I am back in Bangkok, recruitment time. After two days of interviewing, wining and dining candidates, I needed a little break.

I jumped on one the the water taxis. Forty baht (about $1.20) for a one-way trip from the Tha Santon Dock to the Tha Chang Dock #9 on the Chao Phraya River. These ferries are fast and crowded, sardine crowded. They pull into the dock, allow a pushing crowd to depart, and then those waiting on the dock make a mad scramble onto the boat. I never saw the attendants counting but all of a sudden they will put a stop to the flow of embarkers, a whistle is blown, the dock ropes removed, and off the boat goes…all in less than five minutes. If you’re not pushy you don’t get on and you wait about 10 minutes or so for the next boat. (I was way too polite the first time….second time I was elbow to elbow with everyone else.)

I have to admit, as I was crammed next to little old Thai lady, who kept stepping on my feet, and a family from China, I kept thinking of all those ferries you hear about capsizing because they were too crowded. Only way to get that thought out of my head was to focus on taking pictures of the river. We stopped at every dock (about 8 of them) and the same on/off process was repeated. Actually was pretty fun watching the flow of passengers.

Grand Palace

The Grand Palace is situated just off the Chao Phraya river. The Palace is in a walled 218,400 square meter site and the first buildings were erected in 1782 when the capital was moved from Thonburi to Bangkok by Rama I. The very best artists were gathered from each area over the country and they competed with each other over their skills. Successive kings built onto the original site.In 1925 the Royal Family stopped calling the palace their home but many official events are still held here. To enter you must have long pants and women must have their shoulders covered. I was warned not to talk to or make eye contact with anyone outside the gates. There are multiple scammers preying on the unsuspected…I had one man tell me they wouldn’t let me in with my flip-flops but he had shoes to sell me, “very cheap”. I didn’t bite and had no trouble entering with my flip-flops. Another told me I was heading in the wrong direction and if I would only get in his TukTuk he would bring me to the correct gate. Again, I didn’t bite and easily found the gate half a block up the road. People have to make a living.

The Grand Palace consists of four parts;
The outer part is the civil and military headquarters, the central is the King’s living quarters, the inner part is for female members of the royal family and their attendants, and another area is the royal temples.

I was unable to take pictures inside the temples and the Emerald Buddha, but was able to capture most of the exterior. Quite a sight.

Wat Pho – Home of the Reclining Buddha

Just around the corner from The Grand Palace is Wat Pho. This Buddhist Temple is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, but its official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhlaram Ratchaworamahawihan…..now you know why they call it Wat Pho. Besides the resting Buddha, Wat Pho is also the birthplace of the Thai Massage.

The image of reclining Buddha is massive. He is 50 feet tall and over 140 feet long. His feet are 15 feet long and are inlaid with mother of pearl. When you enter the building housing the Buddha, you are given a cloth bag where you place your shoes and hat. You carry these with you. When you come to the feet and begin your walk along Buddha’s back, there are 108 bronze bowls along the wall. For a small donation you get a plastic cup full of coins to drop into the bowls. Clink, clink, clink…it sounds like a pachinko parlor with everyone dropping in coins. It is believed if you drop a coin into each bowl you will have good luck. I will be having good luck!!!

Wat Arum – The Temple of Dawn

After Wat Pho, I jumped on a cross-river ferry to visit Wat Arum or The Temple of Dawn. (Real name: Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan….I’m so glad they shortened them) This is a Buddhist temple and the tall tower reflects the beams of the morning sun. (thus the name) It towers 282 feet and you can climb these incredibly steep stairs to two different levels affording you magnificent views of the river and city beyond. The stair climb is not for anyone afraid of heights or steep climbs..I mean these guys are almost vertical and it helps to have long legs for they are a good 18 inches tall, each one. You are winded when you get to the top. Short skirts are definitely not advised when climbing these stairs!!!! This temple was built in the early 1800’s and most of the carvings are out of stone. Pretty spectacular.

So much for touristy stuff…back to looking a files.