Yet again this trip highlights another major event of which I know very little. Much of our trip to Thailand was altered as a result of a protest planned against the Thai government in downtown Bangkok Sunday, March 14. This protest is still continuing today, and the U.S. media are paying more attention to it. The New York Times ran an article about the ongoing protests April 12.
But thanks to Jeff Rexeisen, managing director of Legends of Siam Tour Co, and Tuk, our tour guide, we were still able to see many of the tourist attractions in Bangkok.
Our day began with a visit to Wat Phra Kaew, a Buddhist temple. The demon in Thai culture has a favorable connotation. The Thais believe demons keep away the evil spirits. It also has a model of Angkor Wat, which demonstrated the stark contrasts between Thai temples and Khmer temples. Next, we saw the Royal Grand Palace where we saw the changing of the guard.
Wat Po, another Buddhist temple, was our next stop. It is home to the Reclining Buddha, which is 46 meters long and 15 meters high. Also, it is considered Thailand's first University. Students still study traditional Thai massage here. I had one from one of the students later that afternoon.
Next, we took a boat tour along the Chao Phraya river. The shoreline is one of the few places in Bangkok where the rich and poor live together. We saw a traditional Thai house.
Finally, our day concluded with dinner at Cabbages and Condoms, a restaurant operated by the Population and Community Development Association, a Thai NGO that supports the use of condoms for family planning and the prevention of AIDS. The decor of the restaurant was quite entertaining with many of the decorations made of condoms. The food was delicious, and I appreciated the fact that we were supporting such a great cause.
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