Wat Trimitrhouses a 3.5 meter-high and 5.5 tonne heavy pure Gold Buddha. The statue came from Ayutthaya in 1767 and escaped the marauding Burmese, because it was hidden under a plaster jacket. It was shipped to Bangkok and as he was to be hoisted in 1956 to its final position, it fell from the crane cable and the real material, pure gold, came to be visible. Continue to Pak Klong Talad, the biggest wholesale and retail fresh flower market in Bangkok. Most flowers found here are destined to be woven into “Phuang Malai” , garlands used as offerings. Some will be offered to images of Buddha inside temples or on the shrines of private homes. Others will find their way to ancestor spirit shrines, spirit trees, or one of the countless dedications to Hindu gods like Brahma and Indra.

From the nearby pier, we take the public ferryand cross the mighty Chaopraya River to Bangkok’s best-known landmark, the enchanting Wat Arun(Temple of Dawn).