Entries about temples

I must have been the only person on the two legs of my flight from Muscat to Bangkok (via Karachi) not returning or leaving home in Pakistan laden down with extra baggage. My flight arrived in Bangkok 7am so having previously arranged for my hotel to look after my luggage I got on with the sightseeing.

After a short trip on the Bangkok Skytrain to Saphan Taksin and journey up and across the Phraya River, I arrived at Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) a 269 feet (82 metre) high khmer-style `brahnig(spire) constructed in the early 1800s when the Thai capital moved from Ayuthaya to Bangkok.

Wat Arun from the River Phraya

Wat Arun and Gardens

Me outside Wat Arun

Wat Arun is an iconic sight and you are encouraged to climb it. The 1st flight of steps weren't too bad but the 2nd step were scary steep and felt almost vertical; once you were up the challenge was then to sum up the courage to get down again!

Wat Arun

Detail of a scuptured figure on the side of Wat Arun

Looking down the scary 2nd flight of steps at Wat Arun

Me on the top of Wat Arun with Wat Pho in the background

Wat Arun

I then returned across the river and went into Wat Pho, so stunning was the architecture that for a couple of days I was convinced it was the famed Grand Temple Complex itself! The main attraction at Wat Pho is the 150 Foot (46 metre) long by 49 feet (15 metre) high Recling Buddha in the elaborate large hall by the entrance. Beside the Hall of the Recling Buddha there are a number of large Chedi containing the ashes of Buddha and royalty (buddhists cremate rather than bury their dead).

The Hall of the Recling Buddha at Wat Pho

The Recling Buddha

Me by the Recling Buddha

The large Chedi at Wat Pho

Stone Guard by the entrance gate

The Main Hall (Phra Ubosot) at Wat Pho is surrounded by smaller halls to the North, East, West and South each of which is venerated as a shrine by Buddhists and you have to be properly dressed and take your shoes off before entering.

The Main Hall at Wat Pho

Buddha in the Main Hall at Wat Pho

Seated Buddha in one of the halls surrounding Wat Pho

Standing Buddha in one of the surrounding halls at Wat Pho

Buddha in one of the surrounding halls

Ayutthaya lies 52 miles (85 kilometres) north of Bangkok and was one of the ancient capitals of Thailand until it was destroyed by the invading Burmese Army in 1767. For over 400 years it prospered and was covered in temples and after its destruction was replaced by Bangkok built on newly exposed land in the Gulf of Siam.

On the way we visited the Royal Palace at Bang Pa-in most of which was built between 1872-1889 and is still used occasionally by the King and Queen of Thailand for hosting state receptions and banquets. The grounds are very ornate and are built in a european style. in the centre of the gardens is the Aisawan-dhipaya-asana Pavilion surrounded by a pond in which we could feed bread to some very energetic turtles and fish! The Royal Palace itself is a two storey manaion built in the Chinese style containing an impressive throne room on the ground floor.

The view up the lake as you enter the grounds of the Bang Pa-in Palace

Turtles swiming in the pond surrounding the Aisawan-dhipaya-asana Pavilion

Ho withun Thasuna

The Phra Thinang (Royal Residence) Wehart Chamrun from the Ho withun Thasuna

Me in front of the throne room at the Royal Residence

About an hour's drive later we reached Ayutthaya which is a UNESECO World Heritage Site. In 1700 Ayutthaya ideally situated for trade between India, China and Malaya was the largest city in the world with a population of about 1 million people. The Wat Maha That Temple seemed the most impressive part of the site with its pagoda towering above the ruins and the evocative sandstone buddha mostly buried and overgrown by a tree.

The ruins of Wat Maha That

The pagoda at Wat Maha That

The head of the Sandstone Buddha

Buddha amongst the ruins at Wat Maha That

We then moved on to Wat Na Phra Mane, the only part of Ayutthaya not destroyed by the invading Burmese Army in 1767 as it was used as their headquarters. The Buddha is unusual in that it is dressed in Royal Attire, as with all Buddhist Temples we hasd to remove our shoes before entering.

The monastery at Wat Na Phra Mane

Me by the Buddha in the Temple at Wat Na Phra Mane

Our final stop at Ayutthaya before a boat trip back to Bangkok was to the temple at Wat Lokayasutharam which holds one of the largest Reclining Buddha Images (although not as large as the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho that I saw the previous day).

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam

Me by the Reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam

Wat Wora Chet the Ram near Wat Lokayasutharam

Passing rice paddy fields on the way, we then met up with a cruise boat and had a very tasty Thai Buffet Lunch as we floated down the river back to Bangkok. Amongst the temples and houses on stilts the peppered along the shore we also passed landing craft given to the Thai military by the USA following the Vietnam War and the shed containing the Royal Barges now used only for ceremonial occasions.

Paddy Fields on the way to meet up with the cruise boat back to Bangkok

Surplus Landing Craft given to the Thai Military after the Vietnam War

The Royal Barge Sheds by the Phraya River

A large portrait of the King of Thailand beside th River Phraya

The Grand Palace Complex from the Phraya River

I was so impressed by the spendour and extent of Wat Pho when I visited it on my first day in Bangkok that I assumed incorrectly that I had covered off Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace (the number 1 tourist sight in Bangkok) next door as well. Having realised my mistake I realised I could just about fit them in on the morning of my departure.

I took my by now well trodden path of the Skytrain to the central pier at Saphan Taksin (the Skytrain is a couple of railway lines built on elevated trackway along major streets in the centre of Bangkok) and then the ferry up the river to the Chang Pier (Pier No. 9) where I negotiated my way through the street market to the entrance to the Grand Palace Complex.

Skytrain at the National Stadium Station

Skytrain tracks at multiple levels outside the MBK Center

View from aboard a ferry on the Phraya River

Getting off the ferry at Saphran Taksin

Street Market by the Chang Pier on the way to the Grand Palace

Once I got to the Grand Palace it was overrun with tourists, especially the older initial Phraw Kaew that houses the Emerald Buddha. The Emerald Buddha itself is tiny when compared with others I have seen - only 66cm tall - but the spendour of the gilded temple that houses it you would hardly notice. Dress code was particularly enforced at the Emerald Buddha and many of the ladies ended up wearing borrowed sarongs and no photographs are allowed inside so the picture I have got was taken using zoom.

Wat Phra Kaew viewed from the outside

Giant guarding the entrance to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha

The Emerald Buddha

Me by the Temple to the Emerald Buddha

The upper terrace at the Grand Palace, including the Golden Chedi, Phra Mondop and the Royal Pantheon

Detail from around one of the spires outside the Royal Pantheon

Next door to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha Complex is the Grand Palace itself. This is a much newer and contains buildings that are still used for state occasions and also is guarded by ceremonial guards. Just like in London the guards constantly had tourists jumping beside them to have their photo taken!

The Grand Palace

Changing the Guard outside the Grand Palace

Me outside the Chakri Maha Prasat and Dusit Maha Prasat Hall at the Grand Palace Complex in Bangkok

The Dusit Maha Prasit Hall next to the Grand Palace