After visiting the 2-ft tall Emerald Buddha, housed in a  very tall, super-opulent temple at the Grand Palace we headed over to see the 150ft (46 meters) long golden Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho.

Within our short walk between the two tourist attractions, we were bombarded by offers of  tuk-tuk rides, hand drawn prints, and lots of fruits. All are helpful and needed services. The tuk-tuks pretty much park all along the walls of all major wats/temples, hoping to give rides to confused, over-stimulated, and wat-weary travelers.

It was about mid-afternoon, and though we were sweaty and hot, Wendy and I were determined to press on and complete the Bangkok main tourist circuit within the day. We were only going to be in Bangkok for three days, before moving on to different parts of Thailand. Since leaving our hotel this morning, we had seen Wat Chanasonkram, Bangkok City Pillar Shrine and Grand Palace. The walk was very pleasant and really the best way to get around and see everything up close.  We loved walking alongside groups of monks in orange, to visit the holy sites.

Wat Pho has the distinction of  housing the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, including the giant Reclining Buddha. The temple complex contains over 9o chedis (stupas or mounds), and a small  central shrine (ubosot). There are also a number of tall Chinese statues, depicting Europeans, guarding the gates of the perimeter walls as well as other gates within the compound. These stone statues are said to have been originally imported as ballast on ships trading with China.

Wat Pho is also one of Bangkok’s oldest temples. It existed before Bangkok was established as the capital by King Rama I, in 1782. The king moved the capital from Thonburi across the river, to Bangkok, and then built the Grand Palace adjacent to Wat Pho.

Come take a look around with us. Try not to get lost amongst the chedis!

The grounds are really beautiful, but can trigger some chedi overload, or stupa-fication! After Wat Pho, we were all watted out for the day. It was time for a serious change of pace, so we decided to make our way over to nearby Chinatown. Come with.

Foot Note
Speaking of walking and perhaps needing a massage, Wat Pho is also home to a school of Thai medicine. The school is thought of as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. As such, it is considered a good place to try out a Thai massage. Wendy and I did not get a massage, but hear that for some visitors, the wait is quite long and the massage is on the stronger vs gentler side. Also, some non-Thai tourists are surprised by the communal sardine-style approach. But a traditional Thai massage isn’t just seen as healthy for the body, it’s also seen as a chance to socialize and hangout with friends and family. So getting a massage in Thailand, is a common place community thing.