Our Hotel was strategically located on the corner of Lumpini Park (similar to Central Park in New York), maybe a bit far from the historic center, but well located and close to different means of transport. In the morning we took the water bus and went first to a tailor to order some shirts for me. We had a recommendation from a friend of mine, so we were already expected. We chose the fabrics, measurements were taken and after 10 minutes we were told that the shirts would be delivered in our hotel the next day.
That was quick. We took a Tuk Tuk and drove to the Grand Palace, where we first had to rent long trousers in order to be admitted to the premises of the palace. It is a huge complex. Let me refer to Wikipedia to make the introduction.
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The Grand Palace is currently partially open to the public as a museum, however it remains a working palace as several royal offices are still situated inside. Rather than being a single structure, the Grand Palace is made up of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions set around open lawns, gardens and courtyards. Its asymmetry and eclectic styles are due to its organic development, with additions and rebuilding being made by successive reigning kings over 200 years of history. It is divided into several quarters: the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; the Outer Court, with many public buildings; the Middle Court etc.
Just across the river, there is another famous landmark, Wat Arun. The temple is so named because the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence.The main feature of Wat Arun is its central prang (Khmer-style tower) which are encrusted with colourful porcelain. This is interpreted as a stupa-like pagoda incrusted with coloured faience. The height is reported by different sources as between 66.8 m and 86 m.
Already walked a lot today, it was time to take a rest, therefore we hired a longtail boat and went on a tour on the canals and visited a floating market en route.
A long-tail boat is a wonder of engineering. It uses a common automotive engine as a powerplant. This engine is invariably mounted on an inboard turret-like pole which can rotate through 180 degrees, allowing steering by thrust vectoring. The propeller is mounted directly on the driveshaft with no additional gearing or transmission. Usually the engine also swivels up and down to provide a "neutral gear" where the propeller does not contact the water. The driveshaft must be extended by several metres of metal rod to properly position the propeller, giving the boat its name and distinct appearance.
The rest of the day we spent in our hotel and later in the evening we went out to look for some night life. We did not find much, other than some strange bars with some poles and taxi stands like in New York, although the yellow cabs were missing.
All pics of the trip as usual are linked on the right quick link column or simply click here
All pics / kepek
No comments:
Post a Comment