This morning we went to the Grand Palace of Thailand. I thought the golden pagodas of Myanmar were impressive, but when I saw these palace grounds I was speechless. The sprawling compound of ceremonial halls, gilded spires, and ornate buildings are beyond description. The palace has been the ancient city's defining landmark since 1782 when it became the centerpiece of a new Thai capital. The city is called Krung Thep (City of Angels) by Thai people but is known in the world as Bangkok. It was King Mongkut (or Rama IV) who ruled from this palace and was romanticized in the musical The King and I . I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
There is a 26 inch Emerald Buddha in the temple of Wat Phra Kaew. Carved out of jade, the figurine is so beloved by the people that the king himself changes its robes for the different seasons.
There were some beautiful gardens on the palace grounds.
This is a very popular site and there was a huge mass of people at the only entrance gate.
It seemed as if there were 100's of buses bring the steady stream of people.
It was a fantastic site to see.
After our lunch and a very brief rest period we headed to the Chao Phraya River for an evening dinner cruise. It was a beautiful ride with all the lights and boats.
We had the opportunity to see the palace lite up from the river.
We were very lucky in that the Bangkok River Festival celebrating Loy Krathong was going on and there was a parade of decorated boats on the water. It was like being at Disney.
As part of the festival it is tradition to light a candle and incense stick placed on a lotus shaped raft and release it in the river. John had all of us one so we could participate.
What a fantastic way to end our first day in Bangkok.
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