That night we swam in the pool on the top floor of our hotel with a nice view of the Bangkok skyline.
Our final day, we just walked around a bunch more. Went to Wat Benchamabophit, walked by the zoo, and the Democracy Monument. Democracy Monument is in the center of this huge 6 lane roundabout. A little interesting trivia, all kilometer markers start at zero and go outwards from this monument. So no matter where you are in Thailand, if you're on a major road, you'll know how far you are from this point. Very interesting.
 |
| Wat Benchamabophit |
 |
| Wat Benchamabophit |
 |
| the grounds around Wat Benchamabophit |
 |
| Democracy Monument |
Our last stop was at Wat Saket and the Golden Mount. We climbed all the way to the top, ringing giant bells and gongs as we ascended. It was a really great experience. On our way back to the hotel, we took another water taxi which was a lot of fun.
 |
| The Golden Mount |
 |
| one of the many river taxis - a great way to get around |
That night we took an express train from the city center to the airport and headed back for our last two weeks in India. This was an incredible trip and I highly recommend coming to Thailand and exploring Bangkok, one of the most unique cities in the world to visit.
 |
| Bangkok airport - the architecture here was really impressive |
No comments:
Post a Comment