Ahhhhhh....Coffee and free WiFi...how I love thee....
So, after trekking through another neighborhood and trying to follow our maps, we finally made it to the block that is the Grand Palace grounds. Now, at the Grand Palace, they are very strict about dress code - no shorts, no tank tops, and nothing that the sorority-set wears for "Girls Gone Wild." So, of course, Chris was out of compliance. But, no fear, we knew that they would let you borrow clothes inside. What we hadn't counted on was the local scam artists dressed in official looking clothes standing on the corner and trying to force you to go to their tailor shops to purchase another outfit OR yelling at you that the Grand Palace was closed but they could take you to this amazing standing Buddha. Thankfully, we knew enough to just keep walking to the actual entrance. We figured if there was really a problem the men with machine guns would let us know.
We got in, Chris borrowed some pants, and we began exploring the amazing complex. For anyone who has never been, it is impossible to imagine just how big and shiny this place is. The biggest draw for most people is the Emerald Buddha. I really appreciated how peaceful the temple here was, despite being full of tourists and practitioners. We wandered for quite awhile before deciding it was time for lunch and a dose of a/c. Thankfully, there was an Au Bon Pair across the street. I realize that it sounds crazy to eat at an american chain while in Bangkok, but you can never underestimate the draw of a/c on a sweltering day. (OK - time for breakfast...I'll finish later :-)
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