Life in TH - One de' Full Day in Bangkok (Part IV)

Continue... it was a short distance from Wat Pho to the pier of Tha Tien , which is half hidden past a market alley full of stalls selling dried squid etc. I could see the white spires of Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) across the Chao Phraya River.

I walked in a restaurant beside the boarding area, ordered my dinner and a bottle of drinking water. Sat back relax and waiting for the sunsetting moment.

Wat Arun (วัดอรุณ) is known for it central pagoda that is encrusted in porcelain which sparkles in the sun. The famous Wat Arun, perhaps better known as the Temple of the Dawn, is one of the best known landmarks and one of the most published images of Bangkok. It consists of a massive elongated prang (Khmer-style tower), and is surrounded by four smaller prangs.

At around 5.30pm while I had finished my dinner, quickly hop aboard the angular little ferry and pay 3baht per trip.

At first I thought Wat Arun was closed as the visiting hour is until 5.30pm, therefore I walked around to see if there were any interesting to shoot.



Took this shot from a Wat beside Arun, I felt the life here was so peacefull and relax even though there were protesting just across the river.

I continued to wonder around and noticed that the ticket booth were still opened. The entrance ticket cost 50baht. I took a closer glance behind the ticket and it said:
- Please dress up politely
- Do not climb the rail
- Do not dangle any doll
- Do not drop cigarette and waste on the floor

The sun was setting down fast, without wasting more time... shoot shoot shoot.



Look how the decorations of the spires are in fact all made from millions of bits of smashed white porcelain painted with patterns.



Despite it's name (coming from Aruna, the Indian god of the dawn), the best views and photos of Wat Arun are in the evening with the sun setting behind it. Heard that there are some restaurants on the opposite side of the river that are good for watching sunset. Timing for sunset is around 6pm - 7pm all year round in Bangkok.



However, I felt otherwise while I shot the sunset standing high up in Wat Arun.



From a different view point



And the normal post card view from the garden...

I got chased out by the guard, as he said already past the closing time....actual time spending in Wat Arun were 20mins :(

Well, I had not done yet, had another race to run.... quicky ran to the pier, took the ferry back the Tha Tien Pier. Grabed a tuk tuk and zoomed back to hotel.



That was the most exciting part of the day, I felt I was in amazing race.... all these actions just for:





The sky colour changed so fast that either got it or missed it...

Well, thats the end of 'One Full Day in Bangkok' guide... hope you find these threads usefull.
Cheers