Wat Pho (The Reclining Buddha), Bangkok Thailand

First of all, I want to offer my sincere condolences to the Thai people on the passing of their beloved Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha at the age of 47, after nearly 4 years in a coma. Everyone we met in Bangkok and in Ayutthaya were quite fond of Princess Bha, the eldest child of the King Maha Vajiralongkorn also known as King Rama X, the tenth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty.  May she rest in peace.

Now back to the third and last stop of our private tour with Sam, our guide. We took the river boat again to cross the Chao Phraya River.  Then we were driven to the Phra Nakhon district where WAT PHO is located. 

We ate a quick lunch at a local restaurant recommended by Sam and I'd have to say that no meal in Thailand is complete without the ubiquitous mango sticky rice. To say that I overloaded on this famous and delicious dessert during our vacation is an understatement. 

Wat Pho, a first class royal temple is one of the largest and oldest temples in Thailand. The 80,000 square meters sprawling temple complex houses the largest collection of Buddha figurines in Thailand. 

More importantly, Wat Pho is the location of the 46 meters long and 14 meters high, gold plated Reclining Buddha situated inside a dedicated hall. You are required to wear a sarong to cover your legs and remove your shoes when you enter the massive hall.

The soles of Buddha's feet are 5 meters long and inlaid with mother of pearl.

These 108 auspicious symbols represent a complete map of Buddhist cosmology.

For a minimal amount you can buy 108 coins and then drop them into 108 bronze bowls lining the hall. The tradition of dropping coins is an act of merit. The number 108 signifies the auspicious characteristics and virtues of the Buddha.

Wat Pho Ticket price: 300 Thai Baht (Single Entry)
Open daily from 08:00 AM - 07:30 PM
Visitors are required to dress properly and appropriately.
Be respectful and do not destroy historical artifacts.

Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn), Bangkok Thailand

Let us get back on track of my Bangkok (April 26 - May 4, 2025) trip blog posts series. 

From the Grand Palace, we were driven to the river boat station to board a river taxi to cross the Chao Praya River to reach the Wat Arun Temple which is one of Bangkok's most iconic landmarks. Just a short boat ride but quite scenic as you can already see the towering prang of the majestic temple with its intricately encrusted millions of colorful pieces of Chinese porcelain and seashells. 

It was a really hot and warm day so I changed my top because I was soaking wet from buckets of sweat. Even my hair strands were dripping wet. Goodness!

The Temple of Dawn has existed since the Ayutthaya Kingdom period (1351 - 1767), its original name was "Wat Makok". It is said that King Thasin the Great wanted to establish a new capital of Thonburi.  He travelled along the Chao Praya River and arrived in front of Wat Makok just as dawn was breaking, hence it was named "Wat Chaeng" which means "Temple of Dawn".

A major restoration of the prang (spire) was made in the 19th century during the reign of King Rama II and the name was changed to Wat Arun Ratchatharam and served as the temple of his reign.

During the reign of King Rama IV, the temple was renamed Wat Arun Ratchawararam after further restoration and construction works were done. The primary prang shaped chedi symbolizes Mount Meru or the center of the universe.

You can hire/rent tradtional Thai costumes (complete with head gears and umbrellas) both for males and females then have your picture taken with  these majestic prangs as your background. 

Inside the Ordination Hall is the Niramitr Buddha statue designed by King Rama II. The sitting Buddha was crafted out of wood, cast in bronze then covered with gold leaf.  The base of the main Buddha image is believed to house the ashes of King Rama II.

Museo ng Katipunan

I decided to make a separate post devoted to the Katipunan museum. The Katipunan was a secret revolutionary society headed by Andres Bonifacio aka Supremo and founded on July 4, 1892. Some of its illustrious members included Emilio Jacinto, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Gregoria de Jesus among others. Its primary purpose was to overthrow the colonial rule of the Spanish government and for us, Filipinos to gain our independence.

History was one of my favorite subjects in high school. But we all know that we learnt in school is just a portion or a tiny fragment of actual events. Lucky for me, I married a history professor so our dinner table conversations are mostly about historical facts and tidbits. Curiosity reigns.

The Museo ng Katipunan is just a few steps away from the Museo del Deposito, and both museums are located on the grounds of the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan.

My former high school, St. John's Academy was just a stone's throw away from the Pinaglabanan Church.

I am familiar with this area in San Juan yet I had no idea there was a two storey, small museum showcasing the Katipunan in all its glory.

The Katipunan, a secret society was instrumental in shaping the path towards our liberty and autonomy.

These fearless men and women risked their livelihood, and their lives so we can now enjoy our freedom, sovereignity and independence from foreign powers.

Kindly excuse the poor quality and angle of my pictures. It certainly doesn't do it justice.

The intricately designed  and fully air conditioned museum was quite a revelation with its diorama exhibit of the battle of San Juan del Monte, its informative and well researched historical data, replicas of some documents as well as its vivid displays of various artifacts.

Highly recommended as it is entirely free!