The name Temple of Dawn it got because the first light of morning reflects off the surface of the temple with a pearly iridescence. This is a gorgeous view and also when the sun sets, it is a very dramatic effect, however we were there on the middle of the day, when the sun is blazing hot!! So this first picture is not mine... the rest is.
We took a water taxi to go to Wat Arun, and this is the first sight you see.
Jasmine and Juliet in front of the huge temple demons. It was so hot that day, like any day in the city, you can't just stand too long in the sun! So they weren't too happy to pose for me :-)
Completely build up with pieces of china, just amazing!
Here a close up of the broken tiles. What a tedious job to build all these stupas...
You could go up and climb all the stairs to different levels, but it was too hot for me to climb those high stairs, so I just photographed the girls from a level lower...
Just beautiful to see all the details...
Luckily we had a blue sky that day, it makes all the difference in your pictures :-)
On the way back in our water taxi these monks were sitting next to us with their bright oranges robes...
Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn, is named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. Sitting majestically on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, the legendary Wat Arun is one of the most striking riverside landmarks of Thailand. Despite the name, the most spectacular view of the glittering monument can be seen from the east side of the river at sunset, when the spires of Wat Arun make an impressive silhouette against the skyline.
This Wat or Buddhist temple is an architectural representation of Mount Meru, the center of the world in Buddhist cosmology. In the mythology of Tibetan Buddhism, Mount Meru is a place that simultaneously represents the center of the universe and the single-pointedness of mind sought by adepts. Thousands of miles in height, Meru is located somewhere beyond the physical plane of reality, in a realm of perfection and transcendence. The four-corner prang of Wat Arun, which house images of the guardian gods of the four directions, reinforces this mystical symbolism.
Another day spend well in the City of Angels, but now it is time to go to the hotel and take a dip in the pool, because it is hot... hot... hot and humid!!
Sawasdee Kha!
Mireille
5 comments:
Mireille,
Stunning...absolutely stunning. When we go back to Thailand, this is a must-do! What a gorgeous country our girls hail from!
wow now that is simply AMAZING! and crazy, who would have thought to try and build something like that out of broken china? just beautiful!
This is such a beautiful temple, and I remember commenting that we should have heeded the warning of it's name and visited at dawn because it was so flippin' hot with the sun reflecting off all the ceramic pieces!
Yeah, it is crazy how hot it is there!! But worth the visit!
Wow, those pics are sooo beautiful! Would you believe that with all the time I spent at the Oriental (practical right across and right down the river from it) I never visited that one either! I passed it many time by river boat and saw it all lit up at night when taking a dinner cruise with Jeff. It really is breathtaking at night! But I never went up and saw it and I had no idea about it being made from old china! How fascinating! Thanks for sharing so many details from your trip. It's wonderful to learn so much about our kids beautiful homeland!
Post a Comment