The centerpiece of our twelve-night Atlantis Southeast Asia cruise was a two-day stay in Bangkok, Thailand.
The ship docked at the port of Laem Chabang, which is a two-hour drive from Bangkok. This was a common theme for this cruise; all of the cities we visited in Vietnam were two hours inland. This made for a long day. Thankfully, we had a wonderful tour guide named Opal who kept us entertained and informed.
Some people on the cruise opted to stay overnight in Thailand to partake in the city’s storied nightlife of bars, ladyboy clubs, and live sex shows. This held no appeal for us. We don’t frequent bars or strip clubs in Phoenix, so there’s no reason for us to do that when we travel halfway around the world. Besides, we would rather see the city, marvel at the beautiful temples, and learn about the city’s culture than stay up all night reveling in the seedier side of Bangkok. To each, his own.
We arrived in town after 11:00 AM, so our first stop was a buffet lunch at the Ramada Plaza Hotel on the bank of the Chao Phraya River that runs through town.
Our next stop was the Wat Traimit temple, home of the Golden Buddha. This 3-meter statue is made of solid gold and weighs 5.5 tons. Opal explained that in the mid-1700s, the statue was covered with cement (stucco, according to Wikipedia) and colored glass to conceal its true value. In 1955, while the statue was being relocated, a portion of the cement chipped off, revealing the gold underneath. According to Guinness World Records, it is the world’s largest solid gold structure and, at current gold prices, the world’s most valuable religious object.
This temple was next to the one with the Golden Buddha.
Next, we visited an enormous flower market. Flowers are a thriving industry in Bangkok. People use flowers to commemorate many occasions, such as weddings, births, and deaths, and they play a significant role in offerings to Buddha.
Flower stalls are commonplace along the busy streets. As we walked through the market, we passed countless tables where flower arrangements and bundles were made and sold.
As we walked along a sidewalk after leaving the flower market, we spotted a ladyboy. He was chatting with one of the vendors. Ladyboys are commonplace in Bangkok society, and no one seemed to give him a second glance. We couldn’t resist surreptitiously taking a picture, though.
The Queen Mother of Thailand passed away on October 23. During our visit one month later, the city was already full of banners and photos in tribute to her. Much like in Great Britain, the royal family is revered in Thailand, although Thailand is a democracy and actual governing takes place in Parliament.
We visited another complex of temples and religious buildings. The temple in the center is the Loha Prasat Temple. Its 37 spires represent the 37 virtues leading to enlightenment. We climbed the 67-step circular staircase to a viewing deck near the top for nice views of the surrounding city.
Here are some other photos from our day in Bangkok. A few have a blue tint because they were taken through the bus window.
This photo illustrates the contrast between the modern, interesting high-rises and the more modest conditions in which many people live.
Still, Bangkok seemed safe and prosperous. Prices were inexpensive, and English was widely spoken and used on signage. It was clear why the city holds a lot of appeal for Western tourists and expats.