After an easy travel day from Cambodia and a relaxed evening settling into our final hotel in Asia, we dove into Thailand the next morning. Our first stop was the National Museum Bangkok; specifically, the Buddhaisawan Chapel, pictured below. In the center of the chapel sits an impressive replica of Phra Buddha Sihing, but the real allure of the room was the series of mural paintings covering the walls, each accompanied by plaques explaining its stories. After seeing umbrellas carved into the panels of ancient temples in Siem Reap, it was still charming to spot them again here, painted into the scenes.

After the initial chapel, we discovered that the National Museum was far larger than it first appeared. It is actually the largest museum in Thailand, with many more exhibits packed with artifacts. A broad selection is pictured below. Some highlights included richly embroidered wooden doors; colorful masks and marimba-like musical instruments; hundreds of representations of the Buddha; massive stone statues of other deities, like the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha; oversized pieces of currency from ancient cultures; and even larger golden chariots, litters, and caskets.

Next, we headed over to Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan (Wat Pho). The first shrine we entered housed the enormous Reclining Buddha, one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand. Its scale is hard to capture in photos, but the three below give it a try.

We explored the rest of the worship site, where there were more beautifully adorned buildings and shrines, and many Buddhas. We’ve noticed a lot more outdoor cats throughout Bangkok. Many seem (generally) well taken care of. Can you spot the kitties in the shots below?

On another day, an incredibly hot and humid one, we visited Phra Ubosot and the Grand Palace. Not pictured below is the shade umbrella I borrowed at the entrance; I think I’ve come full circle. If I’m ever faced with unrelenting outdoor heat again, I’m just going to buy one of these umbrellas and use it. We’ve had more than our share of sweat-drenched days.

But I digress. The photos below highlight the stunning exteriors of the chapels, monuments, murals, and temple grounds surrounding the Grand Palace. We didn’t include a shot of the Palace itself—it was fairly European in design and, honestly, didn’t hold our attention the way the dazzling golden and mirrored structures did. Kelly pointed out something I hadn’t noticed: the mirrors enameled into the walls were unique. You can’t really see it in the photos, but in the shot of Kelly gazing at the golden Buddha wall, she’s actually taking in the reflection of nearby temples, bouncing off the countless tiny mirrors.

Another outing took us to Bangkok’s oldest park, Lumphini Park, named after the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal. It was overcast that day, which made the hike there a bit more tolerable. The park itself was lovely; it featured some peaceful bodies of water, gazebos, large trees, and plenty of outdoor gym equipment (not pictured).

Mixed into almost every day we’ve spent in Bangkok have been visits to massive shopping malls. These malls have been truly enjoyable; featuring many floors of diverse shops and restaurants, often with artistic designs, sculptures, layouts, or outright artwork. Some notable ones we explored include Central World, Siam Paragon, and One Bangkok. Beyond shopping and dining, these malls have served as essential air-conditioned rest stops. I know I’ve mentioned the heat frequently in recent posts about Southeast Asia; one thing I haven’t noted is that we’re visiting just after the main tourist season, at the start of the rainy season, and the hottest part of the year.

A few of the photos below capture more of the mall experience. One features a bagged iced latte, which earned its spot simply because we’ve seen so many people here carrying them that way—sipping from the straw while toting it in the bag. Another shows a promotional dance performance we stumbled upon, staged just outside a grocery store that had a sale going on. The dancers’ elaborate costumes were a treat; it was the kind of surprise that makes these malls memorable.

Another surprising discovery about Bangkok has been how challenging it is to get around. Our airport taxi got stuck in over half an hour of near-standstill traffic just before our exit. The streets around our neighborhood, Sukhumvit, are packed with cars, motorbikes, and tuk-tuks. While there are some subway lines, they don’t reach the main areas where most temples are located. Using a ride share app has worked, but because of the traffic, the long wait for them to arrive, and the stress to maneuver into the cars around the chaos, it hasn’t been ideal.

This has finally pushed us to learn and use the local bus system, something we’d managed to avoid until now, but has served us well here. We’ve also done a lot of walking; fortunately, the city has many elevated walkways, which let us avoid navigating hectic intersections at street level. Pictured below are a few of those walkways, the Erawan Shrine (visible from one of them, outside a busy hotel), and of course an obligatory food shot. The food in Thailand has been, unsurprisingly, incredible.

We also visited the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre, which is tucked between a number of the major malls. It felt like a shopping center in its own right, filled with art stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and, oddly enough, a massive Tarot card expo taking over the lower floors. The museum was pretty great haha. I love me some modern and contemporary art. A collection of shots from the center is below.

Kelly and I have had an amazing time in Asia these past six weeks. But we are ready to slow down and stay in one place a lot longer. Our next destination is the comfortable and familiar Ljubljana, Slovenia. You’ll find that if you review earlier posts in this blog, it’s a location we’ve enjoyed visiting a number of times.