Thailand is Grand

I made it to the Grand Palace, thankfully just before the tour bus crowds. And grand it certainly is. The monarchy's actual residence, as well as the home of a number of governmental buildings and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the grounds are sprawling and impeccable. A sea of gold, rubies, emeralds. Buildings created of mosaics decorated in animals, gargoyles and elephants, it's exquisite.

I spent the morning at Grand Palace, then to Wat Phro to see the reclining Buddha. The largest Buddha in Thailand, this Buddha is amazing. Seemingly not as accessible a place for personal worship for all the tourists and lack of space, the Buddha takes up almost the entire temple. His feet, for example, are atop each other and reach three of my body lengths. The Wat's grounds are made up of several smaller temples within the site, also beautiful.

For lunch I visited recommended Roti Mataba and had a traditional Thai gravy with chicken and roti, an Indian bread. I went to pay for lunch and apparently tried to pay with quarters. The US mint in overdrive these the last few years, who even knows what the tails side of a quarter looks like anymore?

The ticket for the Grand Palace also allows entrance into Dusit Palace. Again glorious, the grounds and buildings are stunning. Vimanmek Mansion was erected as a summer home and is the largest building in the world made of teak. The Arts of the Kigdom Exhibition was the most remarkable for me personally. I love art and the building itself is a piece of art. Inside the domes are painted in Italian Renaissance style but of Thai culture. And the artwork held within is equally impressive. I enjoyed the final grouping of the exhibit which showcases the Queen's interest in the commitment to Thai embroidery. The intricacy and technique is breathtaking.

A couple of things to note: to enter any temple, you must remove shoes and cannot point your feet toward the Buddha. The head being symbolic of all things revered, and the feet lowly and dirty, it is general custom to avoid stepping over people with your feet or using them to point.

You cannot enter any temple or site in a tanktop, short skirt, or open-toed shoes. You must cover your shoulders. And in certain spots, you can only wear skirts, no pants. It's up to you to know the requirements, although many places offer a cover up, albeit of the institution's design and small fee.