Wat Pho - August 12th, part I

One thing I've really wanted to do was visit Wat Pho, where the reclining Buddha is, and climb Wat Arun.  We did both today.  Because I have SO many photos...and even after sifting through them, I still have so many I want to post.  Both of these places are absolutely amazing.  We started at Wat Pho.

 Because today is the Queen's birthday, it's also Mother's Day in Thailand...and a holiday... Translation:  Joshua didn't have to work...at all!

 We rode the river boat to Tha Tien Pier...and walked to Wat Pho.  Erica, Thalia, and I all had on our "Thai pants"...that's what I call them.  Joshua wanted to get a picture of us with them on....

 This is one of the entrances from the street (taken from inside the compound)...

 This gold window .... well, if you look, you can see part of the leg of the Reclining Buddha.

 At Wat Pho, there are over 1000 Buddha images....Here, there were people bowing and I thought, praying to Buddha.  After what I read today, I don't think it's actually praying, but thanking him.  To enter any place where there is a Buddha, you must take off your shoes.

Isn't this gorgeous?  The detail is unbelievable...

 I think these might be called chedis...because I read there were 91 of them....and I don't know what else there could be 91 of!  If that's what they are, then they contain the ashes of the royal family...and the larger ones contain the ashes of Buddha.

 Wat Pho is named after a monastery in India where they believe Buddha lived.

Joshua took my camera and began snapping away!  He told me he was going to take some because I'm never in the pictures...sort of true...I love to take the pictures!

 A perfect picture since it's Thailand's "Mother's Day!"

 This Buddha was in a little shrine...and someone had given him some water.

 Look how intricate the designs are!

 Another tribute to the Queen for her birthday.....

 Wat Pho is a Buddhist temple....so this was definitely an expected sight to see...

 A sign next to this one said it was the 'Holy Buddha'...are the other ones not suppose to be?  I don't really get it????

 Wat Pho is also called 'The Temple of the Reclining Buddha."

 The Buddha is 43 meters long and 15 meters high.  It's enormous.  43 meters is...well, it's greater than 130 feet!

 (A painting on the wall...)

 This is a small part of the bottom of his foot/feet.  It's inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl.

 This is more of the bottom of his feet!

Here, his hand is supporting his head.

Massive!

We left Wat Pho and took a ferry across the river to Wat Arun...but that will be a different post!

I've been wanting to see this....and Wat Arun.... so I was thrilled to finally see them both.  Today is also Thalia's last day of summer since her school starts tomorrow morning at 7:20 a.m.

It was fun...and another great day in Bangkok!