I’m back in Bangkok now. I left Koh Samui this morning, sadly, and flew back to the capital. I decided to stay near the riverfront this time around, at the Sheraton by the Riverside Shopping Center where there are plenty of shops and restaurants.
Once I settled into my hotel I decided to take a local boat over to the Wat Arun, which I wasn’t able to see my first time around in Bangkok. It was easy enough to get to the Wat. I needed to take two boats (one upstream, and one across the river) and while this sounds complicated it was actually one of the easier transportation systems I’ve had to navigate here.
View of river from the pier near my hotel
At the moment there is a ton of scaffolding around the main prang (tower) at Wat Arun, which is a pity, as there is quite a striking view of the building from the river. This also meant that several parts of the complex were off limits to visitors.
Wat Arun from the Chao Phraya river
However, it is still possible to walk around and take some close up shots of some of the smaller prangs and detailed porcelain tiles.
A smaller prang at Wat Arun
Detail of porcelain tiling
Detail of porcelain on the big prang at Wat Arun
The name Wat Arun means “Temple of Dawn.” This temple is located on the west side of the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok, and was built in the 18th century in the Khmer architectural style. The main prang, which is currently being restored, is more than 80 meters high, and is the tallest prang in all of Thailand. Wat Arun is designated as one of six first class Royal Temples in the country, making it one of the most revered buildings in Thailand.
I spent about an hour around the Wat Arun complex, and then started my journey back on the boats. Before returning to my hotel I decided to take a walk through the Riverside shopping complex next door, which was fun. There are plenty of antique stores there. I am contemplating buying a lovely carved wooden bench that I saw. We’ll see if I can get up the courage to go for it before I leave. I’m very tempted.
Tomorrow I have one last full day tour and I just found out I have to get up at 5:30am (?!) for it to be ready for pick up shortly after 6am. I will be going to Kanchanaburi to see the Death Railway, constructed mostly by forced labor during World War II and made famous by the film Bridge over the River Kwai. More on that tomorrow. Off to bed!
Jules Traveler 