The Rambling Writer Visits Thailand, part 6: Farewell to Bangkok

Join Thor and me for a last ramble around Bangkok — the snake farm and Wat Pho.

NOTE: “And now for something completely different.” Thor and I made our first trip to Asia — the beautiful country of Thailand.  We were lucky to squeak through the pandemic flight closures in January/February of 2020 as we returned from our three-week trip. Since more travel has now become a distant prospect, we hope you’ll take a virtual vacation with us in the following weeks. (This blog series started on June 13.)

Before the trip, we’d been advised to get an inoculation for Japanese encephalitis once we got to Bangkok, as U.S. clinics aren’t equipped with the vaccine. So we visited the clinic near our hotel, which happened to be connected to the Snake Farm, where venomous serpents were raised and “milked” to create antidotes to snakebite. The staff were putting on a show, so we got to see quite a variety of these creatures up close and personal, some very deadly and some not venomous, just large.

Then we headed across the river again, this time to visit Wat Pho and the famous Reclining Buddha. Officially titled Wat Phra Chetuphon, this temple complex is the oldest and largest in Bangkok, originally built in the 16th century and later remodeled. Today it’s a traditional medicine center as well as a monastery, and home to the respected Institute of Massage.

Again, the Chinese influence is visible with the statues of gate guards.

This cat clearly felt safe snuggled between the feet of one of the guardian statues:

At the original foreigners’ entrance, the “farang” guard statues were designed with a humorous image of the big-nosed foreigners in their top hats:

This wat feels very comfortable, with many touches of whimsy, such as the small figures of monks in yoga poses, inhabiting islands of greenery:

Thor, with his shorts and parasol, fit right in with the informal atmosphere. We weren’t required to follow dress restrictions, except for taking off our shoes to enter the temples.

The 150-foot-long, unusual Reclining Buddha fills the entire length of the wihan building.

The soles of his feet are mother-of-pearl with images representing the 108 Lakshanas, the auspicious signs of the buddha.

Offerings to the Buddha:

Outside the wihan grows the Bodhi Tree, said to have grown from a cutting of the tree where Buddha meditated in India. It reminded us a similar tradition about the Hippocrates Plane Tree on the Greek island of Kos, where Thor helped with a scientific study of the tree’s genetics.

The many small shrines also attracted pilgrims.

A contemplative gallery:

That evening, a last glimpse of Chinese New Year celebrants:

Sunrise over the river as we pack up to depart for the islands…

…and bid farewell and thanks to our lovely, gracious hosts at the Anantara Riverside.

Next: Islands, snorkeling, and more Buddhas.

*****

You will find The Rambling Writer’s blog posts here every Saturday. Sara’s latest novel from Book View Café is available in print and ebook: The Ariadne Connection. It’s a near-future thriller set in the Greek islands. “Technology triggers a deadly new plague. Can a healer find the cure?”  The novel has received the Chanticleer Global Thriller Grand Prize and the Cygnus Award for Speculative Fiction. Sara has recently returned from another research trip in Greece and is back at work on the sequel, The Ariadne Disconnect. Sign up for her quarterly email newsletter at www.sarastamey.com