More Buddhas in Bangkok

Buddha statues surround a stupa at Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol in Ayuthaya 

Jeff is slowly realizing that the number of Buddhist temples in Asia is almost unlimited, and I would be happy to visit them all and examine each and every statue of Buddha contained within them.   My fascination with Buddha statues only grows as I learn more about the significance of the subtle variations between them.  The Buddha's posture, the size of the hair knot, certain facial features and small details about the clothing can all be indicators of both the region and the period of a statue's origin.  Given the geographic spread and ancient history of Buddhism, this means a Buddha statue can have an interesting and sometimes surprising history.

Wat Pho features over 90 chedi decorated with Chinese porcelain enamel

The term Wat is a Sanskrit word that means Buddhist place of worship, and it is typically used in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Wats are basically temple compounds, typically made up of multiple structures, including stupas or chedi (containing ashes of Buddhist Monks or other relics), a prayer room (vihear), a pavillion (sala), an ordination hall, a library, a bell or drum tower and living quarters for Buddhist Monks.  With a population that is 95% Buddhist, Thailand has some of the most elaborate and beautiful Wats to visit and no shortage of Buddha statues to examine.  Last fall, Jeff and I spent a week in southern Thailand, but we stayed at the beach on a remote island and didn't have the opportunity to visit any Wats.  We wanted a chance to see a cultural dimension of Thailand, so we decided to return and spend a weekend in Bangkok.

Intricate sculptures surround the ordination hall at Wat Phra Kaew

On this trip, we only had two days, and we had heard that Bangkok has notoriously difficult traffic. Indeed, when I remarked on the lengthy wait at a stop light, the taxi driver replied: "Madame, no traffic, no Bangkok."  Although there are over 400 Wats to see in Bangkok, we were daunted by the logistical challenges, so we focused our first day on the three most famous Wats sitting along the Chao Phraya River that flows through the city.

Wat Pho's granite sculptures are a legacy of trade relations with China

Wat Phra Kaew contains many elaborate structures, but is best known for the Emerald Buddha, a Buddha statue that dates to 1464, is 26 inches high and is carved entirely from a single nephrite (or jade) stone.  The Wat is located within the Grand Place, a former residence of the Thai monarch.  With over 100 structures spread across more than 200 acres, the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew are popular and heavily visited sites.

The reclining Buddha at Wat Pho is over 150 feet in length
and has enormous toes with toe prints on the bottom

Our next stop was Wat Pho which proved to be our favorite.  Dating to 1788 and covering 20 acres, Wat Pho has fewer visitors and a much more relaxed atmosphere.   We were able to get a close-up look at this temple's most famous feature:  a reclining Buddha statue that is finished in gold leaf, extending more 150 feet in length and symbolizing the passing of Buddha into nirvana.  Wat Pho also contains another 1,000 Buddha statues, 91 chedi spires and an assortment of carved granite statues.  The statues, along with the colorful porcelain enamel decoration on the chedi, are a legacy of trade with the Chinese; the granite statues were actually transported to Thailand as ballast in Chinese junks.

Buddhist monks chanting in the evening at Wat Arun

Dating to the mid-1600s, Wat Arun sits majestically on the edge of the river, its famous spire highly visible and beautifully lit at night.  It is currently undergoing restoration, so its intricate Chinese porcelain enamel decoration was difficult to see under the scaffolding wrapped around the spire. Named for the Hindu god Aruna, Wat Arun at one time housed the Emerald Buddha and is one of just a few Buddhist temples that visitors can climb.

Flowers for temple offerings are sold at the Bangkok flower market

We capped off our day of visiting Wats with a nighttime bicycle tour through the city.  Admittedly, we had a brief "what were we thinking" moment as we contemplated riding through Bangkok's chaotic traffic in the dark.  But the group was small - only six of us - plus our leader, and she expertly led us through narrow alleys and small neighborhoods to visit the wholesale flower market.

Jeff walks through stalls filled with Marigolds at the Bangkok flower market

The market kicks into full swing in the evenings when hotels, restaurants and Wat vendors (who sell flowers for making offerings) make their purchases for the next day.  Flower shops spilling over with millions of Marigolds, Jasmine, Lotus and Orchids cram both sides of the road, and the air is filled with a confusion of smells, as the scent of all the flowers mixes with aromas from the food carts lining the road.

The ruins at Ayuthaya

Buddha statues among the ruins
at Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol

For our second day in Bangkok, we decided to escape the city and head north about about 45 miles to Ayuthaya (pronounced "I-you-tee-ah"), a wealthy and important kingdom within Siam from 1350 until the late 1760s when it was invaded and looted by the Burmese.  We visited the ruins of the former capital, which are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol, a temple complex that dates to the 13th Century.  Both sites provided us with numerous structures to wander through and climb, as well as a peaceful break from the busy pace of Bangkok.

Bangkok is a busy place, but filled with many beautiful treasures.  The elaborate architecture and decoration of the Wats are truly a feast for the eyes.  Our weekend there was a great opportunity for me to feed my fascination with Buddha statues and for Jeff to continue to demonstrate his patience as he realizes how much there is to understand about their detail.