BANGKOK, THAILAND

Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand. It is very similar to Manila. Even the people can pass for Filipinos ;) Other similarities to Manila are the traffic, pollution and over-crowding. However, just like Filipinos, Thais are very hospitable, always helpful to tourists and very polite.

Smog or fog?

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The Chao Phraya River is the major river that runs the whole of Bangkok and other cities in Thailand. A huge network of water taxis and ferries crowd the river which are filled with tourists but are mainly used by  locals to go about their business.

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The Grand Palace is one of the most visited places by tourists. It is the official residence of the royal family so there are areas which are restricted to visitors. The complex is made up of enchanting temples, elegant halls and magnificent gardens.

Some of the temples are active places of worship. I did feel guilty taking snaps while the locals are praying fervently to Buddha.

The temples are very enchanting: gold-plated, magnificently tall and very artfully decorated inside-out. Some of the walls have fascinating murals that take you back in time. It is simply amazing how these people have created such exquisite architecture driven by their spirituality. The Grand Palace

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Wat Pho is one of the oldest and largest temples (Wats) in Bangkok and is home to the famous Reclining Buddha. The Buddha is about 40-feet long, has a gold-plated body and eyes made of mother of pearl.  The Wat Pho complex is made up of several compounds: temple of the Reclining Buddha, a massage school and a functional buddhist monastery. We had the priviledge of experiencing the ever-relaxing thai massage from the students. After a long day of walking, it was definitely a treat. Wat Pho

     The Reclining Buddha

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Khao San Road is a strip in central Bangkok where locals and tourists alike love to congregate and be merry. The strip has affordable accommodations, pubs, shopping centers, restaurants, internet cafes, exotic night clubs and massage parlours. This street is always crowded day and night. If you love the night life, then this is the place to be ;)

While walking along Khao San Road we bumped into a street vendor selling local crispy treats....

 

Did we try them?....No way!

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Our trip came to an end. It was an adventure worth-remembering. I was so awe-inspired by the temples that we visited. It still amazes me how faith can create such a magnificent form of art. Tourism is a huge part of this country's economy. Millions of tourists visit each year. We were not obvious foreigners though as we can pass for Thais. Some even tried to speak in Thai when they saw us. All we did was smile and bow ;)

Hope to see you again Bangkok! "SAWATDEE!"