Hey there! On occasion I’ll include a photo roundup based on one of the main themes from the previous month’s travels. So these roundups are less about me writing (which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your perspective), and more about the visuals.
For this roundup the theme is temples and Buddhas. It’s impossible to visit Southeast Asia and not see temples. I swear the only thing outnumbering temples there are tuk tuk drivers and 7-Elevens, both of which can turn out to be quite useful at the right times. If you think about it, having an abundance of readily available temples, transportation, and corner stores is a pretty good situation to be in. You’ll never be thirsty, you always have a calm place to go, and you’ll never be stranded. Reason number 1337 to love Thailand.
But I digress. Without further ado, the temples and Buddhas of Thailand!
Wat Chedi Luang, in the heart of Chiang Mai.
Inside a serene little temple just down the street from Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai. This one is called Wat Phantao.
Flags outside Wat Phantao. There were hundreds all over the grounds.
Kicking myself, but I missed the name of this wat, near my guest house in Chiang Mai. I visited every day.
At the same temple, in Chiang Mai.
At the stunning Wat Pho in Bangkok. It had been a few years since I’d been back to Wat Pho, and am I ever glad I decided to go back. It’s like walking around in a fairy tale (but there’s hardly any singing, which makes it decidedly less fairy tale-like). The architecture is stunning, the colours vibrant.
Stretching upward, into the sky, it’s easy to feel small here.
The detail, and tile work that goes into each structure is amazing.
The 46m Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. They make you take your shoes off and carry them around in little bags, which makes handling your camera and admiring the Buddha a bit unwieldy, but it’s quite a sight nevertheless.
Face of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho.
The majestic Buddha sitting over the Mekong, at the Golden Triangle, near the borders of Laos and Myanmar (and just north of Chiang Rai).
Also at the Golden Triangle, the sun setting behind Buddha’s head as he looks over the Mekong, welcoming visitors to Thailand.
I could include – literally – hundreds of images in a post like this, but I think I’ll leave it there. Because the temples are so prevalent in Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Chiang Rai, and throughout the country, it’s easy to take them for granted. But they are also part of what makes Thailand such a unique place to visit – I can’t wait to return!
Hope you enjoyed the photos. Feel free to comment below, and mention your favourite pics or anything else you’d care to write about. Cheers!
You have captured and presented everything so beautifully! I have travelled a lot, but never to Thailand. Now, with 1337 reasons to go, it is on top of my list!
Thanks, Dave! Much appreciated – glad I could help move Thailand to the top of the list!