Bangkok

I decided to spend my last day in Bangkok checking out the famous temples and sights: the Reclining Buddha, The Grand Palace,Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Arun, Jim Thompson House. I started out by taking a scooter taxi to the Grand Palace and was rewarded with my early start by being the first person in to see the spectacular buildings and temples in this complex which still houses many government buildings.

The Grand Palace

The Reclining Buddha

The Grand Palace and the Jade Buddha were simply stunning. The fact that they offered you free water was an added bonus, unseen in the other cultural relics I had visited. People were very respectful and removed shoes while walking through the temples. Everywhere I visited there were Buddhas covered with gold and jewels. Beautiful!

Wat Arun

I took a wrong turn while trying to cross the river to Wat Arun and ended up traversing a marketplace filled with people selling trinkets and coins which were examined carefully by passerbys with tiny spy glasses. I'm not sure what they were looking for but I did stop to buy a necklace that looked interesting. Apparently I walked a couple of kilometres out of my way before I realized that the ferry I needed was about 2 kilometres back. I walked back, had a snack of BBQ pork and finally found the 3 Baht ferry over to Wat Arun.
I climbed some very scary steps to the top of this temple (no OBC here) and decided I had better spend the rest of my money before heading home.
As a traveller, I hate having to carry too much excess baggage. I also don't think that bringing a t-shirt or some other non-sensical item back to family members or friends is very significant so I always struggle with the whole souvenir thing. I know what I want but what I try to live by is the rule of "Would I buy it at home?"
I'm not really good at this since some things are obviously so much cheaper when purchased abroad. But my limited knowledge of the finer things in life makes my decision making so much more difficult and I really do agonize over every little purchase. I did manage to purchase a leather purse, a few items of clothing and some bracelets before heading off to my hotel and a good nights sleep.

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