The Grand Palace & Wat Arun, Bangkok!

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The Grand Palace, Bangkok

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On Tuesday we travelled the length of the river Chao Phraya, to decide where to visit the next day, in order to get the most out of our stay in Bangkok. Our first destination on Wednesday was the Grand Palace, and after a short boat ride, we arrived at this popular tourist destination. The pier was busy, full of tourists, confused, working out which way to go to get to the Palace. The sign posting was extremely confusing and with a diversion in place, we did end up walking around in circles for a while. I have to admit, at one stage we gave up and walked back to the tourist ferry to go to our next destination.

We were told in no uncertain terms, we could not enter the Grand Palace wearing short trousers, so Darrell being Darrell, decided we were leaving, and we weren't going to do what they said. Sat waiting for the ferry, I suggested we go over to the shop opposite and buy some suitable clothes; perturbed, Darrell reluctantly agreed, and we bought a couple of outfits, fighting our way back through the throng and into the palace entrance.

Security and anti COVID measures were tight as we made our way through the various check points. Our temperatures were taken on a number of occasions, and we had to wear a mask all the way through to the palace itself. The heat was almost unbearable as Darrell and I entered the first courtyard, after stepping through the entrance, but my God, as we hopped over the step and into the square, I was in absolute awe of the place; I was walking through fairy land, and it was spectacular; a feast for the senses and I didn't know where to look first.

Around every corner, there was an even more wonderful building, shining brightly in the sunlight. Thai architecture is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is garish, shiny, sparkly and brash, but its stunning beauty reminds you of just where you are. If I was a subject of the King of Thailand, I would be wonder struck at the scene playing out before me. This was a sacred site, a royal home and a place of worship; it was simply spectacular.

The all consuming heat of the day was reflecting off the golden, mirrored surfaces that adorned the majestic construction of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The sweat was dripping off us, like an uncontrollable torrent, but surprisingly, the clothes were keeping us cooler than one would have expected. Our reluctance to dress in traditional Thai attire disappeared, as we realised there was a reason people in Thailand dressed as they do. To be honest, if I had also worn a suitable hat from the beginning of the day, I would have felt even better. As it was, I was burnt from my head to my neck, and it was all my fault for not following the guidelines.

The palace complex was vast; we stopped several times, to go inside various temples, taking our shoes off and sitting for a short while, absorbing the atmosphere and just being a part of the colourful spectacle in front of us - Statues of Buddha finished in gold, surrounded by offerings from people visiting the temples, incense wafting around the hallowed halls and coloured garlands hanging from statues and smaller figurines. This was a very strange experience coming from a western culture, but it was truly humbling to be a part of it, and accepted by everyone around us, as an equal. This is very different to the way we would have treated tourists in the UK; we have so much to learn of the people of Thailand!

We walked around the vast Grand Palace for an hour and a half, eventually making our way out into a distinctly European styled park with a classically built mansion at its heart; perfectly manicured gardens and ornate topiary, set the scene for a refined private space, fit for a King. Everywhere you looked was a breathtakingly beautiful, this was by far the most impressive destination we had visited. Time wasn't on our side, however, so we made our way back to the ferry and to our next stop of the day, Wat Arun!

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Wat Arun, Bangkok

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Wat Arun was just another quick boat ride away. This tall, ornate structure on the banks of the Chao Phraya looks phenomenal, as the boat pulls in to the pier. It cost one hundred Baht (£2.00) each to get inside the large temple. It does seem wrong to say, but compared to The Grand Palace, Wat Arun did seem a bit of an anti climax, even though it is an impressive structure. The ornate stone carving is divine and triggered that spiritual side in me that rarely surfaces these days. It was a building like no other. There was no gold, mirrors and garish decoration, just more muted tones, which sat in harmony with its surroundings. This was traditional, ancient Thai construction at its finest, and was in complete contrast to everything we had seen before.

It was at this point I had to buy a hat, the biggest one I could find, since I was burning in all the wrong places. My shoulders, neck and head were red raw, so I grabbed what I could from a local market stall and put it straight on. OK, it wasn't the most attractive look in the World, but I really didn't care. When you are sweating like a glassblowers a*se, the way you look isn't important. Straight away I felt the benefits as I made my way around the site; finally I had some relief from the sun!

Walking around Wat Arun, I was struck by the number of 'pilgrims.' Ladies getting off one of the many boats to the Wat, were dressed in their finest clothes, while little old sweaty mess me, staggered around aimlessly. I am intrigued to find out why they go here and what significance it has. What I have been told, is there is a strict dress code in all the temples, because members of the current Thai Royal Family still used these historic places, so in a way, it would be like me going to Buckingham Palace dressed in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt - it just isn't done.

Wat Arun has to be one of the most beautiful temples we visited, and I loved walking along its ancient walkways, just brushing my hand against the masonry, feeling the history between my fingers. I was privileged to be walking in the footsteps of many thousands before me, and I did feel lucky, especially after the pandemic. It felt like I would never travel again and despite Thailand's strict COVID measures in place, it didn't detract from the majesty of Bangkok!

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One of Thailand's National Deserts

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So on Samsen Road, Bangkok

To end the day, Darrell wanted to visit the most expensive shopping mall I have ever been it, Iconsiam. The brands included Cartier, Tiffany and the like. This wouldn't be a place I would usually visit, but I was boiling hot and just needed to cool down, so went with gritted teeth.

Inside, this homage to excess and greed, was like walking into the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. There were fake flowers, a pretend street market and even a reproduction lake. To be honest, it looked awful and souless, and I would never choose to go there again.

We went for a meal in a Korean restaurant on the ground floor and had what I can only describe as a tasteless pastiche of Korean cuisine; it tasted nothing like the food we ate in Korea in 2019. At an over inflated price, including over four pounds for a tiny beer, I did lose my rag somewhat. It's places like this that give cities like Bangkok the money they need to grow and expand, but it really sends the wrong message to traditional Thai people, who continue to live and work here. In contrast, right next door, there was a scrapyard, where traders were making money in the best way they could; this really could be a tale of two cities, and it made me feel sad.

Luckily we left pretty soon, since even Darrell got bored with the overpriced consumerism. This wasn't the reason I came to Thailand, and I hope to never venture into a shopping mall again.

However, there was one redeeming feature, Darrell and I bought one of Thailands traditional deserts for a treat, but at a cost of ten pounds it wasn't cheap, like everything at Iconsiam. It was made of shaved ice, milk, flaked almonds, cake and sweet caviar with cream. OK, so it did taste bloody good, but I'm sure I could get it somewhere else for a fraction of the price.

Suitably cooled down, we made our way back home for a delicious meal at our now favourite restaurant, So on Samsen Road, a place we will be back to eat every day this week. The food is delicious, home cooked, prepared in a clean kitchen and the toilets are sparkling, that's a must for me. Above all, the price was right - a two-course meal and two beers for under twenty pounds.... can't go wrong!

Until tomorrow!

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