Though we spent two nights there, just to be safe. We wanted to go someplace warmer after our escapades in Korea, and Bangkok is well-known to be a tourist destination: very friendly and approachable for Westerners. Plus, Thai food is Josh's favorite.
Here we are at the Bangkok Grand Palace, the seat of power of the King of Thailand. The King apparently likes to show off his bling, because all the buildings are completely covered in gold, silver, fake jewels, and other sparkly things. Mackenzie loved it.
Next to the Royal Palace was Wat Pho, a gigantic Buddhist temple and the home of the world's largest reclining Buddha. (I like big Buddhas and I cannot lie.)
We took a water taxi across the Chao Phraya River in order to visit Wat Arun, another temple - visible in the background here.
We walked up the steps of Wat Arun. It was pretty steep.
We went to the Jim Thompson House. Jim Thompson was an American architect (also a Princeton Tiger - Class of 1928!) who moved to Thailand after World War II. He went into business, revitalizing the Thai silk industry, and then disappeared mysteriously in 1967. Even the Princeton Annual Giving campaign couldn't find him. He left behind a huge house that he'd built for himself, combining American and Thai architectural styles.
There are certain practices that would be incredibly illegal in the US but are perfectly normal in Bangkok. Such as an open-air restaurant & bar on the roof of a skyscraper. This place had only a chest-high railing separating us and our drinks from a 62-story drop. There was no net (we checked.) But the weather was great, and the view was magnificent. The bar was called "Moon Bar" and the adjoining restaurant was aptly named "Vertigo", which coincidentally is also what Mackenzie's T-shirt said. Here's a 360° panoramic video:
Here we are at the Bangkok Grand Palace, the seat of power of the King of Thailand. The King apparently likes to show off his bling, because all the buildings are completely covered in gold, silver, fake jewels, and other sparkly things. Mackenzie loved it.
Next to the Royal Palace was Wat Pho, a gigantic Buddhist temple and the home of the world's largest reclining Buddha. (I like big Buddhas and I cannot lie.)
We took a water taxi across the Chao Phraya River in order to visit Wat Arun, another temple - visible in the background here.
We walked up the steps of Wat Arun. It was pretty steep.
We went to the Jim Thompson House. Jim Thompson was an American architect (also a Princeton Tiger - Class of 1928!) who moved to Thailand after World War II. He went into business, revitalizing the Thai silk industry, and then disappeared mysteriously in 1967. Even the Princeton Annual Giving campaign couldn't find him. He left behind a huge house that he'd built for himself, combining American and Thai architectural styles.
There are certain practices that would be incredibly illegal in the US but are perfectly normal in Bangkok. Such as an open-air restaurant & bar on the roof of a skyscraper. This place had only a chest-high railing separating us and our drinks from a 62-story drop. There was no net (we checked.) But the weather was great, and the view was magnificent. The bar was called "Moon Bar" and the adjoining restaurant was aptly named "Vertigo", which coincidentally is also what Mackenzie's T-shirt said. Here's a 360° panoramic video:
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