On the Outside Looking In

Have you ever seen that big house on the other side of town and wondered, "Who lives there?" Or maybe you went to Miami for a vacation and you saw one of the exclusive islands where Madonna lives and thought, "I wonder what it's like to live there." Maybe you were a fan of Robin Leach's show and enjoyed seeing how the "Rich and Famous" lived.

That's a little how I felt like at Thailand's Grand Palace.

I was glad that they opened the grounds to the public, but that was about as far as you could get. I was able to enter 2 other buildings where the King once sat and see the thrones he used, but that was about it. It was really just a little morsel to whet your appetite for more that wasn't available.

But the King doesn't even live here anymore. He and the Royal Family have moved to another palace where he conducts all kind of scientific projects to help the people of Thailand.

The building was an intersting blend of European and Thai style, but the flags were there to remind you just where you were. Below: One of the guys making sure guys like me stay on the right side of the door.

After the tour, there was a snack shop and next to it was a collection of cannons (as shown above). However, when you take a closer look you see that right next to the armory is the smoking area. Now, I gotta think there's a better location for the smoking area.
By the way, Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand Palace are on the same complex, so if you see one you get to see the other.