Beautiful Architecture in Bangkok
The tallest tower in Bangkok, Temples and The Grandest of Palaces.
The long awaited trip to Southeast Asia has begun and we start in Bangkok Thailand. The first few days have been manic and It feels like we've seen over 100 temples.
The cultural richness of the city is incredible, a buddha statue down every alley and all of them beautifully decorated and dutifully cared for.
Unfortunately Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn was under some restoration although it didn't take away from it's imposing size and magnificent craftsmanship. The temple is located on on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River across from the Grand Palace and was a short boat taxi away.
The Grand Palace was a day well spent, we managed to pinch a local guide for a bargain and realised quickly that dark trousers must be worn as a sign of respect to the King. Unfortunately our plan of not looking quite so touristy didn't pan out. The architecture was exquisite, the royal family had commissioned many different buildings to be inspired my many different countries styles. Buildings based on Burmese, Thai, Renaissance and more were enclosed behind the palace walls.
Many of the temples on the grounds were said to have housed grand buddha statues and in some cases the ashes of other royal family members. Each building was finished to the smallest detail.
The markets of Bangkok were home to some mysterious dishes to say the least, not only because their origins are unknown but also what was in them. I decided that insects were okay however mealworms require an unbelievable amount of seasoning for my palate to agree with them.
After few days of exploring with the sky train and by tuk tuk, our last night was spent in the Baiyoke Tower on the unique rotating observation deck and especially the top floors mood lit bar. The view which started in the daylight was even more outstanding in the dark, well at night is more appropriate. The whole city stretched for miles and seemed restless, the traffic seemed no different and the view was incredible.
A fantastic last night before the long journey to Chiang Mai the next day.
