The Buchans 2016: Thailand

We’re off to Thailand for a month. This will be our first visit so there will be lots to do and see. The plan is to stay in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai for about a week each in Airbnb properties (already booked). We will be flying AirAsia between the main centres.

Here we are ready to go at Heathrow

We flew EVA air (Taiwanese) direct to Bangkok. The EVA air plane you see is the same as the one we are on.

We stayed close to Sukhumvit, the longest road in Thailand, which is also close to the ‘Skytrain’ BTS. Our host was Ae who spoke and wrote very good English. It turned out he was letting out the property on behalf of his girlfriend’s father.

The bedroom with a huge bed

The lounge, through the sliding doors is the kitchen, on the balcony.

On the first morning we had to get the hang of the Skytrain. We had watched YouTube videos of how to go about it. It helped enormously. Our first visit was to Wat Pho. This entailed a trip on the Skytrain followed by the tourist river ferry. Here are 4 photos of our trip on the ferry.

Wat Pho – a plan of the site.
This is known as the ‘Temple of the Reclining Buddha’

The reclining Buddha is 15 m high and 46 m long and is one of the largest statues in Thailand.

On entering all Buddhist temples shoes and hats had to be taken off. Stuart next to a statue, possibly Chinese.

Charity collection pots. People have bags of small change and put something in each pot.

Statue and bell tower

A Farang - the Thai word for someone of European ancestry – hence the top hat.

Statue of Chinese origin.

Golden buddha

The temple grounds contain 91 small chedis (stupas or mounds) the pointy structures, four great chedis, two belfries and a bot (central shrine). The chedis are covered by small pieces of ceramic.

Decorative roof

Detail from the roof

Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn -
there are 4 chedis like this, each one 42 metres high

Lunch by the river

Rama VIII bridge completed in 2002 to alleviate traffic congestion.

Pom Phra Sumen Fort - Built in 1783 to defend against potential naval invasions. The octagonal brick-and-stucco bunker was one of 14 city watchtowers that punctuated the old city wall. This is the only one left.

Life alongside the river

Return on the BTS

A 10 minute walk from our apartment was the EMQuartier. This is a massive luxury shopping area opened in 2015. We went there every night for a meal, drink or just a wander. Below you can see us having a drink at Harrods, yes Harrods!