9 + 1 Temples Trip (Part 1)

This trip first started when my friends wanted to go to nine temples to pray which is a custom for Thai people to do for blessing and to rid themselves of bad luck.  Some people who know me might wondered why I decided to tag along on this day trip even though I am not Buddhist.  Well, I just wanted to spend a day hanging out with friends, seeing new sights and exploring the city together.  I like the architecture and design of historical places and think that, though I'm not going there to pray, as long as I respect the place and people there, it is alright to wander around.  So, with all this, I transform myself into a tourist in my own city (most people didn't think I'm Thai anyway).  My friend got a rough plan on where she wanted to go and how we were going to get there...(there is no way we could take the car and went around 9 temples in a day because 1) we would surely be lost 2) of the traffic)

Our journey started at our office (our usual place) on Silom road.  From there, we took taxi to our first destination; Wat Yannawa วัดยานนาวา which is located on Charoenkrung road, within a walking distance from BTS Taksin bridge station.  It took us less than 10 mins to get there (because it was a weekend morning).  Originally, this temple was built in Ayutthaya period and was named Wat Kork Kwai วัดคอกควาย.  Actually, I passed this temple so many times and saw its rooftop from the outside but, I have never know how it is inside.

Truly a tourists, when we got off the taxi, we didn't even know where is the main ubosot. It took us a bit of time to realize that we had to walk further in.  

This ubosot was rebuilt in His Majesty the King Rama I period.  The ubosot is quite small compared to the area of the place (at least, that's what I felt).  With its white building and wooden golden roof, it has an elegant feel to it.  (was a bit annoyed with the two apt building at the back though)

The interior of ubosot was simply decorated unlike other royal temple.  

The door to the ubosot really caught our eyes with very detailed golden image.

Once my friends finished their pray, we came out to pay respect to King Rama III.  During the period of King Rama III, His Majesty had commissioned the building of a stupa but in a form of a bark for the new generation to see.Right opposite the statue, there was a small booth where we were to get incense.  Once again, we were at lost...how many incense sticks do we need anyway??  Would that be 3 because we were paying respect to King Rama III?  Well, the answer came when a staff appeared (he looks to be a grandpa age).  He said each of us need 9 sticks.  I still don't understand the significant of the number of incense sticks, why 3, 7, 9...?

First temple down and we were making a good time.  We left Wat Yannawa and walked to Chao Phraya express boat pier which is right under Taksin bridge, barely a 5 mins walk away.  There, we waited for a boat to take us to our second stop; Wat Ratchasingkhorn วัดราชสิงขร.  
To get there, we needed to take express boat and get off at stop S3 on Orange flag boat (http://www.chaophrayaexpressboat.com/en/home/).  The problem was that we were not sure which float we were supposed to wait on.  Once we thought our boat was coming, so we started walking toward water edge but the staff (or at least we thought she was) stopped us in our track and told us to wait for another boat in English!  Ok, some of us might have a mainland China look but, we did answer in Thai.  Still, she talked to us in English.  That was just weired.  Well, not long after that, our boat came and so we got on board.  My first experience with Chao Phraya Express...wuhuuu!!!  The fee for this boat ride was 14 Baht and we paid it on board (just like in bus).  It wasn't bad and it sure got us to our destination without traffic jam.  
There were so many boats at our stop.  When we disembarked from our ride, we had to walked through at least 3 boats.  The worst scenario kept going through my mind...what if I fell between the boats!!  Paranoid, I know.  Anyway, I tried to walk normally and pretended that I had not problem what so ever. 

Wat Ratchasingkhorn วัดราชสิงขร was built in Ayutthaya period.  This temple was not very grand and there was nothing much to see.  We mistakenly walked into a cremation area because the cremation parlor was quite richly decorated.  We scrambled out of the area as soon as we realized.  To find the main ubosot, we had to walked a little further.  At a glance, the area looked more like a school area but then, we spotted the ubosot.  It was dwarfed by other buildings.  The outside was decorated very plainly.  I didn't go inside this ubosot..don't know why.







Then, we retraced our steps back to the pier and take Chao Phraya Express (Orange flag) to the next destination but, we couldn't get there in one go.  So, we got off at Ta Tien (ท่าเตียน) and luckily were able to transfer to a ferry boat right away.  The crossing cost us 3 Baht each (how cheap!).  The boat took us to The Temple of Dawn, Wat Arun วัดอรุณราชวรารามราชวรมหาวิหาร.  I just love this temple.  It is such an icon, a landmark.  When I looked out from the ferry and see the view, the river, the temple's silhouette against the sky...it was just awesome.  For me it is only second to Temple of the Emerald Buddha,Wat Phra Khao. 

Wat Arun was originally built in Ayutthaya period and it was named Wat Ma Kork วัดมะกอก.  Then, under the reign of King Taksin, it was changed to Wat Jang วัดแจ้ง.  It was named Wat Arun by King Rama I who ordered it to be restored.  The landmark stupas were commissioned to build by King Rama II but, was completed during the resign of King Rama III.
The first thing to notice when we disembarked, was number of people...a lot!  Walking passed its parking area confirmed that we had made the right decision to not taking the car...it was like a madness.  Again, I didn't enter the ubosot (not because I was afraid of lighting strike).  I just love looking at the stupa.  It was covered with colorful Chinese porcelains.  It just made us wondered, how they came up with this design. 
After walking around the stupas and admiring the art, we were looking for ways to head to another two temples which are very closed by.  Then, we heard the announcement that there is a boat service that could take us to the other two temples with only 30 Baht.  Actually, nobody could miss this announcement because it repeated itself over and over again, almost to the point where delight turned to annoyance. 

The boat first took us to Wat Kalayanamitre วัดกัลยาณมิตรวรมหาวิหาร. I must admit that I was a little disappointed when we were walking into the temple.  From the picture, this temple looks clean and elegant.  The reality was that there are so man street vendors selling food (both for human and fish).  There were so many beggars (some look so normal and some were handicap) lining up on both side of walkway as if we were on red carpet.   Even worse was what they said and the way they were begging us to give them some change...It just made people feel that if they did not spare any changes to beggars, they would become a sinner.  I know that I might sound harsh and they might not have other choices but, I really don't think this is the way to do it.  They were playing with people guilt.

Wat Kalayanamitre's past was different because it was built by a high ranking government official who donated his land for this purpose.  After completed, he presented to King Rama III who gave the name Kalayanamitre. 
Entering the temple area, we were faced with a wall of smoke from incense.  This temple demonstrates how Thai and Chinese culture merge together so well...Chinese Gods in front of the entrance of the main ubosot. 

My highlight when visiting this temple was actually the other ubosot which located on the left side of main ubosot (if facing the ubosot).  Though, it was not big but, I found the art, the decoration to be very interesting.  The first thing that caught my eyes was the black rim windows...I have never seen it before.  I like it though.

The fresco inside the ubosot was amazing.  It depicted the image of Ratanakosin island in very detail.  It was too bad that there hasn't been any effort (at least I didn't see any) to preserve the fresco.

Then, we hopped on a boat using our combo ticket to get to Wat Rakung  วัดระฆังโฆสิตารามวรมหาวิหาร.  There we found just as many people and even more pigeon and fish...could really feel that this place is a sanctuary.  

As its name, ระฆัง or bells, that was the sound we heard once stepped into the temple area.  There are bells on the roof of the ubosot, bells bit and small decorate the area and a tent full of bells next to the ubosot where people can ring them for good luck.

Wat Rakung also was built in the Ayutthaya era.  During the reign of King Rama I, while under repair, the workers found an old bell which was later moved to the temple of the Emerald Buddha.  In its place, King Rama I commissioned the making of 5 bells to replace the one that was found hence, the name Wat Rakung.

By that time, it was past noon already!! We were starving..actually we were hungry since Wat Arun but, we pushed on with determination.  Sounds good, right?  The truth was we didn't know the area around the temple and therefore, had no idea where to eat.  
Even with increasing hunger, one of our friend, with her kind hearted, wanted to feed the fish.  OMG, the number of fish that surfaced to receive food was kind of reminded me of horror movie.

Anyway, with sense of accomplishment (5 temples within half day!!!...thought that we would only complete 5 in one day), we took another ferry (another 3 Baht) and cross to Ta Chang pier.  This pier took us right next to the temple of the Emerald Buddha where we........got something to eat.

[To be continue...]