July, 2004 - I traveled to Bangkok, Thailand with three of my friends. What a fabulous, exciting, so much to see and do country! Our first stop was The Grand Palace. Notice my crazy skirt and MariEllen's (second from right) foot-wear. Capris (which I was wearing) and back-less shoes (which MariEllen was wearing) are not allowed. I knew some of the temples were going to have dress-codes, so I brought this sarong with me and just carried it around in my back-pack. It came in handy on several occasions! The Palace rents socks and shoes to those who come with backless shoes; this is what MariEllen ended up doing.
We decided to get a guide, "Mr. P" and I'm glad we did. It didn't cost very much and it was great having someone explain everything. The ornate details of everything is absolutely amazing. Not to mention the history; the Grand Palace, which houses the Emerald Buddha, was built in 1782.
The Grand Palace once walled the residence of the Thai monarch, but the current King does not live here; he lives in a nearby residence closed to the public. Here we are about to enter the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, one of the most treasured religious objects in all of Thailand. It is a 26-inch seated Buddha, carved from a solid block of jade. As you can see here, it is guarded by dozens of bronze lions.Verdict: An ABSOLUTE must. I loved, loved, loved Thailand. Definitely one of my favorite countries I've visited. I can't wait to do all my other Thailand posts. The Grand Palace is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to experiencing this country! Page 498, 1000 Places to See Before You Die.
