Bangkok Temples

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Geo: 13.7308, 100.521

These photos speak for themselves, I visited a few more temples today. One that I've been to before, and a couple others that I hadn't. An unexpected bonus at Wat Bowon Niwet was the monks quarters being open to the public. I actually ended up spending a long time here, just walking around enjoying the atmosphere. There were monks all over the grounds, and I got so many smiles and bows I couldn't possibly recount them all.

On a totally random note, the day after I visited these temples I woke up and my right knee was killing me. I mean it really hurt. I layed there rubbing it trying to think what I'd done to hurt it, I didn't fall...I was walking a lot on uneven ground, but why would only my right knee hurt and not my left? Couldn't figure it out...until I looked at the pictures. In a pitiful attempt to 'blend' (which is completely futile...I've now conceded, I stand out wherever I go and there's just no way around it) I sat with the monks in several of the prayer sites, for a long time. And I tried to sit like them (see pics), not cross legged, not sitting on their feet, but sort of with both legs bent to the same side. Which means one leg is bent easily under you, an d the other is ridiculously rotated out away from you and then your heel is pulled back under you. Not an angle my knee was accustomed too, and man I paid for it for several days after. Sucks getting old.

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Photos

The Buddhas sash on the ground - Wat In
If you remember from the pictures I took of Wat In on my last visit, the statue had on a sash that extended from over his left shoulder to his ankles on the right side. When I was visiting today they were in the process of changing it, so I got this beautiful shot of dozens of yards of saffron fabric on the temple steps.

Wat Bowon Niwet -- www.watbowon.org
Wat Bowon Niwet is an important temple located on Phra Suman Road in the Bang Lamphu area. Built in 1829, there is in the shrine-hall of Phra Phutthachinnasi, a very beautiful Buddha image which was molded in 1375. King Rama IV used to be a chief abbot of this temple before he ascended the throne. Other Chakri Kings who had resided here during their monkhood include King Rama IV and King Rama VII, as well as His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.