Date: March 16, 2007
Location: Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand
Next Port: Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia, March 20
Quick Summary: Regent offered a complimentary overnight stay in Bangkok for all guests. (The port is about 1-1/2 hrs from downtown.) All but 40 folks took advantage of this offer…and though Bangkok was hot and chaotic, by all accounts everyone had a great visit.
Report: We arrived at the port of Laem Chabang right on time at about 7:30 a.m. It’s definitely a working port and with not much in the way of passenger facilities.
Some folks, particularly those who had been here before, opted to just take the ship’s bus transfer to the hotels in Bangkok. (The segment cruisers stayed at the Shangri-La and we on the full World Cruise were accommodated at the Four Seasons. Regent’s arrangements included lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday.)
We took the 5-hour “Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha” excursion enroute to the hotel.
Departing the port shortly after 8:30 a.m., we passed acres and acres of new cars and trucks. Laem Chabang is a major shipping port for companies such a Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan who have large assembly plants in the area.
Once again, the drive to the city in very modern buses was an enjoyable way to see the countryside and the day-to-day lives of the people. We didn’t go far before we saw numerous gold-leafed shrines, pagodas and temples with their characteristic steep roofs and upswept, carved rooflines.
The Grand Palace complex is huge. It was begun in 1782 by King Rama I. It is now a walled city complex that houses the royal residence, throne halls and shrines – including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha – plus a number of government offices.
Each of these buildings – adorned and surrounded by gold figurines, large statues and Buddha’s – would be a singular marvel in and of itself. However they are so crammed together that they overwhelm the mind and senses. It is quite a place.
The roof of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is being renovated and is covered by tarps, so only portions of the spectacular building can be seen. Cameras are not allowed inside, but there is a large hall covered with gold carvings and mosaics. The small Emerald Buddha sits in a glass case high atop a pyramid structure that holds figurines and offerings. (Everyone must take off their footwear and sit on the floor if they are not just passing through. And don’t point your feet at the Buddha.) The three-foot emerald Buddha is really a beautiful piece of translucent jasper or jade. Its gold vestments are changed three times a year by the king during a solemn ceremony at the change of the three seasons (summer, rainy and winter).
Speaking of the king…it is now King Rama IX, the longest-serving monarch in the world. The 60th anniversary of his coronation was celebrated last year and his 80th birthday will be celebrated this year. Here again (as in Brunei), he is a revered monarch. The entire country is decked out in photos, big shrine-like displays and decorations in honor of these two milestones. And the national flag (red, white and blue stripes) and the king’s flag (yellow) fly everywhere (homes, buildings, roadways, etc.). The king ascended to the throne on a Monday. The color for that day is yellow as seen every Monday with much of the population wearing yellow T-shirts. Even though it was the weekend, we still saw many people wearing them. The markets had stalls and stalls of yellow shirts in all sizes and styles. What loyalty! (Oh, yes…King Rama IX was born in Massachusetts while his dad – the brother of King Rama VIII – was attending medical school at Harvard and his mother was attending Simmons.)
After the completion of our extended tour of the Grand Palace grounds, our bus stopped for a visit to a gem factory, and a gem and silk store.
We had an excellent Thai buffet lunch at the Four Seasons. Since we couldn’t yet check into our rooms, Larry enjoyed the hotel’s pool while Karen rested in the shade. At about 3:00, Karen checked into the room and took a short nap. (It was extremely hot and humid and the air-conditioned rest was welcome.) Afterwards, we changed some money to Bahts and checked out the shops and vendors along the main road. We returned to the hotel for a very enjoyable drink in the atrium courtyard with Anne and Karina, from the ship’s tour office, before joining some friends for dinner.
After dinner, we caught a cab with Marylou and John, and ventured to the Suan Lum night bazaar near Lumphini Park. It was another shopping and bargaining experience! This busy area was just one of several large night markets in the city. There was a large open area with tables, live music, flashing lights and many celebrators. It was hard to believe so much action was happening on such a hot night in Bangkok! We again welcomed our air conditioned hotel room!
Karen and Larry
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Photos of our first day in Bangkok have been added.
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