🧳🇹🇭🧳 BANGKOK, THAILAND - April 5, 2019 - A walking experiment AND The Golden Buddha

Well today it was an experiment. I decided to walk to a temple not too far away and take pictures along the way. Setting off at 10am and returning at 2pm. I did not walk back. Total of over 12000 steps and over 7.5 km. Too much in +36C temperature and over 80% humidity. Won’t do that again for awhile. The result ...

The Jewelry District 

Gems Tower in the background 

Cat lover wall mural

A newspaper has many uses

Urban empty space beautification 

Living above

Wat Traimit Wittayaram and The Golden Buddha. I’ve been here before but frankly, the history of the Golden Buddha is so interesting I thought another look was in order. I invite you to look at Wikipedia’s article on this.

Wikipedia Golden Buddha

The Golden Buddha. Actually in 9 pieces with a key, the body is 40% pure gold, from the forehead to chin 80% pure gold and the topknot being 99% pure gold. All the more amazing as it was covered in painted stucco for hundreds of years before being discovered to be made of gold in 1955. 

Ceiling

🧳🇹🇭🧳 BANGKOK, THAILAND - April 4, 2019 - Ghost Tower and Icon Siam

Always something new. Today a simple free boat trip on the Chao Phraya River going to Icon Siam. Along the way a few derelict buildings.

The Ghost Tower. An unintentional tourist attraction. Closed to the public but intruded apon by some. It attained its unfortunate name after a Swedish tourist hanged himself on the 43rd floor and superstition by some it was built over a graveyard. It sits empty. Interior view is not my photo. 

The East Asiatic Building. Built in 1884 by Danish entrepreneur Hans Nielsen Anderson who made his money in the Teak business and favoured of King Rama V. He later enhanced the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok to fabled eminence. 

Old Customs House (Ban Rak Fire Station). Built in 1888 and used as a customs house and later residences for fire department personnel. Sitting empty now but plans at restoration are in the offing. 

And on to Icon Siam …

Just nicely opened in November 2018, my photos would never do this place justice. A 54 billion baht (C$2.3 billion) mixed use development is a new must-see to believe place. Hotel, residences, high-end mall, cultural museum, floating market, design extravaganza and just amazing place!

Massive retinal display

Floor to ceiling video screen waterfall display

Ceiling to floor waterfall, if you can believe it.

🧳🇹🇭🧳 BANGKOK, THAILAND - April 3, 2019 - Another exciting day in Bangkok

This must be over 30 visits to Bangkok. Always a source of adventure and exciting. An 85 day trip to Asia nearing a close, but still time to see amazing things.

Can’t resist yet another shot of this strange building that looks like it’s missing pieces

There’s an irony here. Covering nearly all the sidewalk area, a police box with the slogan “Healthier, longer better lives” forces pedestrians who are limited to about a foot of pass space to walk on the street, somewhat less than safely.

And on to Lumphini Park again for some peace and quiet. Portraits of the present King and Queen Mother

Always present Jungle Crows

And back to the city 

🧳🇯🇵🧳 OSAKA, JAPAN - April 1, 2019 - Last day shopping, TOTO toilets and farewell

Hectic it was. I spent the last day doing some shopping and trying to relax from a hectic schedule of touring. It was not to be. Tired feet from walking too much and wandering around streets and malls. The weather was really mixed with wind cold and occasional rain and sun.

Protesters?

A reminder that bicycles are everywhere downtown Osaka and many places have separate lanes ... on the sidewalk!

Hmmm

And Osaka is Japan’s food capital. One must buy item is Uncle Rikuro’s Cheezecake. Usually cues are there to buy this treat!

At 725 ¥ ($C8.69) and quite large ... good value. Certainly enough for 2-3 people. While cheezecake is not my thing, I can say it was tasty, light and filling!

Vending machines everywhere 

 Vintage wagons used as flower boxes ... hmmm a closer look?

From flowers to toilets. I’ve posted about this before, but arguably one of the finest inventions of the last century was TOTO corporation’s invention of the Washlet toilet. For ones daily functions you have state of the art toilet. Warm seat, sanitizer, deodorant, drying AND the magic wand that sprays warm water in those orifices that require it. Makes the whole necessary part of daily life a much better experience. TOTO is the largest maker of toilets in the world. Based in Japan but now manufactured worldwide. TOTO rules !

It’s the end of my third trip to Japan. I enjoyed it very much. Despite being expensive in some areas, it scores a solid 81% in my scoring and rates high for food, nature, rich Japanese tradition and magnificent sights. Finally, a few of the faces along the way ...