in
the midst of dynamic modern growth, bangkok miraculously manages to preserve
its cultural heritage to a marked degree. the soaring roofs and gleaming
spires of the grand palace and the city’s many historic temples – temple
of the emerald buddha, temple of dawn and other evocative shrines –
present the visitor with a picture of medieval oriental wonder; the very
stuff of eastern fairytales. and contained within bangkok’s monuments
and sights are treasures of the nation’s artistic and cultural endeavour
that typify the land and the people. these treasures of Bangkok present
the visitor with a wide variety of options for thailand day
trips.
the
influence of the past and the enduring threads of the social fabric are
not limited to the static. they continue to pervade daily life. files
of saffron-robed monks making their early morning alms round, for example,
present an image unaltered in essentials by the passing of time. today’s
backdrop of highrise buildings serve only to emphasize the exotic and
timeless scene, while the city draws definition from it. the city of bangkok
not only has wonderful buildings, it has numerous parks too - oasis in the city.
indeed, there is much to discover, and in addition to the city’s
most famous monuments there are numerous lesser known sights of great
interest. the chapel of the emerald buddha, which enshrines the national
palladium, rightly tops the sightseeing list, but bangkok numbers more
than 400 temples,
many of which have their own fascination.
a similar selection can be made with museums.
the national museum is excellent and comprehensive, but as impressive
in their own way are the jim thompson house, vimanmek mansion and suan
pakkad palace, all of which house fine art collections within noteworthy
settings.
not least, cruising the chao phraya river and the remaining canals which once made bangkok the “venice of the east” offers a
glimpse of traditional riverine lifestyles, affording insights into the
history and character of this wondrous city.
palaces ~ shopping ~ sky train ~ thai boxing ~ theatre
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