Submitted by Brendan Hopkins on the 2018 winter session program in Australia and Thailand sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics…
On our first full day in Bangkok, Thailand I ventured out into the city on a tour of two of the city’s most popular destinations, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and the Grand Palace. The destinations were only about 5 kilometers away, but Bangkok traffic ensures that even such a short distance will take about 25 minutes to drive. As I got off the bus at the temple, what stood before me was something I never expected to see in the middle of a major city. The entire complex was built in traditional Asian architectural style with vibrant colors lining every roof.
Throughout the complex, there must have been over one hundred golden Buddha statues, the most notable and impressive of which was the 46-meter long statue of the reclining Buddha. The relatively small temple was completely full of visitors who respectfully removed their shoes to view the statue.
Despite the beautifully decorated temple, nothing could have prepared us for the Grand Palace’s wondrous design. Every inch of the palace was covered with either gold or vibrantly colored tiles that glistened in the bright sunlight, each building was visually striking and captured my full attention until we moved on. Walking through these places of worship and respect gave us a great introduction to the Thai culture.
