Height also plays an important role in Thai religious design; the more elevated, the more revered. A perfect example was the first official attraction of the tour, the three-storied Wat Traimit or “Temple of the Golden Buddha”.
TRAVEL TIP: As a form of respect, temple-goers are asked to remove their footwear and avoid taking pictures or videos of holy objects, similar to the requirement in the European churches of not showing exposed shoulders or legs.
Another prominent mythical creature of the country’s pantheon is the half-man half-bird Garuda. With deep roots in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the Phra Khrut Pha, as the bird-man is known in Thai, is the symbol of Thailand’s royalty and adorns their currency, the Baht.
Peering to the southwest from the top floor of the temple, the fusion of Thai and Chinese style can be seen in the signpost marking the beginning of Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, where allegedly the best street food in all of the city can be found.
FUN FACT. Thailand’s capital city has the second highest density of 7-11 stores in Asia behind Japan. The brand makes up almost three-quarters of all the convenience shops in the country.
The mingling of the two cultures can also be seen closer afield in the stone tableau (left) on the second level of the wat. The scene is similar in technique to the ones (right) we had seen at the foot of the Grand Ling Shan Buddha in Wuxi China four years earlier; the only differences being the cast of characters and the storyline.
