december-2011

THE BEST WAY TO SEE BANGKOK is
slowly, leisurely and thoughtfully; and
what better way to do this than on a
boat down the Chao Phraya river and
its network of canals? Board an express
boat and you will see why Bangkok
was once called the “Venice of the
East.” Luckily, most of the city’s major
attractions lie along the river, making
the hotspots a pleasure to visit by boat.
Know that the Chao Phraya water
level rises signifi cantly every October,
no thanks to the monsoon rains during
August and September. In fact, it
inundated the city’s waterways most
dramatically in 1990 and just this year.
This is a perennial event and the city
has had powerful pumps and other
methods to control the fl ow of water
into the Gulf of Thailand.
In other months, however, the river
is a serene waterway and has remained
the city’s lifeblood — and still is one of
the best ways to get around Bangkok.
Wat Po and the
Grand Palace
Wat Po is the oldest temple in
Bangkok, dating back to the 16th
century. The temple’s claim to fame is
the giant reclining Buddha sparkling
with gold leaf, showing the passing of
Buddha into fi nal nirvana. Mother-ofpearl
ornaments the eyes and feet.
But Wat Po is not merely a Buddhist
temple; the place buzzes with activity
and is home to a massage school.
Originally set up to train blind,
traditional practitioners, the school is
also the national headquarters for the
preservation and teaching of traditional
Thai medicine, massage and herbal
therapy. Take a break from sightseeing
and have a massage or body wrap.
Right next door is the Grand Palace
and Wat Phra Kaew, an important
temple gleaming with the Emerald
Buddha, gilt stupas, polished red roof
tiles and mosaic-encrusted pillars.
B ANGKOK SIGHTSEEING
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Clockwise: The impressive
Grand Palace; Wat
Phra Kaew is a must
for architecture buffs;
Wat Po’s giant reclining
Buddha made with
gold leaf.