SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016
We’re back for ya, Bangkok!
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There were two main things that we wanted to do in Bangkok that we didn’t do during our brief stay in Bangkok last time. Those two things were a floating market and Wat Pho.
When we got to Wat Pho, a guard (he wasn’t really wearing a uniform and was just sitting under an umbrella) told us that Wat Pho was closed for an hour and that we should go somewhere else and come back. He claimed there was a monk ceremony? I don’t know if that’s true. I’ll admit I was skeptical. He said we could walk about 20 minutes in one direction and take a boat to a floating market. I didn’t believe it would be that easy to find a floating market. All our research told us that the floating markets were outside of the city. Like FAR. And the closest one had a lot of bad reviews of it being a tourist trap and bogus entrance fees and what not.
So, we walked in that direction, found a pier, but could not find anyone who could give us directions or information about a floating market. Instead, we stumbled upon a large flower market. There were tons and tons of flowers which made me think, “Do all of these flowers sell?” It was like the Costco of floral shops. You could just buy them by bulk. After walking a bit, we walked back to Wat Pho.
Wat Pho
Wat Pho is another tourist attraction and it was pretty extensive. The area is pretty big and we spent maybe 2 hours there? There is a small admission fee.
Wat Pho is home to the famous reclining Buddha. If you’ve seen pictures of it, it really is enormous. We were unable to get the whole thing in one shot. You would probably need some editing to compose such a picture. They do take the dress code seriously. Everyone takes off their shoes and they’ll give you bags to put your shoes in, so that you can carry them with you as you walk around the Reclining Buddha.
I visited in February 2016 and there was “scaffolding” (I’m not sure if that’s the right word), over the feet of the Reclining Buddha, so I didn’t really get a good look at the feet.
Along the wall on the back side of the Buddha, there were little bowls. You can donate a small amount (10 or 20 THB) and you get a bowl of coins. You can then walk along this wall and drop a coin in each bowl for good luck.
Around that time, it was also Chinese New Year, so there was a small celebration happening outside. I’m not exactly sure what was going on, but there were dancing lions. We also got small water bottles for free.
I found Wat Pho to be really pretty. I think it’s worth visiting, if you like the tourist attractions. If they aren’t your thing, it’s still good to go so you can say you’ve been there and give others your opinion.
There were Buddhas EVERYWHERE. I’m not exaggerating. They were EVERYWHERE.
Steps Walked: 18,711
