Bangkok is a truly amazing city and one of my favorites. After 25 visits we still make new discoveries on each visit. We are planning to take our twin granddaugters there next year. Our plane from Singapore was very extremely late arriiving in Bankok, but our fabulous guide, Victor had arranged luggage transport for the hotel while we literally RAN to a waiting bus which drove us to a beautiful boat for a dinner cruise on the Choa Praya.

We all loved the fabulous dinner on the Manohra Rice Barge on the Chao Phraya River. The cuisine and the the evening sights were beautiful! A benefit of a tour is the work behind the scenes to make things happen. After the cruise we arrived at the Peninsula Hotel to find ourselves checked in with luggage waiting in the room!

The next morning we boarded a boat for a tour of the Klongs. We passed the truly iconic Wat Arun, a very special place for Marla.

Our boat passed a temple next to the water. There are over 400 Buddhist temples in Bangkok.

We saw this giant Water Monitor by the river.

Our tour guides had tuk tuks waiting for us at the pier for the ride to the Grand Palace.

We are all excited to tour the Grand Palace.

Our guides point out an important detail.

Guardians surround the golden Wat Phra Kaew.

Special prayer ceremony at the Grand Palace.

Taking a little break in the heat.

Entrance to the Emerald Buddha at the Grand Palace.

Close up of the Emerald Buddha.

Bronze guardian lion at Wat Phra Kaew.

Marla says a prayer at the temple.

The building details at the Grand Palace always amaze me!

Visiting monks.

A monk has his photo take next to a giant Yaksha statue.

A guardian warrior.

Ray and Lisa inside Wat Pho.

There always seem to be massive crowds to see the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho.

The beautiful lobby area of the Peninsula Hotel was a welcome sight after a long and hot day of touring.

I love this highly decorated pot at the Peninsula hotel.

Photos: Dick Gentry…Not to be used without permission.