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H E A R T O F B A N G K O K
A 43m-long reclining Buddha is the
prize attraction at Wat Pho, a royal
monastery immediately south of the
palace. This temple is considered
Thailand’s first university — the place
where
kritana somnong
(
Thai literature),
drawings of massage positions and
ceramics were stored after being
salvaged from sacked Ayutthaya.
Close to Thai hearts
Wat Pho’s gates open at 8am, the ideal
time to explore this lively temple when
it resembles a walled village. Monks
head to prayer; children line up outside
the wat’s school to watch the national
flag being hoisted; temple workers sweep
out halls and offices; student masseurs
chatter outside the School of Massage
Science; and hawkers start serving
bowls of noodles that can be bought for
waiting monks to “make merit”.
As with most of Thailand, there are
plenty of options with regards to food.
A few streets away, Chote Chitr is a
90-
year-old open-fronted café that
Clockwise from
left: The Reclining
Buddha at Wat Pho;
you can buy noodles
for waiting monks
“
to make merit”;
there are plenty
of food choices in
Rattanakosin;
(
inset) school kids
line up outside the
wat’s school
Street food
galore
