the wonders of bangkok

so many things about bangkok can’t be explained — they can only be *experienced*. a tuk tuk ride through the chaotic streets. the overwhelming beauty of its golden history. the way the city wraps itself around you with sound, heat, color, and energy in every direction.

today we dove headfirst into bangkok’s culture and history, starting with that tuk tuk ride that is simultaneously fun, exciting, dangerous, and frustrating. it’s hard to hide the fact that we (specifically *i*) are tourists — and in many parts of the world, that comes at a cost. if you want to learn that lesson quickly, hop into a tuk tuk and see what “off the beaten path” stores your driver decides you *must* visit. tailor shops, suit shops, boat tour stands… you name it. in the end, it’s all harmless, but a little frustrating when you really just want to get from point a to point b.

eventually we made it to **the grand palace**, and wow — *grand* is absolutely the right word. first of all, the compound is huge. *really* huge. and it’s positively covered in gold. the art, culture, and history are laid out in every direction, spelled out in gold-covered details as far as the eye can see. i took so many photos, but posting them here wouldn’t do them justice — so you’ll have to settle for the few i chose and, if that doesn’t scratch the itch… book a trip to bangkok!

after the grand palace, we walked to **wat pho**, home of the famous reclining buddha, and we had *no idea* just how massive it really is. another jaw-dropper. and again — photos don’t even come close.

a short river-ferry ride across the extremely busy **chao phraya river** dropped us at **wat arun**, the temple of dawn. sitting right on the riverside, wat arun is — for lack of a better description — thailand’s version of a beautiful, ornate stone pyramid. i couldn’t find specific dates, but it appears on maps from the mid-1600s, so it’s been watching over this river for a *long* time. and from the east bank, it’s one of the most eye-catching structures in the entire skyline.