Wat Arun, Royal Barge & Longtail Boat Tour

Yesterday, October 6th, 2018 we took a high speed, (James Bond "The Man With The Golden Gun"), longtail boat tour of the Thonburi Khlongs, the old river canals of the Bangkok Noi River and met a delightful tour guide, Ms. Tim (her nickname). She shared many histories with us and was very entertaining and informative. She is a native of Thailand and has been a tour guide for 25 years, and is a very caring individual. She braved the rain and even took us across the river after our official tour was over to lead us to another temple. The Thonburi area homes are floating above the canals, and many are the traditional Thai style architecture. We saw some modern reconstructions that were in progress, and I spotted a tiny home tucked in next to the river. We saw a group of boys diving and swimming in their canal off their dock, and saw many boats too. It would be fun to be able to take your little skiff to town along the canals. The Royal Barges National Museum is home to eight of the thirty two royal fleet, and we had an opportunity to see them up close. The figureheads each represent a different God in the Buddhist tradition. The royal barges are repainted and decorated before each ceremony, and the Royal Barge Procession glides along the Chao Phraya River in ceremonial dress for all to see. The Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), locals say Wat Chaeng, is on the West Bank of this same river. The temple is named after the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. We arrived just as worship had begun, as well as the afternoon rain. We entered quietly and did see a beautiful golden Buddha. The temple is known for it's glorious first light of morning appearance. We loved the James Bond longtail boat ride and waved to all the other people we passed. When in Bangkok, take the canal river tour, it is a fun way to beat the heat.