Sunrise with Grand Palace of Bangkok, Thailand

3 Sites you must see in Bangkok, Thailand! I traveled to Thailand in March for a dive trip, and my daughter, Alexandra, joined me for a look at Bangkok, the City of Angels. We decided that there are 3 Sites you must see while you are in Bangkok!

The Grand Palace is almost too much to take in…I think you would need several days of exploration to do it justice.  A few hours gives one the chance to goggle stupidly at the splendor of it.  There are so many Buddhist images, depositories, and even the Monastery of the Emerald Buddha on the grounds.  The walls are painted with scenes of the Buddha’s life, birth, the Temptation, the Enlightenment and are absolutely intricate and stunning.  A study of every inch of wall would be worthwhile.  I could not begin to explain it all….an exact smaller copy of the Angor Wat of Cambodia, Chinese imagery, yogic statues, and gold….the gold is overwhelming.

Golden Wat

North of the Royal Residence lies the Monastery of the Emerald Buddha, a venerated site in Thai Buddhism.  Once again, this statue had been covered in plaster, and discovered when the plaster began to flake off.  It is actually carved in Jade and Gold, not Emerald, but the name Emerald Buddha stuck.

The Emerald Buddha

Three times a year, King Rama IX changes the Buddha’s costume in a ceremony.  There are three seasons in Thailand, the summer, the rainy, and the winter.  The Emerald Buddha‘s costume must change at each season.

Photo by Alexandra Minton Photography

Adjacent to the Grand Palace is Wat Pho, or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Before the Reclining Buddha came to rest there, a school of medicine existed.  Medical texts are still there, and statues showing yoga postures are near the outside Bodhi Tree, a tree grown from the seed of the tree where the Buddha received enlightenment. Wat Pho has over a thousand Buddha figures, The Reclining Buddha is the centerpiece of the Wat. “The image of reclining Buddha is 15 m high and 43 m long with his right arm supporting the head with tight curls on two box-pillows of blue, richly encrusted with glass mosaics. The 3 m high and 4.5 m long foot of Buddha displays are inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They are divided into 108 arranged panels, displaying the auspicious symbols by which Buddha can be identified like flowers, dancers, white elephants, tigers and altar accessories.  Over the statue is a seven tiered umbrella representing the authority of Thailand. There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor indicating the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha. People drop coins in these bowls as it is believed to bring good fortune, and to help the monks maintain the wat. Though the reclining Buddha is not a pilgrimage center, it remains an object of popular piety.” (Wikipedia).  Alexandra and I bought our coins and deposited them in the bowls, making a wish each time we dropped a coin. My wishes were mostly for Randy, for his continued health and healing, and for my children, Alexandra and Wesley.

These 3 sites are all in one area, so it makes it easy to see them all.  Every inch of ground is worth seeing at the Grand Palace.  I hope to see it all again, someday.

Reclining Buddha

 

Protectors of Emerald Buddha

 

Wat Phra Kaew, Emerald Buddha temple, Wat Phra Kaew is one of Bangkok’s most famous tourist sites

 

Over 1,000 Buddha figures in the Grand Palace

 

Wat Traimit, home of the Golden Buddha

 

The Golden Buddha

Grand Palace Shrine. Photo by Alexandra Minton

Here is a great blog about the Wats in Chiang Mai, a province north of Bangkok.  After reading this, I’ve decided I have a good reason to go back to Thailand!

Chiang Mai Wats

Share:
Tam Warner

Award Winning Travel Journalist and Blogger, writing about Eclectic Travels in the Empty Nest! From scuba to luxury cruises to kayaking to expeditions, Tam is ready to go! Contact me at travelswithtam@gmail.com

Share
Published by
Tam Warner

Recent Posts

Gifts That Give Back: A Guide to Eco-Friendly and Thoughtful Holiday Gifts

Gifts That Give Back: A Guide to Eco-Friendly and Thoughtful Holiday Celebrations! As the holiday…

4 months ago

The Christmas Trees in the National Parks Honor the Holiday Spirit and Ancient Traditions

The history of Christmas trees goes back to the symbolic use of evergreens in ancient…

4 months ago

Journey Through the 12 Days of Christmas Gazebos: A Spectacular Holiday Delight at the Dallas Arboretum

Step into a winter wonderland unlike any other as the Arboretum unveils its spectacular 12…

4 months ago

Grandparents and Kids can Enjoy Christmas Movies Together and Bond!

Grandparents and Kids can Enjoy Christmas Movies Together! Looking for a way to create a…

4 months ago

Dallas Arboretum’s Children’s Adventure Garden Celebrates Annular Solar Eclipse on Saturday, October 14

Dallas Arboretum’s Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden Celebrates Annular Solar Eclipse on Saturday, October 14 October…

6 months ago