Bangkok

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Damneon Saduak Floating Market in Bangkok with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Time for another boat ride on the canals.

Ready to get on next boat

This time we are going to Damneon Saduak Floating Market in Bangkok.   We love boats and markets.

Riding down the canal

The canals and rivers are used as highways and we love it.

After shopping, a rest to look at canal

At the market we did a little shopping, mom purchased packages of spices.   As we have mentioned, Bangkok gets hot.   We stopped for a Diet Coke and watched the activity on the canal.   But wait.

Monitor lizard

What is this?   Oh, a monitor lizard.   Our guide said they are common here.   Well, he is not common in Colorado.   But I like to see him–from a distance.   A little more shopping.

Beautiful coffee table

This wooden coffee table is beautiful.   As you can guess, we did not buy it.   How to get it to Colorado??   The dresses are very nice also.   There are so many beautiful things here.

Canal activity

It is nice to be able to shop and watch the canal activity.   And see more shopping across the canal.   We bought a few souvenirs and more scarves.   Still very hot, so time for another Diet Coke.

Trying to keep cool

Guess we are not the only ones that are hot.   This Pomeranian dog has the best place in the market.   When we finished our refreshments, the dog was out of the cooler and relaxing on the floor by his humans.   So no problem.

Canal activity

Sitting with our beverages, we enjoyed the canal activity.   Things here are so close together and so busy.   But it is relaxing and enjoyable also.

Selling from boat

Back on the bus, our guide has a little surprise for us.

Back on bus. Going back to our hotel

These little bananas are so sweet and the bottle of water is perfectly chilled.   Another great experience in Bangkok.   We loved our time in Bangkok, but we must go to our rooms, pack, and get ready for our next destination.

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Maeklong Railway Market in Thailand with Colorado Traveling Ducks

On the bus this morning.  Our first stop will be Maeklong Railway Market about 60 km from Bangkok.

Morning traffic in Bangkok. Motorcycles, cars, trucks and buses.

Lots of morning traffic, but we are amazed at the number of motorcycles and how well, motorcycles, cars, trucks and buses all easily share the road.   I, Zeb the Duck, never saw an accident and no signs of road rage.  Maeklong Market is located on a narrow street, but a train passes through the market 8 times every day.   Here we are.

Train going through market

There really is a train going right through the market.  On the left, you can see an awning is folded back so the train can pass.

Train leaving market

Another view of the train as it leaves the market.  The train station is near the market.  The train travels from Bangkok to this market and back to Bangkok.   The one way train ride takes about one hour, driving takes about 90 minutes.

Train gone. Business are usual now.

Here humans can purchase food wrapped and ready to take for lunch.  You may notice the awnings are now covering the train tracks.   The sun in tropical Bangkok is very hot, so shade is needed.   Also notice how very close the train tracks are to the shops.

Fresh meat available here

Fresh meat is ready to purchase and cook.   I, Zeb the Duck, am happy to help, but nobody seems to want my advice.

Probably alive

Some of the food is still alive.   That is really fresh.

Fresh fish

Fresh fish is always the best.   A nice selection here.

Probably squid

I think this is squid, but I’m not really sure.   Looking down the train tracks.

Train tracks very close to items for sale.

Remember, 8 times every day, displays are moved off the train tracks and awnings are folded back to let the train pass.   Then everything is replaced for easier shopping.   We were only here at the market about 30 minutes, but there is much to see and purchase.   We also saw souvenirs and household items.   Mom purchased some silk scarves.   Leaving the market, the next street looks just like any city in Thailand.

Just another town in Thailand. Almost.

We thought it was great seeing a train go through the market.   Not something I saw before.  We hope you see the train market also.

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Afternoon Boat ride on Bangkok’s Canals with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Bangkok is a large city and very busy.  The population of Bangkok is 9.7 million people.   Of course that means much traffic.   The canals are used for transportation also, so let’s take a boat ride on the canal.  Our hotel is on the Chao Phraya River and we get on a boat like this one.

Just like our boat

People here really live on the edge of the river.

 

Shrines to Buddha are everywhere.

Buddhist shrines always near

All people are able to get to one easily on foot.   The afternoons are hot here and these dogs are taking advantage of some shade for an afternoon nap.

Dogs. Lounging on a hot afternoon

We are amazed how close to the river these buildings are located.

Buildings on the river bank

A wall separates building from water.   The flowering bush is beautiful.

Tropical flowering bush

Here we see a boat dock.

Use boat dock. Not garages

No need for garages on the river.  We think this is a local market.

Local market

What do you think?  Along this part of the river, we saw several more elaborate temple complexes.

Shrines along the river

Not much river traffic today.   But here is a boat similar to ours.

Boat approaching us

The river is wide and we love traveling by boat.

Canal as highway

So soon?  We are returning to the hotel area.

Returning to hotel area

We ducks were on this boat trip and loved it.   But we didn’t sit on the edge and pose for photos.   We like the river but did not want to fall in and swim home.  We really enjoyed our hour or so on the Chao Phraya River and canals.

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Bangkok’s Marble Temple with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Now we are going to Wat Benchamabophit.   Also known as the Marble Temple.

Marble Temple

Designed in 1899, the Marble Temple uses traditional Thai symmetry with European and Chinese design influences.  Inside the Buddha is displayed with a beautiful illuminated blue background.

Buddha

Again the workmanship is extraordinary.   We noticed that Buddha seems to have very long fingers.

Long fingers

The ashes of King Chulalongkorn are buried beneath the statue.   This is not a single temple, but an entire complex.

Marble temple complex

We wandered around the temple and entered various buildings.  We were especially captivated by the singhas, or guards, these marble lions.

Lion

Several people stop at various shrines.

Man at shrine

This Buddha was a little different.

Buddha

The sign explains that this Buddha is Burmese style.

Style of Burma

All doors and windows are very ornate.

Ornate window

So much work and so much beauty in all the temples.   Walking over this bridge can lead us to or away from the Marble Temple complex.

Marble temple complex

Between the Marble Temple and our bus, we did enjoy seeing this sculpture.

Interesting sculpture

We are not sure if it has special significance, but we liked it.   The Marble Temple is constructed from carrara marble imported from Italy.   We hope you will visit some of Thailand’s Buddhist temples.   They are extremely ornate, beautiful and very peaceful.   We are glad we visited some of them.

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Bangkok’s Wat Po with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Let’s visit Wat Po, one of Thailand’s oldest and largest Buddhist Temple Complexes.   There is so much to see; it is rather overwhelming.   There are many temples, and so much more here.

Beautiful

This guard figure is very impressive.

Guarding Temples

But now we see a smaller archway with a smaller guard.   Soapy is helping with guard duty.

Soapy helping to guard temple.

Let’s go through this archway and discover more.  Here we find hallways with many more Buddhas.

Many Buddhas

This temple is home to more than 1,000 Buddha images.   Inside a temple, this gilded Buddha took our breath away.

Beautiful Buddha

This complex was one of the first places for public education.   This is nice.

Buddha in garden

We like this Buddha sitting in the garden.   Another hall.

Many standing Buddhas

More Buddhas.  Standing this time.   Now we will see one of the world’s largest single Buddha images, Reclining Buddha.   First the face of Reclining Buddha.

Face of Reclining Buddha

Reclining Buddha

Buddha is 151 feet (46 meters) in length and 49 feet (15 meters) tall.   And difficult to photograph.   The bottom of his feet are rather interesting, exquisitely decorate in mother-of-pearl.

Bottom of feet of Reclining Buddha

And we need to see the top of his feet.

Reclining Buddha’s feet

Buddha’s feet are 16.4 feet (5 meters) long.  This gilded Buddha is made of a gold-copper alloy.  Nearby we enjoyed another Buddha and his offerings of flowers.

Buddha with flower offerings

As tourists, we often like to take photos of people from our host country.   Today, some Thai ladies were interested in having a photo with an American tourist.   Soapy’s mom was asked to pose with the ladies while their friends took photos.

Thai ladies wanting photo with American.

So my mom took photos of the group also.   Others from our group our sitting on the bench also.  Just another great memory that makes us smile.

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Golden Buddha, Bangkok, Thailand with Colorado Traveling Ducks

If you have visited Thailand or have friends that have, you know that the statues of Buddha are huge and beautiful.   Today we visited Wat Trimitr to view the Golden Buddha.   And yes, this Buddha is solid gold.   5.5 tons of gold.   Here we are.

Main entrance Wat Trimitr

This, the main entrance, has many steps to enter.   Our group did not enter here.   We went in a side entrance to an elevator.   Here is Golden Buddha on his throne.

Golden Buddha

Golden Buddha is made in the style of the 13th and 14th centuries.   He is very old and was hidden and forgotten for centuries.   In the 1950’s an entire monastery was being relocated by a group of monks.   While moving the giant clay Buddha, a monk noticed a crack in the clay, and something shiny under the clay.   This Golden Buddha had been covered with thick layers of stucco and clay, inlaid with bits of colored glass.   Historians believe the monks tried to protect the Buddha from an attack by the Burmese army, about 200 years ago.   All the monks were killed in the attack, meaning no living person knew where the Golden Buddha was.  So in the 1950’s this was an incredible find.

Golden Buddha with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Soapy’s mom and Stephanie are holding us in front of Golden Buddha.   Golden Buddha was moved to this new temple, or Wat, on February 14, 2010.   Such a beautiful building.   Our moms visited Bangkok in 1986.   At that time, they walked in at ground level to see Golden Buddha.   A bowl of small square gold leaf was available for followers of Buddha to donate a few coins and put the gold leaf pieces on Golden Buddha.   This was done to ask for or give thanks for favors granted.   It seems the huge number of tourists and the modern world have also required changes to Golden Buddha.   Humans are not allowed close enough to touch Golden Buddha or his throne.  This Golden Buddha is the world’s largest solid gold Buddha statue.   Buddha is 12.79 feet (3.9 m) tall and 9.87 feet (3.01 m) wide.   Buddha is huge and that is a lot of gold.   One last look at Golden Buddha.

Golden Buddha

The bus is ready to leave, so with a last look at the new Wat Trimitr, as we depart.

Wat Trimitr

We will be visiting and showing you a couple other statues of Buddha, but they are all so impressive, we decided to show one Buddha at a time.   They are magnificent.

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Bangkok’s Chinatown Markets with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

After a long overnight flight, Bangkok, Thailand welcomes us.  We clear customs and immigration, claim luggage, find our new guide, get on bus and head to our hotel.   We are staying at the Menam Riverside Hotel.   We enjoy the hotel buffet.   So many great selections, but we ducks are amazed by these giant shrimp.

Huge shrimp, or prawns, on buffet table

Mom ate them and declared them delicious.   Our group is taken to Chinatown where we explore the street activities, a food market and the flower market.

In Bangkok’s Chinatown

Street is fascinating and so different than the streets in Denver.   And look at all the motorcycles.

So many motorcycles

We will see so many more motorcycles while in Bangkok.  Here are our new friends.

Zeb and Soapy with taxi drivers.

These guys are taxi drivers.   Motorcycles power the taxi, but passengers sit in the cart.   A tuk tuk.    And another new friend.

New things and new friend in market

Great stuff in here to sell to everyone.  But wait.

Fish heads??

Mom, are these just the heads of fish?  I believe so.  Now we are walking through the flower market.

Aisle in flower market

Flowers being sold everywhere.  And food too.

Wonderful smells from cooking food

The aromas here are a pleasing combination of flowers and cooking food.   Unusual for us, but very appealing.  On the street we see tributes to Buddha.

Buddha shrines on streets

This is great.   It is hot in Bangkok, so selling fruit and juice is great for locals and tourists alike.

fruit and juice

We want to help.

We are helping arrange flowers

This lady is preparing flowers for sale.   And here are some others, marigolds I believe.

Flowers ready for sale

Arranged, wrapped and ready for sale.  This store offers food.

Food is always available

The owners have packaged so many different types of food, all ready to carry and eat elsewhere.   Here is another Buddha shrine.

Buddha shrine on street

We will soon learn that Buddha shrines are very prevalent in Bangkok.   We think Bangkok is a very busy city, but the people we met have all been very gracious.   We look forward to seeing more.