Bangkok 2013: Adventures of the Bitch Trinity (Part II)

September 2, 2013

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So here we are at the second part of the Adventures of the Bitch Trinity. On this episode, you’ll see us rolling on the rivers of Bangkok, visit to Wat Pho, the Grand Palace and Khaosan Road.

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On the itinerary was the Grand Palace to start the day (after spending almost the whole morning watching Disney’s ‘Brave’ in our hotel room as if deprived of our childhood) and made the option to go on the river cruise to the Grand Palace.

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It was interesting to see how the locals reside on and along the river. Their lives practically revolve around it from transportation to selling and buying goods to hanging their laundry. There were even schools and temples along the river. It was an eye opening experience and I was really amazed at how simple life can be.

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The following images are a jumbled mash of pictures from both Wat Pho and The Grand Palace (because I sorta mixed them up and now I’m confused… geez, I’m kinda crappy at this travel blogging thing lol).

Wat Pho is located directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. It is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

The figure is marvelous – 15 metres tall, 46 metres long. The Buddha’s feet are 5 metres long and decorated in mother-of -pearl with inscriptions written on them. It is so large that you’ll wonder how it manage to fit into the temple. You’ll need to take your shoes off to enter and if you’d like a little good luck, you can purchase a bowl of coins at the entrance of the hall which you can drop in the bronze bowls which line the walls. I purchased a bowl to see if I’d be granted some luck. But even if your wishes don’t come true, the money goes towards helping the monks preserve Wat Pho.

The Grand Palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782. The king, his court and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. The present monarch does not reside here anymore but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand.

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Notice how I was in some sad blue shirt? Hence, I am here to warn you that this is what you’d have to wear if you don’t come in proper covered attire.

Tips on visiting The Grand Palace:

Put on your shades, hat and sunscreen as you will be burnt in the heat!
Bring along a big water bottle because it can take hours to tour around and it will be crucial to hydrate yourself in the hot weather.
Shawls do not count (as I’ve learned only at the arrival of the Grand Palace). You will be made to loan a shirt or a sarong accordingly at the entrance of the palace if your attire is deemed inappropriate.

The Grand Palace and temples in Bangkok are holy places and will require us to cover our body parts as a sign of respect to the deities and monks. I did not hesitate to loan a shirt (despite having to look unglam) but it was a mistake on my part for not checking the proper attire.

After more than half a day walking around the temple and palace, it was time for us to chill…

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A friend recommended us to visit Khaosan Road and we thought we’d give it a go. Interestingly, I’ve learned that Khaosan actually means ‘milled rice’, a reminder that in its earlier days, it use to be a rice market. However, these days it is well known as the ‘backpacker’s place’.