25.11 Honor the King! Imperial Palace and Crematorium.

The next morning we get up around 10:30 am and have a classic Farang breakfast with milk, cornflakes, and some pastries.

Rapidly, we pack our backpacks and set off.

The "Grand Palace" is located at the completely opposite end of the city near the world famous Khao San Road. So, not only do we have a 16 station BTS ride ahead of us, but also a bus ride with one of the countless local buses.

Contrary to my expectations, the bus ride (at least for me :P) is actually fun and we get to see a lot of the city.

Arriving at 1:00 pm, we first need to orient ourselves and walk in the direction we believe to be the right one. On the way to the King's Palace, we also discover the crematorium, which we plan to visit later...

To enter the Grand Palace, you must wear long pants and at least a t-shirt to not offend the king's dignity.

Fortunately, I have my long pants with me and Juli buys a suitable pair at a good price.

After crossing the moral and worldly barriers, we are finally inside!

The palaces and temples are extravagant, perhaps even decadent, which doesn't make them any less impressive.

The area consists of many different buildings with different symbolism and architectural styles. We follow the other tourists through the wide passages for almost 2 hours and learn a lot about the history and development of the city and its landmarks.

After seeing everything, we leave the now overflowing grounds with Chinese tourists and head towards the crematorium.

The crematorium is a true rarity!

When the king dies, one year of mourning is observed before the king is then cremated in a crematorium, which is open to the public for one month.

Right next to the "Grand Palace," a huge complex was raised from the ground, which we definitely don't want to miss.

The entrance is free, and after a short film about the king's work and life, we are allowed to enter the grounds.

On the premises, there are various museums and exhibitions with exhibits from the royal collection.

In the center of the grounds, there is the visually stunning tomb of King Adulyadej, who reached the age of 89. He is considered the builder of the nation and has made Thailand what it is today. For many Thais, he is a kind of father figure. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see Thais crying in front of the tomb.

We spend almost 2 hours exploring the entire complex and marvel at the craftsmanship of the Thai people. Glass, wood, stone, and marble were used to create works of art from raw materials.

As the sun slowly sets around 5:15 pm, we decide to leave the king to rest in peace and make our way home. Unfortunately, it's rush hour, and it takes almost 25 minutes by car to reach the closest BTS station without traffic.

Since there are no more buses, we take a taxi and it takes us just over 1 hour to reach the "Central Stadium" BTS station.

Tired from the day, we go straight back to the apartment and end the evening by the pool with a beer. Tomorrow is my birthday, let's see who remembers :)