BANGKOK, THAILAND
Chris and I still haven't had a chance to see much of Bangkok, as we've been trying to get a lot of trip planning done while we're still in the big city. In order to save money, it looks like we'll be shifting our itinerary around a bit so that we spend less time in more expensive countries, and more time in cheaper ones. This is easier said than done, though, as it involves calculating plane fares, weather and average temperatures, tour costs, and the expense of changing some of the tickets we've already bought, as well as talking to travel agents and airlines and obtaining entry visas for a number of countries! It's a real headache, and we still have a long way to go before we figure it all out.
We did manage to take some time off this morning to visit Bangkok's Grand Palace, a 200,000-square-meter complex built in 1782 to house the royal residence and throne halls, government offices, and the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The buildings within the walled complex are all incredibly ornate and detailed with colorful materials including gold, tile, stone, ceramics, and precious gems. There are statues everywhere of elephants and mythical beings, and there's even a miniature replica of Cambodia's Angkor Wat! The most famous statue, though, is the Emerald Buddha (which is in fact made of jade, not emerald). It sits atop a gilded throne in the ordination hall of the royal monastery, where it's visited by thousands of pilgrims each year paying their respects to the teachings of Buddha. We also visited the palace armory (hmm, would the Buddha approve?) and a museum featuring royal regalia, medals and coins.
Travel Tip #7: To be respectful, you're supposed to wear clothing that covers your elbows and knees when entering the Grand Palace and other temple sites. I did so today, but as the only long-sleeve shirt I have is a sweatshirt, I ended up nearly dying of heat stroke. In reality, they will let you in wearing a T-shirt, which I would highly recommend!
Chris and I still haven't had a chance to see much of Bangkok, as we've been trying to get a lot of trip planning done while we're still in the big city. In order to save money, it looks like we'll be shifting our itinerary around a bit so that we spend less time in more expensive countries, and more time in cheaper ones. This is easier said than done, though, as it involves calculating plane fares, weather and average temperatures, tour costs, and the expense of changing some of the tickets we've already bought, as well as talking to travel agents and airlines and obtaining entry visas for a number of countries! It's a real headache, and we still have a long way to go before we figure it all out.
We did manage to take some time off this morning to visit Bangkok's Grand Palace, a 200,000-square-meter complex built in 1782 to house the royal residence and throne halls, government offices, and the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The buildings within the walled complex are all incredibly ornate and detailed with colorful materials including gold, tile, stone, ceramics, and precious gems. There are statues everywhere of elephants and mythical beings, and there's even a miniature replica of Cambodia's Angkor Wat! The most famous statue, though, is the Emerald Buddha (which is in fact made of jade, not emerald). It sits atop a gilded throne in the ordination hall of the royal monastery, where it's visited by thousands of pilgrims each year paying their respects to the teachings of Buddha. We also visited the palace armory (hmm, would the Buddha approve?) and a museum featuring royal regalia, medals and coins.
Travel Tip #7: To be respectful, you're supposed to wear clothing that covers your elbows and knees when entering the Grand Palace and other temple sites. I did so today, but as the only long-sleeve shirt I have is a sweatshirt, I ended up nearly dying of heat stroke. In reality, they will let you in wearing a T-shirt, which I would highly recommend!
posted by John Kuge at 5:36 PM
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