Asia

[Visited: July 2001]

Probably the most pleasant way to enter Bangkok is by riverboat. You appreciate the metropole from a different angle, are relatively far away from the capital's traffic jams and noise, and you are able to escape the humid heat a little. One of the most attractive sights on the river banks is the Wat Arun, Bangkok's oldest temple. When King Tak Sin started to built a new place which was to become the capital, he arrived at dawn; hence the nickname Temple of Dawn.
Before entering this temple, I first walked around the complex to get a view from all angles, and to savour the quietness that surrounds it. Then, I entered, and enjoyed the view and serenity of the temple inside. I discovered that unfortunately the - steep - stairs to the higher levels are closed, so it seems that it is no longer possible to reach the highest level from which I remembered from an earlier visit, you can have good views of the river and the city.
On each side of the second level, there are pavillions with a roof like a stupa. These house statues of the four major events in Buddha's life. The decoration of the temple consists of Chinese porcelain which has been broken into pieces. The pieces are then used as a kind of mosaic to make for a colourful and original outside temple. However, when you see the temple from a distance, the colour seems to be brownish. After the visit, you can sit down at the riverside and enjoy riverlife literally floating by.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Wat Arun (Thailand). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Wat Arun.
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