It’s been a whirlwind couple of days touring the Thai capital, with day one comprised of a cooking class and dinner cruise, covered in a separate post by Pat, sandwiched around a visit to Wat Pho, which is home to the famous Reclining Buddha seen above. (Wat means temple.) Day Two was centered on a trip to the Grand Palace, one of the city’s top attractions.

There are thousands of statues of the Buddha in Thailand, but the Reclining Buddha is among the most famous and largest. It is 150 feet long, and as can be seen, covered in gold leaf. It is actually the second-largest reclining Buddha in the world, but despite being number two in size it is still quite amazing. The statue barely fits into the building housing it and the crowds trying to see it are large. Buddhist adherents make offerings, similar to what one encounters at well-known Catholic cathedrals. Wat Pho is also considered to be the birthplace of Thai massage and there remains a training school for Buddhist monks.

Day Two started with a visit to a 24-hour flower and vegetable market, which was quite interesting. The market was enclosed, but that doesn’t stop shoppers on motorbikes and scooters from traversing the aisles with the walkers.

Next up was the Grand Palace, which has been the centerpiece of the city since the late 1700s. The fourth king of the current Thai dynasty, King Mongkut, ruled from this palace and it was he that was romanticized in the musical “The King and I.” We didn’t watch it prior to leaving, but we might seek it out when we get home.

The top attraction at the site, which is quite sprawling, is the Emerald Buddha. It is carved from Jade and adorned with gold, and it’s the king who has the ceremonial duty of changing the clothes that the Buddha wears three times a year. The statue sits atop a tall pedestal, so the king better not have a fear of heights.

There is also a lengthy mural and much else to see on the grounds. It is hot in this part of the world, and some in our group were getting grumpy after a couple hours in the sun, but we generally found the grounds enjoyable despite the weather.

The ticket to the Grand Palace also included a 30-minute demonstration of Thai dance at a nearby theater, which we enjoyed after lunch. Photography wasn’t allowed, which I respected. Not so Asian tourists sitting in the front row. So much for following rules.

After the show we returned to our hotel via a parade of tuk-tuks, the ubiquitous motorcycle-driven taxis that Thailand is famous for. The tour operators arranged the ride, and it was a blast. The drivers act like they are trying out to be Grand Prix racers, with equally crazy scooter riders joining the mix. The video below captures a bit of the fun.