Hiroo, From Tokyo!!: Our Hunt for "Rad" October

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

-L.M Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables-

For our first trip in the new school year we decided to go to Thailand in October...as seen in my previous blog "Chiang Mai...Land of Gentle Giants."

We also took a little time in Chiang Mai for a cultural excursion. My kids don't love touring temples ("wat" is the Thai word for temple), but this one even impressed my two skeptics.

We drove to the top of the mountain "Doi Suthep" where the ornately decorated wat is perched.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Only 309 stairs to the top!!

We thought this was IT, but this is just the entry to the sacred part of the temple.

To enter the sacred uppermost area of the temple, we all had to remove our shoes.

Females are only allowed to enter if their shoulders and legs are covered. Shawls and skirts were available at the entrance...Jane Ellis gamely models her outfit.

In front of the enormous chedi inside Wat Phra Dat.

Prayer candles being lit

Worshippers walk a path three times around the massive chedi while praying.

Young monks

Back down on the main pavilion area

Jane Ellis makes friends with one of many "temple dogs" cared for by the monks.

They named a dragon after me!

Grant getting into his pose...

Precious little Thai girl singing for coins

Finishing the long walk back to the bottom. The side rails are beautifully intricate serpent-like dragons.

We also had a little time in Bankgok while in Thailand.

Even though we had only two days, we certainly made the most of them!

First we checked into our hotel...here are views of the capital city from our rooms:

Then, having heard that Thai street vendor food is the best way to get the true taste of Thailand, I dragged my stubborn pizza/hamburger crowd out for a foodie adventure. Once again, I was right!

Mark, going back for seconds and eventually thirds!!

This was my Thai "chicken soup" and there were no leftovers!!! Yummy!l

After lunch our concierge recommended a boat tour of Bangkok which would let us out for a short walk to the Golden Palace and Wat Pho...a must see temple for first-time visitors.

First, we hopped in a tuk-tuk to get to the river.

We really loved our private boat!!!

Seeing the water-monitor lizard sunning on the riverside rocks was also very cool.

Turns out river-vendors are a big thing...boats approached ours constantly with food, drinks or trinkets for sale.

This aggressive lady was not letting go of our boat...quite the saleswoman!

My little shopping diva was happy to comply and she is now the proud owner of a hat that folds into a fan!

Moments later our skipper took us by the popular fish-feeding spot...so crowded with aggresive hungry catfish that the churning water was a little scary!

We were given bags of bread to feed the fish.

Later we took a tour of Wat Pho next to the palace.
Only 100 baht for entry.

Wat Pho is the largest and oldest wat (temples) in Bankgok and is home to more than 1,000 Buddha images,
as well as the single largest Buddha image in the world, at 160 feet long. She is the "Reclining Buddha," covered in gold leaf.

The temple is considered the first public university of Thailand, teaching students in the fields of religion, science and literature through murals and sculptures. Wat Pho is also one of the best places to get a fabulous massage, as the temple is home to one of the earliest Thai massage schools...so you know you will be in good hands!

There are lovely English-speaking tour guides wandering the complex. I highly recommend hiring one at the low price of 200-400 baht. A bargain to receive a wealth of knowledge on everything you see within the temple grounds.

My camera-shy son catches me sneaking a shot.

Our guide called this the Winston Churchill statue...still not quite clear on why WC is here???

Standing in front of the ornate bell-shaped stupas (or chedis.) There are 182 stupas at Wat Pho, more than any other wat. Each stupa was built to honor a specific Buddhist monk, with a special chamber containing their ashes and relics.

That night, we jumped in a tuk-tuk outside of our hotel.

We decided to visit the Bangkok Sunday Night Market, winding through rows and rows of vendor stalls and tables.

Lots of trinkets, baubles, and clothing. Mark and Grant bought shirts and silk boxers.

Jane Ellis bought a purse and a pair of harem pants.

After shopping we treated ourselves to "fish pedicures"...a very strange experience, but fun!

After 30 minutes of letting fish swarm our feet eating the dead skin, we sat in comfy chairs to have our feet sanded and massaged.

On our last day in Bangkok, our concierge recommended we tour a Thai silk factory.
First, we were thoroughly educated on the life stages of silk worms.