Back in Bangkok, Thailand
“At its best, travel should challenge our preconceptions and most cherished views, cause us to rethink our assumptions, shake us a bit, make us broader minded and more understanding. “— Arthur Frommer
The first time I came to Bangkok, I had a 12-hour layover. I was fascinated by the floating market and stories about a boat chase being filmed along these canals in a James Bond movie. So, I booked a car and English-speaking guide and set out to make the most of my 12 hours in Bangkok.
This time around I was part of a group with 2 days to spend exploring Bangkok so in addition to all I had seen the first time around, I was able to add on some markets, food experiences and a slower pace.
We arrived fairly late in the evening to find a modern city glittering with lights. Fortunately, we were able to find pockets of traditional architecture and reflections of Buddhist Zen.
Much of the city streets are dominated by portraits of the King and members of the Royal family. We drove past the very imposing royal residence as we drove through the streets of the city marveling at the so very busy Chinatown and Little India.
A visit to the ceremonial Grand Palace and the temple of the Emerald Buddha is a must for visitors to the city. Temperatures were soaring into the 90s and humidity was hovering around the high 80s as we made our way through the huge and beautiful complex.
The outer court of the Grand Palace sets the tone for all the beauties that we were to experience as we moved towards the interior.
As we entered past the ticket booth, we were entranced at the beautiful murals depicting the story of the Ramayana. The Hindu epic Ramayana seems to be a very popular theme all over Southeast Asia.
The treasure at the center of the complex is the beautiful temple dedicated to the Emerald Buddha. Having removed our shoes, we paused reverently at the window to take a picture of the inside since photography is forbidden inside. People sat and meditated or just walked through the temple as appropriate to their faith and interest.
Many of the buildings embrace many architectural styles from across the work, The finest Carera marbles were used as were techniques in porcelain and gold to enhance the various buildings and temples inside the complex.
After a visit to Wat Pho to visit the reclining Buddha, we made our way through some tranquil back alleys for a delicious lunch and watched the rain come down in sheets alleviating the stifling humidity.
The flower market full of fresh flowers. In many ways the rules were so much similar to what I had experienced in South India last year of no touch, no smell or be prepared to pay for the flowers.
The flowers seamlessly transitioned to vegetables and chilies and peppercorns.
But it was this seller dozing in the heat with various sizes of onions spread out around him, who caught my eye.
Perhaps a snack from some of the street vendors selling corn on the cob, chestnuts or strawberries might be an interesting change of pace.
How about some mango sticky rice with a colorful twist?
A boat ride on the canals around the floating market with a cooling breeze added a nice touch as we saw and experienced the people living in these floating villages and admired the aesthetic touches to some of the houses.
The noisy, colorful crowded chaos of the floating market full of vendors touting their wares and tourists bargaining for a deal. Food stalls with all manner of exotic scents flavored the air as people sat on the steps tasting some of the delicacies. I settled for a fresh green coconut and called it a day.
A tranquil respite amidst the madness to restore and rejuvenate so we can go out and brave the heat, noise and people.