Friday the 7th – Day 8 – We left Wat Arun behind us and headed for the Grand Palace. This is the seat of  old Siam. next to it sits the Wat Phra Heo, which houses the Emerald Buddha.

The Emerald Buddha, which is 31 inches tall, sits on a golden alter. Of course it does. Where else would you place The EmeraldBuddha.

As we walked around the area, there were many monks in their long ropes carrying their bowls and waiting for the locals to offer them their small ration of rice for the day. Whenever I see a monk back home in California, I am instantly transported back to Thailand.

In the evening we had diner on the Tassaneeya Nava. We cruised the Chao Phraya River past some of the temples and palaces of Bangkok and the landing stage of the gilded royal barge. The barge departs from here when the King takes his ceremonial visits.