20231106 AAAA Trip - Laem Chabang and Bangkok, Thailand - stunning port views

2023 Alaska, Asia, Australia, Arabian Peninsula Trip 
Day 51/105 - Laem Chabang, Thailand - a day in Bangkok

Just kidding - this is Eidfjord, Norway

This is the port in Laem Chabang, Thailand.

It is yet another industrial port and once again, we are two hours away from the main place to go, Bangkok.

Our tour today was a bus ride into Bangkok with several stops.  The ride to Bangkok from Laem Chabang takes about 1:45 to 2 hours, depending on traffic.  There isn’t a lot to see along the way.  This area is decidedly more modern than either Cambodia or Vietnam with larger and more modern buildings.

Our tour included several drive-by viewings and a couple of photo stops before our lunch stop.  After lunch, we visited the Marble Temple, a major Buddhist temple in Bangkok.  Our final stop was at a gem manufacturer.  We returned to the ship after that.

While we were gone, it was an interesting day for the Viking Orion.  We are headed to Australia and the ship continues to New Zealand.  Both countries have strong biosafety regulations and ships that have been in certain geographies cannot enter without getting their hull cleaned.  That happened today.  After the morning excursions departed, the ship moved offshore and divers started cleaning the hull.  That will continue in two days, completing the cleaning.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha

We could only view this from a distance.

Royal Pavilion Mahajetsadabadin

Lunch

We enjoyed a nice buffet lunch at a local hotel.

Marble Temple

There were multiple Buddhas throughout the area, each symbolizing different aspects of Buddhism.

The attitude of spreading naga

The attitude of enlightenment

The attitude of dispelling temptations

The attitude of walk back and forth

The attitude of arch frame

The attitude of meditation

Gem Factory

We stopped at a gem factory that specializes in local sapphires and rubies. The sales folks were so overbearing that we walked out.

Sights while driving

We saw a lot while driving.  Shops, skyline, pictures of the ruling family, flowers, Chinatown, overloaded trucks - everything.

Asian openbill stork

When we got back to Laem Chabang, Orion had docked again and we could board. The Viking crew was out and music was blasting and we were welcomed back with dancing, clapping, and lots of smiling faces.

Tomorrow is disembarkation/embarkation day marking the end of the Hong Kong to Bangkok segment and the beginning of the Bangkok to Bali segment.  Tomorrow night, we'll see lots of new faces.

Tomorrow, we'll leave the ship at noon for a private tour of an ethical elephant sanctuary.  We're looking forward to it and hope to have some terrific photos to post tomorrow.