June 9th, 2009
Bangkok: What to do
Many visitors use Bangkok as their jumping-off point to a outdoors adventure, but we recommend lingering in the capitol for just a bit longer. Here’s why:
The Grand Palace
Dating back to 1782 and mixing European and Thai Architecture, the Grand Palace is a wonderful way to begin your Bangkok adventure. Although it’s no longer used for royal residence, many of the official ceremonies, such a coronations, are held in its halls.
Wat Arun
Aside from being an absolutely stunning temple, or wat, Wat Arun is also a fascinating Buddhist symbol for “the center of the universe,” or “the center of self.”
Jim Thompson House
American Jim Thompson first encountered Thailand during World War II, and fell in love with the culture, the environment, the people, and especially the architecture. As a trained architect, he loved the fascinating teak houses he found, promptly asked for his discharge from the Army, and built his own house.
