Temple of the Dawn

As you travel north on the Chao Phraya River, you see this awesome spire soar into the skies above the Western banks of Thonburi. It is Wat Arunratchawararam (or Wat Arun for those of us who still haven't mastered Thai just yet); or more commonly know as the Temple of the Dawn (after Aruna, the Indian god of dawn).
Above: These two schoolboys were playing on this old statue of a Chinese guy. Below: I make my "ugly demon face" just like this statue of a demon from Thai folklore.
Above: Looking up the massive prang or pagoda of the temple. Below: One of the numerous demonic figures that surround the temple.

Above: Me on one of the lower levels of the pagoda with a satellite building behind me. Below: The stairway up to the higher levels of the pagoda (which were closed to the public).




Above: The main pagoda to the left and the satellite building to the right and "photoshopped" effects to the sky. Below: More photoshopped photos of the temple. The left is bleached and color treated and the left has a "Patpong" feel to it.

I think it kinda has a night and day feel to it and captures Bangkok pretty well.
Coming soon: Fancy digs, views above and below the water and the missing man that revived Thailand's silk industry.