temple day

The next day we got together with our new friends (Mary and Chris! Megan and Moustafa!) and some old ones (Aniyia and Marco!) and went back to the mall for some food. After eating, some of the boys went off to get tailored suits and the rest of us went to see some temples. (I regret not visiting the tailoring place on another day, I could have gotten some seriously amazing custom jeans for next to nothing.)

We took the train to the boat that took us to the Grand Palace.

We're on a boat! Hi!

We got off the boat and made our way to the palace.

It was hot. Over 100 degrees and high humidity.

Wall outside the Grand Palace.

The Palace has some strange/stupid rules. Danny purposefully wore closed toe shoes and I brought a skirt to put over my shorts so that we could get in. They wouldn't let Danny in without pants. They tried to SELL him some pants. So us girls went in to see what how much it was to get in and so forth.

It was like $30 a person, and they were closing in 20 minutes.

So we snapped some shots outside, and left.

It was soooooo nice to meet these new people- also friends of Jane and Visnu, and get along with them so well. Everyone was so down to earth, and go with the flow. We were all grateful for each other- standing in that heat we were all nervously waiting for the other to proclaim "Buuuuut I wanna see it ALL!" And then none of us did and we didn't care and then we all laughed and became best friends.

We walked down the street to Wat Po.

(the temple of the reclining buddha, and a monastery)

And it was filled with amazingness. So many pretty structures, statues, etc. And shade! And free water! And like half the price of the Grand Palace! We felt like we hit the jackpot.

A quiet moment.

The donation bowls.

Handmade silk flowers.

I studied this buddha in school, so it was so incredible to see it in person.

Soooooo long.

On the soles of his feet are these intricate mother of pearl inlays.

Gold everywhere.

Is it just me, or are you thinking what snow would do to these beautiful roofs?

Just me.

Intricate is their jam.

All those tiny glass petals!

This one is my favorite. It was in a little building all by itself.

Seriously, all that tile! Such talent. And patience.

I love these little guys. They tell a story...

...but I don't know it.

Dragon!

I love that someone left flowers in his hands.

Such amazing little details.

Kitty!

I looooove lily pads.

And their pretty flowers.