Bangkok

Today is April 18.  We docked in Laem Chabang, Thailand, the shipping gateway to Bangkok.  It is a very large container port, so no fancy cruise terminal this day.  We were warned how hot it was going to be and to make sure we carried plenty of water and sunscreen.  The highs were to be 93 and the humidly about the same!!  Because we are going to the Palace, we are expected to wear long pants and “modest” shirts. 

I was tour leader at this port.  I booked through Bangkok Day Tours, recommended on Cruise Critic.  I cannot say enough good things about them – from the initial contact arranging a tour, to planning throughout, arrival and meeting our 2 tour guides, Sam & Lucky, to our great safe driver, Wat, and finally to Nov, who collected the money and road in the back seat with me to the city.  I had such a good time talking to her.  We met as strangers and departed as friends.

Kathleen with Nov

Our itinerary included a nice long drive from the port into Bangkok – just about 2 hours each way.

Our first stop:  Wat Traimit, the Golden Buddha.  It weighs over 5 tons and is the largest Buddha image in the world and the most treasured of Thailand and Buddhism.  It was accidently discovered when being moved and it was dropped.  It turned out the gold Buddha was encased in cement to protect it from the many years of occupying forces. Te cement cracked and they discovered this beautiful sculpture.

Gold Buddha

Then off we went to the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaeo.  This is a huge complex, but in one of them there is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.  This is Thailand’s most revered temple.  The grounds are very large, and we did a lot of walking and took so many photos. Photos were forbidden in the Grand Palace but I did take a lot of the grounds.

a happy moment shared on a very hot day

We moved on to Wat Pho – the building where the reclining Buddha is located.  We were so drained from spending a day in the hot weather that I almost passed on it. But Sam assured me it was not much walking.  And I was so glad I did get out of the bus. 

We were grateful for the respite of the stop for lunch in an air conditioned restaurant along the Chao Phraya river.  It was very charming and hard to leave.  But we did in search of our long-tail boat to take us along the canals and back ways of the Venice of the Orient.  It was a huge leap of faith when I got into the boat because the river was very choppy and the boat going up and down.  I didn’t want to fall in since our guide said no one drowns in this river, they just dissolve!!

along the canal



Gretchen bargaining - is she Gretchen saying $3 and the lady saying $1



a house along the canal

Our merry bunch of travelers

After 30 minutes on the river, we said goodbye to Sam and boarded our bus for the long drive back to the port.  Bangkok was everything I dreamed it would be.  I waited 48 years to come to Bangkok.  Carlos said when we married our first assignment was Bangkok.  It was changed at the last minute and we went to Saudi Arabia instead.  One day I will return to Bangkok.