Burns in Bangkok, Thailand

February 27th through February 29th In Bangkok   

Day One (February 27th, 2012) - Bangkok (Page Five)

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

We arrived Bangkok 1045A and the weather changed.

We met up with the group at the airport and go to the Shangri-La Hotel.

Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, is a 5-star luxury hotel in Silom district, Bangkok. The design and appointments express the welcoming warmth and richness of Thai culture throughout the hotel, from traditional teak dining pavilions to the most up-to-date room features.

The hotel has a total of 802 rooms including 72 suites in two wings, Shangri-La and Krungthep, and is adjacent to the Saphan Taksin station of the Skytrain, Bangkok’s elevated metro system.

x The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The aerial view shows we are next to the river

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

 

Let's Explore

27 February depart Siem Reap Air Bangkok 950A, arrive Bangkok 1045A. - Meet up with the group at the airport and go to the Shangri-La Hotel. Afternoon touring on own.  700P poolside cocktails and Thai buffet and traditional music.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Life on the river

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Temples everywhere

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

Wat Arun Temple

Did You Know? - Wat Arun Rajwararam (Thai: วัดอรุณ, Thai pronunciation: [wát ʔarun], "Temple of the Dawn") is a Buddhist temple (wat) in the Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand, on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The full name of the temple is Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan (วัดอรุณราชวรารามราชวรมหาวิหาร).

Named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn, the Wat Arun is considered one of the most well known of Thailand's many landmarks. The temple is so named because the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence. The monastery has existed for many years since the days when Ayutthaya was capital of Thailand. At the time named Wat Mokok, situated in a place called Tumbol Bangmakok. The word Bangmakok, meaning " Village of Olive", has since been shortened to "Makok".

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Guarding the gates

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
It'd s content! Which one is older???

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

Did You Know? - The main feature of Wat Arun is its central prang (Khmer-style tower) which are encrusted with colourful porcelain. This is interpreted as a stupa-like pagoda incrusted with coloured faience The height is reported by different sources as between 66.8 m (219 ft) and 86 m (282 ft).

The corners are surrounded by four smaller satellite prangs. The prangs are decorated by seashells and bits of porcelain which had previously been used as ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China. The presiding Buddha image, cast in the reign of Rama II, is said to have been moulded by the king himself. The ashes of King Rama II are buried in the base of the image.

Construction of the tall prang and four smaller ones was started by King Rama II during 1809-1824 A.D. and completed by King Rama III (1824–1851). The towers are supported by rows of demons and monkeys. Very steep and narrow steps lead to a balcony high on the central tower. The circumference of the base of the structure is 234 meters, and the central prang is 250 foot high.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn

Did You Know? - Wat Arun, locally known as Wat Chaeng, is situated on the west (Thonburi) bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is believed that after fighting his way out of Ayutthaya, which was besieged by a Burmese army at the time, King Taksin arrived at this temple just as dawn was breaking. 

He later had the temple renovated and renamed it Wat Chaeng, the Temple of the Dawn. During his reign (Thonburi Period), Wat Chaeng was the chief temple, and it once enshrined the Emerald Buddha and another important Buddha image, the Phra Bang, both of which had been removed from Vientiane.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
One of 31,000?

Did You Know? -

Unbelievably, there are over 31200 Buddhist temples spread around Thailand. In Thai these are called wat. One of these, the Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn, is named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. Sitting majestically on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, the legendary Wat Arun is one of the most striking riverside landmarks of Thailand. Despite the name, the most spectacular view of the glittering monument can be seen from the east side of the river at sunset, when the spires of Wat Arun make an impressive silhouette against the skyline.

This Wat or Buddhist temple is an architectural representation of Mount Meru, the center of the world in Buddhist cosmology. In the mythology of Tibetan Buddhism, Mount Meru is a place that simultaneously represents the center of the universe and the single-pointedness of mind sought by adepts. Thousands of miles in height, Meru is located somewhere beyond the physical plane of reality, in a realm of perfection and transcendence. The four-corner prang of Wat Arun, which house images of the guardian gods of the four directions, reinforces this mystical symbolism.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The main spire is rather large

Did You Know? - This unforgettable landmark on Bangkok's River of Kings consists of a massive elongated prang or Khmer-style tower characteristic of Thai temple architecture, surrounded by four smaller prangs. The 79 meter high tower is decorated with ceramic tiles and fragments of multi colored porcelain which had previously been used as ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China .The porcelain mosaic fills every conceivable nook, cranny, and wall, creating a brilliantly imaginative and visually stunning monument. The statuary is also replete with mosaic adornment. The outer four corners are Prangs which hold statues of Phra Phai, the God of Wind. The entrance to the temple building is guarded by a pair of impressive mythical giants, similar to the 12 giants in the Wat Phra Kaew or Grand Palace.

Along The Chao Phraya River

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
River view homes?

Did You Know? - The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Sharks.... No, really catfish

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
It looks seaworthy??

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Fresh fish anyone?

Wat Phra Kaew Temple Is Located On An "Island"

Did You Know? - Rattanakosin Island is a historic area in the Phra Nakhon District in the city of Bangkok, Thailand. Situated on the eastern convex bank of a meander in the Chao Phraya River, it was the site where King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke founded the city as the capital of his new Rattanakosin Kingdom in 1782. It is bordered by the Chao Phraya and canals dug to serve as moats for the originally fortified city centre. The island is the site of the Grand Palace and Bangkok's City Pillar Shrine, among other places of historical significance.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
A large facility

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

Did You Know? - The Wat Phra Kaew in English means: Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The full official name Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram and it is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand. It is a "potent religio-political symbol and the palladium [safeguard] of Thai society". It is located in the historic centre of Bangkok (district Phra Nakhon), within the precincts of the Grand Palace.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The large item is the Phra Sri Ratana Chedi (stupa) at Wat Phra Kaew

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
How do we act??

Did You Know? - The sacred temples in Thailand follow a dress code, which is strictly followed. Men must wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts and shoes; women must wear long skirts. Visitors who arrive dressed otherwise may rent appropriate clothing items at the entry area of the temple.

It is compulsory to remove the shoes before entering the temple, as a sign of respect of the Buddha, as is the practice in all other temples in Thailand. While offering prayers before the Buddha image, the sitting posture should avoid any offensive stretching of feet towards the deity; the feet should be tucked in towards the back.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Phra Mondop, the library

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Phra Sri Ratana Chedi (stupa) at Wat Phra Kaew

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Up close and personal

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
So much to see

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Hang on... It's a sea of humanity

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Don't loose the Bunny in this crowd....

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Check the guards.... No one will argue with them!

Did You Know? - Thotsakhirithon - one of twelve giant demons (Yaksha), characters from the Thai Ramakian (or Ramayana) epic, guarding the south-western gate of Wat Phra Kaeo to the Grand Palace. It has a green face with an elephant nose

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Getting the rundown

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Jewel encrusted library building

Did You Know? - Rama I also built a library in Thai style, in the middle of the complex, known as the "Phra Mondop". The library houses an elegantly carved Ayutthaya-style mother-of-pearl doors, bookcases with the Tripitaka (sacred Buddhist manuscripts), human-and dragon-headed nagas (snakes), and images of Chakri kings.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The elephants are good luck

Did You Know? - Statues of elephants, which symbolize independence and power, are seen all around the complex. As Thai kings fought wars mounted on elephants, it has become customary for parents to make their children circumambulate the elephant three times with the belief that that it would bring them strength. The head of an elephant statue is also rubbed for good luck; this act of the people is reflected in the smoothness of the surface of elephant statues here.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
"Tomorrow we are going to ride some of these little puppies"

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Statues everywhere...

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The main building is behind the library

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Only 26 inches tall... Taken from outside the building

Did You Know? - The main building is the central ubosoth, which houses the statue of Emerald Buddha. The legendary history of this Buddha image is traced to India, five centuries after the Lord Buddha attained Nirvana, till it was finally enshrined in Bangkok at the Wat Phra Kaew temple in 1782 during Rama I's reign (1782–1809).

This marked the beginning and raise of the Chakri Dynasty of the present Kingdom of Thailand (the present head of the dynasty is King Rama IX. ) The Emerald Buddha, a dark green statue, is in a standing form, about 66 centimetres (26 in) tall, carved from a single jade stone (Emerald in Thai means deep green colour and not the specific stone).

It is carved in the meditating posture in the style of the Lanna school of the northern Thailand. Except for the Thai King, no other person is allowed to touch the statue. The King changes the cloak around the statue three times a year, corresponding to the summer, winter, and rainy seasons, an important ritual performed to usher good fortune to the country during each season.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Amazing decorations on every surface

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The walls of the library are magbificent

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The maintenance must be a nightmare

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Porcelin decorations on every surface. Each are individually made

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
One of twelve guards

Did You Know? - Thotsakhirithon - one of twelve giant demons (Yaksha), characters from the Thai Ramakian (or Ramayana) epic, guarding the south-western gate of Wat Phra Kaeo to the Grand Palace. It has a green face with an elephant nose

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
"Do not drop it Seymour!"

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Dipping lotus buds in holy water for luck

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Grand Palace Located Next Door

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The adjoining temple is small compared to the Royal Palace

Throughout the period of absolute monarchy, from 1782 to 1932, the Grand Palace was both the country's administrative and religious centre. As the main residence of the monarch, the palace was also the seat of government, with thousands of inhabitants including guardsmen, servants, concubines, princesses, ministers and courtiers. The palace's high whitewashed castellated walls, full of forts and guard posts, mirrored those of the walls of Bangkok itself, and thus the Grand Palace was envisioned as a city within a city. For this reason a special set of Palace Laws were created to govern the inhabitants and to establish hierarchy and order.

By the 1920s a series of new palaces were constructed elsewhere for the king's use; these included the more modern Dusit Palace, constructed in 1903, and Phaya Thai Palace in 1909. These other Bangkok residences began to replace the Grand Palace as the primary place of residence of the monarch and his court.

By 1925 this gradual move out of the palace was complete. The growth and centralization of the Siamese state also meant that the various government ministries have grown in size and were finally moved out of the Grand Palace to their own premises. Despite this the Grand Palace remained the official and ceremonial place of residence as well as the stage set for elaborate ancient ceremonies of the monarchy. The end of the absolute monarchy came in 1932, when a revolution overthrew the ancient system of government and replaced it with a constitutional monarchy.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Walls surround the temple

Did You Know? - Wat Phra Kaeo has a plethora of buildings within the precincts of the Grand Palace, which covers a total area of over 94.5 hectares (234 acres). It has over 100 buildings with "200 years royal history and architectural experimentation" linked to it. The architectural style is named as Rattanakosin style (old Bangkok style).

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Bunny checks the dress code.... We are OK

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The Grade Palace is huge

Did You Know? - The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, RTGS: Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang[1]) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The king, his court and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. The present monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), currently resides at Chitralada Palace, but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat group of buildings

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

Back To The Bus

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Jump in... We are ready to go
Our group has fouurt "Tak Tak Taxies" for our group complete with police escort back to the hotel

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
"Dang... I had too much to drink!"

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
On the bright side... You can't fall over

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Turning the corner on two wheels is exciting

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

 

Wat Pho - The Temple Of The Reclining Buddha

Did You Know? - Wat Pho (Thai: วัดโพธิ์, IPA: [wát pʰoː]), is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace.[2] Known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, its official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhlaram Ratchaworamahawihan .

Wat Pho is named after a monastery in India where Buddha is believed to have lived. Prior to the temple's founding, the site was a centre of education for traditional Thai medicine, and statues were created showing yoga positions. An enormous Buddha image from Ayuthaya's Wat Si Sanaphet was destroyed by Burmeses in 1767, King Rama I (1782-1809 A.D.) incorporated its fragments to build a temple to enlarge and renovate the complex.

The complex underwent many changes in the next 260 years. Under King Rama III (1824-1851 A.D.), plaques inscribed with medical texts were placed around the temple. These received recognition in the Memory of the World Programme launched by UNESCO on February 21, 2008. Adjacent to the building housing the Reclining Buddha is a small raised garden, the centrepiece being a bodhi tree which is propagated from the original tree in India where Buddha sat while awaiting enlightenment.

The temple was created as a restoration of an earlier temple on the same site, Wat Phodharam, with the work beginning in 1788. The temple was restored and extended in the reign of King Rama III, and was restored again in 1982.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Bunny naturally had to checkout the feet

Did You Know? - Wat Pho is the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok and is home to more than 1,000 Buddha images, more than any other temple in the country.

It also shelters the largest Buddha image in Thailand: the Reclining Buddha (Phra Buddhasaiyas). Created as part of Rama III's restoration (1824-51), the Reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high.

His body is covered in gold plating and he is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay on his eyes and the soles of his feet. The bottoms of the Buddha's feet are intricately decorated with 108 auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Tired?

Did You Know? - Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), or Wat Phra Chetuphon, is located behind the splendid Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It's the largest temple in Bangkok and famed for its huge and majestic reclining Buddha measured 46 metres long and covered in gold leaf. The Buddha's feet are 3 metres long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious 'laksanas' (characteristics) of the Buddha.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
There are 91 of these spires on the grounds

Did You Know? - The large grounds of Wat Pho contain more than 1000 Buddha images in total, most from the ruins of the former capitals Ayuthaya and Sukhothai. The grounds are split in two by Chetuphon road. The northern section is generally the only one most people go to, and it includes a large bot (temple hall), enclosed by 394 bronze Buddha images. Outside the bot, there are 152 marble slabs depicting the second half of the epic Ramakian story.

Also near here are fourGrounds of Wat Pho chedis, constructed to honor the first three Chakri kings (two for King Rama III). There are also a massive 91 others Chedis of varying sizes arounds the grounds, along with chapels, rock gardens, an array of different types of statues, inscriptions, belltowers and resident fortune tellers. The library is nearby too, decorated impressively with figures and pagodas made of porcelain, in much the same way as Wat Arun across the river.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Through these doors....

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Porcelin lotus flowers encrusted everywhere

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

Back To The Hotel For Cocktails And Dinner

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Zooming right along

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
View from the top....

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Inside the Blue Elephant

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

A Quick After Dinner Stroll

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

Day Two (February 28th, 2012)

28 February hotel breakfast,  900A depart from hotel on private boat for half day tour of Royal Grounds of the Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha, tuk tuk ride and Temple of Reclining Buddha.  Dinner at the Blue elephant and explore the Patpong Market.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Breakfast on the river

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
A short tour....

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Chick-Fil-A is already in Bangkok

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Where did they find that color??

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Religious stores everywhere....

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Back home already....

The 29th Of February

A leisurely day of exploring and then dinner at the hotel this evening because tomorrow we ride the elephants.

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
"OMG... A real Thai shrine....."

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
A walk in the heat....

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
No swimming... All quiet... Adults only... What is Bunny doing there???

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Rice paddies and homes on the water...

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Strange rice paddy??

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Playing in the mud...

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Time to unlax and let the world go bye

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Another shrine???

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The tiny reclining Buddha

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
The lotus blossoms are ready for their bath

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Tough job but someone has to do it

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
Do not loose the string?

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand
"Dang... I have a hangover from last night!"

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand

The Burns in Bangkok Thailand


Off To Page Six And Chiang Mai Thailand