We’re almost done with orientation, and today was a chance to explore the city a little bit. We all loaded into 3 double-decker buses bound for the Grand Palace. These definitely were Super Elegance…except if you had to use the bathroom… They even came with some reading material (Thai Cosmo? and a creepy comic):
Wat Phra Kaew really couldn’t be more amazing. Like Wat Pho, attention and care went into every little detail, all handmade. I was blown away by its beauty. A must-see!
The actual Temple of the Emerald Buddha was closed in preparation for a ceremony. At the beginning of each of the three Thai seasons the Buddha's cloak is switched to bring good fortune, and this is the beginning of the rainy season. (I did get a chance to see the other 2 sets of clothing in the Pavilion of Regalia but photography was not allowed.) It was amazing to see people paying their respects regardless. They were lighting incense, leaving offerings, and placing gold on statues.
I actually snagged a pic with my telephoto lens. This Buddha is only 26 inches tall and carved from a single piece of jade (emerald signifies the color, not the stone).
We were provided an excellent tour guide to show us around. One of the best parts was getting her to tell us the name of this city in Thai. Did you know Bangkok is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest name?
This was definitely an amazing experience, and I’m so grateful I got to have it. Check that one off the Thailand bucket list!
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