After exiting past the palace guards, be prepared to be swarmed by an small army of street vendors, pushing postcards and souvenirs in your face.

You may want to consider purchasing a set of glossy postcards of the Grand Palace. I found it very challenging to take pictures amidst the throngs of people milling about. If you would prefer to walk around, taking in the sights and the information, without worrying about taking your own pictures, this is the perfect solution.

However, unless you ARE interested in buying these trinkets, do not engage them. Otherwise, they will pursue you relentlessly until you physically leave the area.

 Rather than travel back up the river by boat, we will entrust our lives to the drivers of the ubiquitous three wheeler vehicles known as tuk tuks. Their name is due to the distinctive sound made by their tiny engines /tuk tuk tuk tuk/.

These will provide a thrilling high speed ride through the crowded city streets to our next stop. It’s important to negotiate firmly with your driver regarding the fare before you embark. And make sure that you are very clear about your destination. Tuk tuk drivers are rather notorious for having arrangements with businesses to bring them new customers. You may find yourself on an unscheduled detour to a retail store such as jewelry shop or even a massage parlor, unless that was your intended destination.

Fortunately, our local guide has taken care of all these details for us. We will scoot through traffic to the Flower Market at a fair and reasonable price, laughing all the way and praying that we don’t get imto an accident in one of these tin cans on wheels.

It’s all part of the fun, excitement and danger! And it reminded me of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland, except that it is in REAL traffic and cross traffic, not on safety rails.

The only time I would avoid this type of transportation is during rush hour traffic when being stuck directly behind large vehicle exhaust will make it very unpleasant.

The Wat Phra Kaew, more commonly referred to as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha sits within the extensive Grand Palace complex. The temple actually consists of several buildings, pavillions and pagodas in the same way that the former royal palace is a series of buildings.  The small emerald buddha displayed on a high altar of gold within the main hall is in fact made of  jadeite and is one of the most revered in Thailand.

shoe racks outside temple

You will need to remove your shoes and hats and leave them outside in a designated area before entering  the prayer hall. Also refrain from talking or taking photos inside out of respect for others.

If you wish to sit on the floor, make sure the soles of your feet do not point to the sacred image of the Buddha.  The feet are considered the lowliest part of the body and this is considered highly insulting.

Despite the tropical heat and humidity, resist the urge to shed layers of clothing. Minimal attire may be appropriate at the beach but generally not in public. You will observe that local residents are rather conservative in this regard. Thai men wear collared shirts and long trousers and women are dressed modestly. Visitors may sport skimpy tops and shorts in tourist areas but this is not acceptable at sacred sites such as temples and palaces.

Just past the guards, at the entrance to the Grand Palace grounds, you will see a board illustrating exactly what constitutes respectful clothing for visitors touring the extensive complex. Anyone with bare shoulders, exposed midriffs and bare legs will not be admitted.  I had read that knees also had to be covered. This was not quite correct. Ankle length pants or skirts are expected.

I thought I was prepared. The “fashion police” eyeball all visitors. I am tall and my capris were deemed not long enough so I had to rent a sarong. Apparently, this is an ongoing issue so they are ready with temporary fixes.

There is also a measuring stick at the turnstile to double check length of garments. I didn’t pass this test either. A female attendant came over to assist me. We ended up tying the piece of fabric around my hips to get an extra inch or so.  Meanwhile, I was thinking about several full length garments back at the hotel in my suitcase that would have avoided this problem. I was becoming a little irritated and wondered if I would even get in.

I was finally approved to enter. So, here I am in my top and a borrowed bottom, layered over my own bottoms.  Only a hat, gloves and socks would have provided more complete coverage.

Once inside,  I did notice that these rules were NOT applied consistently. Just come prepared.

Let’s make a little detour on our way to the Grand Palace.  There are vendors along the river who sell loaves of bread for mere pennies. We can glide up in our boat, purchase a few and then circle back out to feed the fish.

Break off a small chunk of bread and dangle it over the surface of the water. Soon, hungry fat fish resembling catfish will leap up to snatch the morsel from your fingers. There’s quite a bit of frenzied thrashing about and churning up of murky water as they compete for their snack.

rice barge

In terms of people feeding, there are a variety of restaurants dotted along the river for relaxed meals al fresco. It can also be interesting to sail on a restored Thai rice barge. These are available for day and evening excursions. The dinner cruise is a leisurely event with a delicious multi-course Thai meal and entertainment.

But now, we are on our way over to the most visited site in Thailand before it gets too hot and too crowded. I’m sure a convoy of large motor coaches have already arrived and spilled forth hundreds of other visitors this morning.

The glittering Wat  Arun or the Temple of Dawn is just down river and it shines golden in the sunlight, especially at dawn and dusk. Its towering spire or prang is the first part visible from a distance as you near the entire complex.

The population of Thailand is predominantly Thai (80%) and Buddhist (95%). Thousands of Buddhist temples in varying sizes and architectural styles can be seen throughout the country. However, each demonstrates the same attention to detail in ornate embellishments, dazzling prayer halls and multicolored statues that we see in Thai handicrafts such as embroidery, jewelery and carvings.

The temple grounds provide an oasis of tranquility that contrasts with the intense traffic and noise outside on roadways and the river way. If you choose to climb the steep and narrow steps, you will be rewarded with an excellent view of the nearby Grand Palace which is our next stop on today’s city sightseeing schedule. Just be aware that the way back down is more precarious than the ascent.

I will discuss another famous temple, the Doi Suthep, in Chang Mai in more detail as a fine example of northern Lanna style temple architecture.

 Turning 180 degrees, we get a panoramic view of the s-shaped Chao Phraya River that runs through the bustling city of Bangkok. There is activity at all times of the day and night on this aquatic artery: commuter ferries, commercial transport, tourist boats, dinner cruises.

A long tail boat whisks you up the river at high speed past the ancient and the modern juxtaposed in this sprawling metropolis. High rises exist next to temples. The ride is fast and noisy but fun. Be prepared – you may also get a little backsplash regardless of the protective tarp. We will slow down to enter the network of side canals or klongs where people carry on their daily lives.

spirit house

As you approach a building, you may notice an intricately carved miniature replica of a house or temple displayed on a pedestal. Typically, these are made of teak wood or stone. In the animist traditions of Thailand, this is placed within the compound as a residence for the protective spirits that watch over the home or business. This particular spirit house sits on the grounds of the Bangkok Shangri-la Hotel.

A doorman heralds us at the front entrance with an elaborate gong. The beautiful Shangri-la Hotel enjoys a riverfront location directly on the Chao Phraya. The two connecting wings are set within a jungle of lush tropical plants and flowers. Our upper floor balcony offers fantastic river views in both directions. 

Let’s go down to the lounge and enjoy a drink while the butler unpacks our things. I’m thinking we should swing by the stylish Chi Spa. I know they specialize in ancient himalyan and chinese treatments. We should schedule appointments for a jet lag recovery massage, don’t you think?

Sawadee-ka, Greetings from Thailand. We have now traveled from the South Pacific to Southeast Asia to an alluringly exotic and user-friendly destination. The former Kingdom of Siam is approximately twice the size of our state of Wyoming and located between Myanmar (Burma) and Cambodia. Many people do not make the connection between ancient Siam in the film and the play The King & I and modern day Thailand.

The word thai means “free” so the name of the country literally translates as “land of the free”  which makes us kindred spirits.  Thailand greets hundreds of thousands of international visitors each year through its major Asian gateway, the (still relatively new) Bangkok airport (2006). 

I think Land of Smiles is an appropriate appellation for a nation characterized by the warm hospitality of its people. The traditional greeting or wai is a pressing together of the palms in a prayer-like gesture. People generally do not shake hands or hug. Actually, public displays of affection are are frowned upon in this society.

The modern capital city of Bangkok is huge, crowded, noisy, cosmopolitan and very high energy. We will begin our virtual tour here in the central region before visiting Chang Mai in the north and then Khao Sok and the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui in the southern part of the country.

Normally, I don’t take pictures of food because it rarely does justice to it. But I was impressed by the lavish Sunday Brunch served at Banyan Tree and asked the general manager for permission to photograph elements of it without disturbing the guests. They offered a  broad selection of international cuisine, all artfully presented. I was again reminded of that attention to detail I had seen throughout my journey as well as the fact that we had enjoyed consistently wonderful meals in every region.

Take  a look for yourself.

tea selection at Banyan Tree

market station

Japanese condiments

Well, we are out of time on this tour. Island-hopping from Phuket to to Koh Samui, Krabi or Phi Phi Island will have to wait until another month as we bid adieu to beautiful Thailand and her gracious people.

This month’s raffle prize, a Thailand Gift Pack consists of a Thai Cookbook containing many of the exotic foods and dishes discussed on this tour, Thai coffee beans from Chiang Mai University’s Royal Plantation Project to enjoy after a Thai meal, an intricately patterned sarong with coconut shell clip so as to be respectfully covered when entering temples and palaces, a decorative travel journal to record observations and a portable travel clock/calendar.

Congratulations to this month’s winner, Ginny Leonard of Sacramento, CA.

FYI: CNN International announced the results of its Online Consumer Survey (OCS) on Travel and Tourism which reveals that Thailand was chosen as representing the best value for money for travellers in the Asia Pacific region. The survey conducted across CNN English websites had more than 5,000 respondents globally. Thailand came out as the best value in Asia-Pacific for respondents over China in second place and India in third.
CNN Press Release dated May 14, 2009