Above, the view from our hotel bar. Sparkly rooftop bars are a big draw in this very glittery city.

Across from the bar on our first night in Bangkok it looked like some windows were being installed. Hard to tell just what was going on, but it felt very Hitchcock-esque.

Soon after we arrived we learned that the King had died and that he is to be cremated next week (October 26th). There are memorials for him throughout the city, in parks, on buildings, on the trains.

The cremation ceremony comes at the end of a year of mourning. Many of the people we have come in contact with have expressed their sadness at the loss of  King Bhumibolho, who at 88 was the world”s longest reigning monarch. security in the city has been stepped up as preparations for the week long funeral get underway.

In all honesty, we have only just realized that he  died last year.

We are here for just a few days before we head north, and so we decided to spend some time with a local guide. We visited several of Bangkok’s religious sites, took a boat ride to see life on the river, and learned a bit about Thai Buddhism.

Above and below, memorials for the King.

Unlike temples in Bhutan, photographs and video are permitted here. Dress codes are less strictly enforced. Most strikingly, people come to these temples to read prayers aloud together  (in contrast to Bhutan, where it is the monks who chant the prayers).

Interior details

Scenes from the life of the Buddha cover the walls

We came upon two induction ceremonies for monks during our temple visits. This was apparently an unusual level of activity, and our guide suggested that it had something to do with the King’s cremation next week.

Friday morning

Sunday morning

A fantasy of a temple

And another

On the water

The ice cream boat. We were told that there is also a KFC boat.

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Day’s end