Thonburi

We crossed over the river to the district of Thonburi which used to be the capital of Thailand between 1767-1782 before the King moved across the river to the Grand Palace we had visited yesterday.

We were off to find the Royal Barges which involved a short walk through winding alleyways and over small khlongs (canals). The ceremonial barges are very ornate, beautifully carved and gilded. They are rarely used but must be a splendid sight on the occasions they do sail en masse down the Chao Phraya river full of oarsmen with gold and silver oars.


On our way back to the ferry we meandered a little, stopping to watch a dog being washed, life being lived, and so on.

I asked a lady if I could take a photo of an interesting, slightly run down old looking building we passed, she beckoned for us to follow her and took us around the back where we discovered yet another Buddha, this one was special, it was black and she told us this one was over 200 years old. I've got no idea what the building was but close by, in the same compound, was a small wooden building on stilts under which were turtles on a rock that occasionally slid into the water, all part of the laid back river life in Thonburi.