My time in Thailand is coming to an end. What a fascinating country this is! Beautiful people, complicated history, exciting energy, and great food!
Not to mention the architecture. Bangkok is a brilliant city of skyscrapers, and tucked away amid the urban landscape are stunning monuments to Buddhism and to the past. Even more, the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, which we visited on a day trip, is a UNESCO-recognized place that bears witness to the historical development of Thai civilization.
Thailand also has the densest proliferation of 7‑Eleven stores I’ve ever seen. In fact, Thailand has 14,500 7‑Eleven locations; only Japan has more.
I’ll just provide a brief overview of the things we did. But you should really check out my photo albums for the best overview of what I’ve seen and done.
Urban Oasis
Our first outing in Bangkok was to a place where local residents produce natural products from organic sources. According to the sign at their location, their mission is to be a demonstration site and learning center for strengthening urban forestry, biodiversity, and conservation.
First we had a cooking demo where they showed us how they make some Thai specialties using local ingredients that they grow on-site.
After we enjoyed lunch, we went for a walk around their grounds. There was no farmland at all, so I am not sure where they grow everything, unless it’s all foraged.
This is located south of the city near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, and the water is brackish, so I don’t know what they can grow there. But it was beautiful. And after our walk, we enjoyed a fabulous food massage.
Grand Palace
We spent a few hours visiting the Grand Palace, which is a huge complex of temples, stupas, and monuments. It seems each king, starting with Rama I in the eighteenth century, built something new. (The current king is Rama X. The king from The King and I was Rama IV; his son, who becomes king at the end of the show, was Rama V.)
There are just too many visual thrills in the Palace to pick a few representative ones. At the top of this post is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, one of the oldest buildings in the Palace. And I’ll just add one more here.
I made an album just of the Grand Palace.
More Bangkok
If you go through the photo album, you’ll see some of the other things I saw in Bangkok.
- We attended a dance show.
- I took several walks on my own. I enjoyed photographing some of the modern skyscrapers and other scenes of life in Bangkok.
- We took a nighttime boat ride on the Chao Phraya River.
- And of course I ate some great meals.
Ayutthaya
Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the most important Temple in Ayutthaya, was just extraordinary. The three main stupas (where kings’ relics are buried) were so impressive, all I can do is share photos.
The kingdom of Ayutthaya was founded in 1350, and it lasted until Burma captured it in 1767. The Burmese razed the city, but this Temple has been beautifully restored, at least in part. Much of it is still in ruins. There was an attempt to restore the adjacent palace, but that has never come to fruition.
Sorry I haven’t been more eloquent in writing about Thailand. Part of it is there’s been so much to see and not enough time to write. And because the stories of this part of the world are not part of my own lore, it’s hard to find words to talk about them. And the last reason is I’m rushed. In ten minutes we will be on our way to the airport to fly to Luang Prabang, Laos. So I’m just trying to churn this out before time runs out.
At least enjoy the photos!
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