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Published: January 5th 2010
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With a later start than what we wanted we got to the Grand Palace at 10:00, we hesitated on paying the 700THB entry fee for both of us and hoped it was worth the $22 AUD. We walked through the main walls and I was stopped from going any further as I was wearing shorts and required long pants. 10min later and 100THB deposit I walked out wearing a pair of long purple pants.
Within 10 meters of entering the Palace entrance we knew it was worth the money we hesitated paying. The temple cannot be explained by words, photos can’t even get close to its beauty and the only thing spoiling the Grand Palace was the huge amount of visiting people and tourist. It was tuff to get any photos without half a dozen people standing in front of you. The palace and temple was decorated with small diamond shaped mirrors, gold leaf tiles, and intricate glass tiles these all incrusted the columns walls and window surrounds. This 94 hectare site is a pilgrimage to all Buddhist and is free entry to the Thai people. The grounds encompass more than 100 buildings and represents more than 200 years of Bangkok
rule. After 2hours of looking around we headed out to the river only 100m away and wanted to check out the Temple of Down or Wat Arun as know to the locals. We caught the water taxi across the river and looked into the water at the massive school of cat fish. It was a local feeding spot and you could pay for food to feed the fish. Some catfish must have been around 7kgs.
We could see the Temple in plain view right on the water’s edge, It was only 600m walk to the Wat (Temple) and with my expert experience in navigation we decided not to pay to 60THB boat ride there and back but to walk the back streets and alleys. 15min later we somehow managed to do a full circle and come back where we had started. “OK plan 2” We walked out to the main road only 100m and then followed the road parallel to the river where the Temple is right on the water, so it should be 100m walk inland 600m up and 100m back in again. With a proper scaled map in the lonely planet guide book it should be a breeze.
We walked for 15min losing sight of the temple from the start and the map indicated we were on the right path. It was 2km up the road and five Thai people that reassured us we were going in the right direction, we caught a glimpse of the temple again and we were still 600m from the temple. “How the #@$% did that happen!” It was like being in the Twilight zone and it seemed like no matter much we walked it didn’t get any closer. Another 15min and half a dozen back alleys we made it.
By this time we were pissing out sweat everywhere as the Bangkok heat and humidity really got to us and there is was no breeze at all and certainly not in between the small paths and alleyways.
It cost around 100THB for both of us to get in, it was an impressive temple and it look allot older that most temples. It is decorated with colourful Chinese porcelain dinner plates and bowls that were often used as ship ballast in the early 19th century. The plates and bowels were mosaic in the shape of flowers. It had a huge tower 82m high and
two tears and you could walk up the steep stairs which are more like a latter than stairs. That’s one great thing about Asia is you are able to do more adventurous activities and enjoy the rewards instead of paths, tracks and stairs being roped off to the public because someone might slip over graze a leg and sue. Although must admit the steep stairs on this temple should be roped off when wet because they were very steep. Back to the water taxi again to catch the ride all the way back to our water front hostel.
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