Our hotel was on the river. The first morning, we walked to the dock, got on a boat and headed for the Grand Palace. The Grand Palace is the "official" residence of the king. Recent kings have lived elsewhere but continue to use the Grand Palace for official functions.
I think Grand is an understatement. It is magnificent! It is a VERY popular tourist attraction so it is VERY crowded.
Above is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. On the right is a not too good picture of the Emerald Buddha. It is considered one of the most important buddhas in Thailand. It was carved from a single green stone, probably jade or jasper but not emerald. It was then clothed in gold.
The grounds of the Grand Palace have a number of buildings, lots of "spires" and no end of interesting "art". There are guardian demons holding up a wall - above center and right - or guarding an exit - below left. And there are Chinese warriors standing guard at various spots - below center and right.
After a short rest, our guide, Vicky, chaperoned us across the river and up a ways to the terminal where we would catch the boat for our dinner cruise. The terminal is a bit like a shopping mall. In fact I think it is a shopping mall with a boat terminal attached.
We had a little time before boarding so we sat and watched the action. Once on board, we were seated at our table and off we went. I think this must be a mandatory activity for all tourists because there were a LOT of boats. However, ours was very nice and just the right size.
We pass by a lot of the sights lit up for night viewing. I took a few pictures but only a few came out well. I liked the way the bridge looked with its suspension wires glowing.
