Isn't it grand?

I live for the pinch myself moments that I get when I find myself in new experiences in faraway lands.  The latest was Christmas Day in Bangkok with Roger, Brad and Anette.  If that wasn't enough, to add to the fun and "can you believe it" moments was having dinner with Whitney Walsh and her two lovely girlfriends who are traveling around SE Asia with her over the holidays.

We've known Whitney since she was a toddler in Calgary, and her parents are dear friends of ours. The 7 of us swapped travel stories for hours and we were in a constant state of laughter. How wonderful our paths would cross on Christmas Day.

We didn't miss turkey at all and feasted on Thai appetizers and a few bottles of wine

Left to right:  Brad, Whitney, Melissa, Heather, Patricia, Anette, Roger

Sharing a laugh as all our cameras were lined up and set on timers

 It was definitely a Christmas dinner we'll never forget.

Back to sightseeing....we decided to go to the Grand Palace on Boxing Day, and it doesn't get more grand than this. Before entering the grounds, we heard a soothing woman's voice over the loud speaker cautioning tourists not to get scammed by "wily strangers" trying to sell them tours or send them elsewhere.

Visitors to the Grand Palace require proper dress -- meaning men wear pants, and women wear long skirts.  Loaners were available for those unprepared which resulted in some previously dignified looking men wearing pants that resembled elephant printed pajamas.

Built in the 1700's, the Grand Palace in the heart of Bangkok, is over the top.  Everywhere you look, there is more gold and glitter than you could ever imagine.  Brad, Anette and I trooped through the grounds on a blistering hot 40C (104F) day while Roger decided to work out at the hotel gym and have a massage.  It turned out to be one of the top 10 travel experiences I've had in the last few years.

The Royal Family has not occupied the palace and grounds for about 80 years, it is still used for many ceremonies throughout the year.

A replica of temples at Angkor Wat 

Anette taking a short break -- at 19 weeks pregnant, she's been game for anything and feeling great.

The murals weren't always of spirits, but often of daily life...

Note some breast fondling in the mural on the left

Must have been some party!

Entrance to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (the glowing light in the background is the Buddha)

A gardener trimming a bonsai tree with painstaking accuracy

Our guide explained that all Buddhist men are expected to spend at least 1 - 3 months living as a monk, with boys as young as 6 years old can begin life as a novice monk.

The colors of monk's robes are determined by the region where the monks come from

Brad found a little shade 

It had it all:  pageantry, glitz, spirituality, history, and beauty.  It was a grand day touring a very grand palace.

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if we seek them with our eyes open."  
                                                                                                   Jawaharal Nehru

Unbelievable Bangkok

When we mentioned to people we were going to spend 3 days in Bangkok, there were usually grimaces in response.  "You'll hate it --- it's huge, it's crowded, you'll want to get out of it."   Perhaps our newly adapted slogan c/o a good friend, "aim low...avoid disappointment" has once again tempered our expectations.  Because we've had an amazing day -- and I can't wait to see more.

We started the day off at the Royal Barges National Museum where eight of the barges used in royal processions are housed.  They are works of art and some require more than 60 oarsmen to operate.  They were last used earlier in December to celebrate Thailand's much loved King's 85th birthday.

Gold and glitter encrust these boats

The canon is poking out the middle

We noticed long boats zipping past the museum and thought we should figure out how to get on one, so when an elderly Thai spoke to us offering to arrange a tour, we agreed (after a bit of price haggling).  Our understanding was he was coming with us, but alas, as we stepped on the boat he said the driver would look after us.  Oh well.

We spent the next hour and a half exploring Bangkok's fascinating waterways and locks.  Unfortunately we didn't know what we were seeing but it was still well worth it.

There were some decrepit houses along side some very nice homes

Orchids are everywhere here -- these were hanging off someone's porch

A major waterway

Temples - large and small - are common throughout the city

This was a very busy intersection with large barges, tugs and long boats 

We went through 2 sets of locks and it reminded us when we traveled the Trent-Severn waterway in Ontario several years ago.  In this lock, about 16 longboats were jammed in.

As we jumped off at the dock, a woman came rushing up to us with a landing fee bill for 20 baht (about 65 cents).  Everyone is in business, I guess.

Walking through the markets is a neat experience

There is a loud speaker at the Golden Palace warning tourists of scammers and giving examples of what they will do.  This is a sign at the entrance.

We got a tuk tuk to take us back to a mall near our hotel.  He was all friendly until we turned down his suggestion to go to the store of his sponsor which is a scam I read about.  

The number of motorcycles in the city is just staggering.  At red lights the sound of them revving their motors makes them sound more like racers than commuters.

Bangkok has surprised us in a very good way.  And there is more to come.

"It's a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations."
                                                                                      Danny Boyle