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Published: November 10th 2017
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Geo: 13.7612, 100.496
So today we decided to go our separate ways. I really wanted to see Wat Pho (pronounced Wat Po in case you're trying to get a taxi) Jo was not so keen to face the massive crowds again. So I decided to skip Thai chi in the morning in the interest of getting to the temple early. I later learned that this had worried our new exercise buddies. As soon as Jo got there she was greeted with "Where's your friend? where's your friend?"
The temple opens at 8.30 and I wanted to be there at eight to be first in line. I got there just after eight to discover it was already open. And crowds, what crowds? For the fist half hour or so I pretty much had the whole complex to myself. Well there were maybe three other tourists and a small yoga class up the back. Even when I left the crowds had begun to build but there was still plenty of room to breath. Wat Pho boasts the largest collection of Buddhas in Thailand. I think that is a fair call, there was courtyard after courtyard lined with golden buddhas. Well some were black but mostly
they were gold. And several temples with alters dedicated to Buddha. In total there are 394 buddhas here. Their biggest claim to fame is the reclining Buddha, measuring at 46m long and 15m high he is a bigun'. I think they built the temple around him. There is no way you could manoeuvre a statue that big in between the pillars. I was suitably impressed.
After Pho Wat I walked back past the Grand Palace and briefly contemplated taking a second run at seeing the emerald Buddha. However the memories from the previous days adventure still haunted me and I kept walking. Instead I made my way to the river and took the ferry across to Wat Arun. I had seen Wat Arun several times on the river, its hard to miss as it is a massive structure. From the river it looked grey but up close it is actually white and covered in mosaic tiles. Its called the temple of the dawn but apparently it is most impressive at sunset. Kinda sad I missed that. It is currently undergoing repairs so I could not enter the temple which was OK with me as that meant climbing a lot
of stairs, with no railings, in the heat of the day. If it had been open I would have melted on the steps, or freaked out or both. Just a freaky puddle of human on the Wat Arun steps.
Today appeared to be my day for random people to take my picture. As I got off the ferry to Wat Uran a muslim lady asked me to pose in a picture with her. They took my photo before I really knew what was happening. I asked why and she said something intelligible and then took off up the jetty. I hung back for a bit and watched them but didn't see any other suspicious behaviour. I checked my belongings and all the important stuff seemed to be in tact so I have no idea what that was about. After Wat Uran I was walking toward town when a police officer stopped me and asked where I was going, which was difficult to answer because I had no destination in mind. While I was talking to him a little Japanese fellow took my photo. Then they both thanked me and wandered off. Feeling somewhat freaked out I found a bar with beer
and free wifi and began googling scams involving randoms taking your photo. The only ones I found involved children (creepy) so I have no idea what that was about. So if anyone happens to find an image of me on the web looking a little confused as to what is going on and its in a site you think is strange (for me) please let me know.
After satisfying myself I had not lost anything valuable I had some lunch and made my way back to the hotel. It was getting hot again and it felt like pool time. As I made my way to our room who should I find in the corridor. Miss Jo on the way to the pool. Great minds think alike.
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