20.4.07

Bangkok, Thailand

Cities Bangkok, Thailand:

The Dusit Thani is a five-star hotel in Bangkok, world-famous for the excellence of its facilities and services....located in the heart of Bangkok's entertainment, business and shopping districts, close to Lumpini Park and other Bangkok attractions such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho ( MESSAGE) and the night markets of Patpong. The Dusit Thani is also only 25 kilometres from Bangkok International Airport.... rooms with elegant Thai design....
...Facilities include the Devarana Spa, offering premium spa treatments, a golf driving range, and a swimmimg pool set in landscaped, tropical gardens...fully equipped Fitness Centre and shopping arcade.
..eight restaurants with international menus.... sophisticated spots to enjoy a cocktail, including MyBar, the Champagne Bar, the Lobby Lounge, and the rooftop D'Sens Bar - with its stunning views over Bangkok.

Wat Phra Kaew (??????????), the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the adjoining Grand Palace together form perhaps the greatest spectacle for the visitor to Bangkok
Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha as it is generally known to the Thais, is mainly famous for the huge Reclining Buddha statue it houses. At 20 acres large, it is the largest Wat in Bangkok, and is technically the oldest too, as it was built around 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand's capital. However, today the Wat today bears virtually no resemblance to that originally constructed, as it was almost entirely rebuilt by Rama I when the capital was moved to Bangkok. It holds the dual honors of having both Thailand's largest reclining Buddha image and the most number of Buddha images in Thailand.

The highly impressive gold plated reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, and is designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. The feet and the eyes are engraved with mother-of-pearl decoration, and the feet also show the 108 auspicious characteristics of the true Budd Wat Pho is also famous as Thailand's first university, and is center for traditional Thai masage - the rich, famous and powerful have all been known to come here. Inscribed on stone in the walls of

Message--Wat Pho are all that was known about Thai massage dating from the reign of King Rama III (most previous texts were lost when the Burmese destroyed Ayuthaya). I had the hotel book for me for the best in town...best is when you do not wake up after 1 hour message and do not want to go home... The Grand Palace adjoins Wat Phra Kaew in a common compound, and is where you will end up after exiting Wat Phra Kaew.
National Museum, which claims to be the largest of it's kind in all of South East Asia. It serves as a good place to learn about the full range of Thai culture, history, and of the traditional significance of Buddhism to the Thai way of life.
The famous Wat Arun (???????), perhaps better known as the Temple of the Dawn, is one of the best known landmarks and one of the most published images of Bangkok. Very close to the intersection of Charoen Krung and Yaowarat road is perhaps the only real top attraction in Chinatown, Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha. At first glance, the 3m high Buddha image in here looks distinctly average and undeserving of the busloads of tourists that visit every day. What attracts them all however, is the remarkable fact that it's made of 5.5 tonnes of solid gold. Ko Rattanakosin is the old royal city area and there are other attractions here amongst the famous temples listed above. Lak Meuang, the city shrine, is often full of worshippers and there's a resident dance troupe for hire about 5 minutes from Khao San stands the 24m tall Democracy Monument. This dominates busy Ratchadamnoen Klang road, and was made to commemorate Thailand's 1932 switch from absolute to constitutional monarchy.


Equally noteworthy, but for the wrong reasons, is that it was here that many Thais were killed protesting against a military coup in 1992. The design is of a large copper tray (which weighs 4 tonnes) carrying the constitution, supported by a pedestal. Bangkok's infamous gem scam has ruined the holidays of many, many visitors to Thailand
Places to go:
Khin lomchom -sa pham, Thailands/seafood dish, softshell crab in ellow curry
-top silk shops is Almeta
-to Be Young & Hip in Bangkok, the Au Bon Pain at J Avenue, a strip mall on Soi Thonglor in ...
-Thai at the famous Baan Khanitha for lunch, just around the corner from Hotel... another great place we went for cigar smoking was Sirocco, reservation outside on the balcony with Paranomic view. Similar to Vertigo moon bar, where I have been in March.
Going to Phuket this trip was out of the question, my consieage confirmed, as I was hoping to go for diving....in my dreams I said, so next time...am on my way to Tokyo tomorrow.