At 7 a.m., the Sapphire Princess docked at Laem Chabang, Thailand's largest port. The passengers on the ship were anxious to get off as we only had a day to tour Bangkok and it was a 2 1/2 hour drive to the city.
Our guide greeted us with a smile and a genuine friendliness and warmth. One of Thailand's nicknames is the "Land of Smiles". She apologized for the weather being cold and rainy. Normally the weather in December is hot and humid.
On the drive into the city, our guide told us that Bangkok was founded in 1782 by the first monarch of the Chakri dynasty.
It is located on the delta of the Chao Phraya River, about 25 miles(40 km) from the Gulf of Thailand. The population is approximately 14 million.
As we approached Bangkok, you could see that this city has a cosmopolitan image. Tourism rose during the Vietnam War, as this city became a popular destination of the U.S. military personnel.
There was much traffic. Highways and overpasses and toll booths were everywhere. I felt that I was on a highway in Houston, Dallas or New York.
As we inched along the expressways, we finally made it to the Chao Phraya River. We boarded a riverboat for a scenic cruise along the canals. I now understood why the city is known as the "Venice of the East". From the riverboat, we caught glimpses of Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn and the Grand Palace. The river was crowded with restaurants and retail stores.
After the cruise, we headed to the Grand Palace. King Rama I built this magnificent walled city in 1782, and each succeeding monarch added his personal stamp to the grounds. The beauty of the compound is breathless. The creativity and craftsmanship of the Thai people is unbelievable.
In 1956, Yul Brynner won the Academy Award for his portrayal of King Mongkut(Rama IV), who ruled from 1851 to 1868. The movie "The King and I" was banned in Thailand and remains banned due to its representation of King Mongkut of Siam.
After spending about an hour or so at the Palace, we then headed to a restaurant for a beautiful Thai meal.
Before we headed back to the ship, we then went to Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha. Carved in the Sukothai style from over five and a half tons of solid gold, the seated Buddha is more than 15 feet tall. Cast during the 13th century, it was long covered in plaster to hide its worth from thieves. It wasn't until 1955, when the statue was accidentally dropped, that a piece of plaster chipped off revealing the gold underneath.
There are so many temples to explore and shops to discover. On my next trip to Bangkok, I want to ride on the "tuk-tuk". This is a three-wheeled, small motor-tricycle. The comical name comes from the sound the engine makes while operating.
It was almost 5 o'clock and we needed to be back to the ship by 7 pm. Even though it had rained all day, I was glad that I took the time to discover Bangkok. There is so much history and beauty in this city!
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