If you know me, you know I love my castles and palaces. The Grand Palace however is not quite what I’m used to. The grounds house a bunch of different structures and temples. It was beautiful, confusing, and gaudy. I am not as familiar with Thai architecture and the Buddhist culture, so I am sure I missed a lot of its meaning and historical significance. I can however, appreciate the beauty and artistry that went into these intricate buildings. 
The entrance. Lucky for us, it wasn’t too crowded. The complex was built in 1782 for King Rama and his court. It has been added onto over the years by successive Kings. It is 218,000 sq meters, rectangularly shaped, and is enclosed by four walls. The King and his government was based here until 1925. Some offices still remain here. We have about a million pictures from here, but here are some of our favorites. 
First impression- it was huge, colorful, impressive, and the buildings were practically on top of each other in some cases. I definitely would have liked to know what each building was used for. (I looked into that when I got back.)
The Royal Pantheon.
Then complex was full of pavilions, gardens, statues, and courtyards. There has to be over 100 buildings on the grounds.
If you wondering why we are dressed in pants in this weather, it is because they have a very strict dress code here. No shorts, tight pants, sleeveless shirts. And they mean it.
The detailing here was amazing.
This white and blue building was my favorite.
We really liked the beautifully painted murals of the story of Ramakien.
Somewhere in the Grand Palace we saw Wat Phra Kaeo, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It is part of the Grand Palace, and it houses one of Thailand’s most precious Buddhist relics. The temple was built to hold a meditating Buddha from the 14th century, carved from jade and dressed in gold and diamonds. Interestingly, the Emerald Buddha has three different seasonal outfits- summer, rainy season, and winter. I remember the Temple being so bright and golden inside that you could hardly even see where the statue was (its 66 cm tall, including its base.) It was so elaborate and full of ornamentation. No pictures, as it is disrespectful in Buddhist culture to take pictures inside temples or pictures of Buddha.
I was truly impressed by the Grand Palace, and so glad we were able to see it. It wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen before, which is exactly why I travel.
xoxo-sk
ps. So necessary. It was so hot, especially in those long pants. We drank so much water this trip.
xoxo-sk 