Monday, October 30, 2017

10/30/2017 - Touring Bangkok

Our day began at 7am at Lumphini Park (140acres). The park offers rare open public space, plenty of trees, and playgrounds.  We saw groups practicing Thai chi and yoga. This is common for people to come to the park to participate in these free groups. 


Thai Chi...



Yoga...


Today we had the opportunity to use several modes of transportation. We walked, rode the the Skytrain, boat and TukTuk. 


Chao Phraya River



The Skytrain - Public transportation works so well 

The ticket booth


TukTuk







The Grand Palace

This image gives the overall view of the size and grandeur of the entire complex. (No, we didn’t take this photo)


The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782.



The roof of this building is what’s called a Thai chofa which resembles a tall thin bird and looks hornlike. The chofa is generally believed to represent the mythical creature Garuda, half bird and half man, the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu.



Sala Karn Parien in Wat Pho. This building is used for teaching meditation. 



Statues standing guard at temples inside Wat Pho


We continued on to some of the temples in the Grand Palace 

Here, Ampaporn (Ann), our guide, folds leaves of a lotus blossom to make a flower. 





The Temple of the Reclining Buddha, at Wat Pho, is directly south of the Grand Palace. 


The temple complex houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, including a 46 meters long Reclining Buddha. 



Inlaid soles of the Reclining Buddha’s feet

Although we were not able to take pictures, there are intricate murals on the inner columns and walls surrounding the Reclining Buddha. These paintings are rarely noticed by visitors enthralled by the gigantic Reclining Buddha. 





Phra Ubosot is the ordination hall, the main hall used for performing Buddhist rituals, and the most sacred building of the complex. It was constructed by King Rama I in the Ayuthaya style.


The Flower Market 

Pak Khlong Talat is a market in Bangkok selling flowers, fruits, and vegetables. It is the primary flower market in Bangkok. The urban poor who make a living stringing and selling phuang malai (flower garlands) buy sacks of jasmine and marigold blossoms.







Banana leaves







Here we are in a TukTuk...


Our guide, Ampaporn (Ann)



And to finish it all up in Bangkok, we bought a Thailand lottery ticket 😳

Not a winner but a good souvineer!😄

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