Free tours are offered in the most popular languages, and we had a thirty-minute wait until ours was to start. As you make your way in, you will immediately see an altar with lots of incense burning and food offerings. There is a statue of a hermit behind which there is a golden throne with a spire in the shape of a crown. Inside the open-faced gallery is yet another ticket booth, and this is where you sign up for your free tour. As you wait, you will not be wanting of anything to do: both of us had a camera and wandered off in different directions.

I found some delightful potted lotus and water lilies and this is where I came nose to nose with some porcelain walls which are photographed here . You may wonder why, in the presence of such awe-inspiring monuments, I chose to photograph plants. Two excellent reasons: a) Chuck is a much better photographer than I am, and I fully trusted he would capture some of the essence of what was there, and b) I am a total maniac when it comes to flowers.

I did take a walk back to the rishi’s (forest-dwelling Brahmin hermit ascetic) area which is surrounded by the three buildings; these were built by the fourth King, Rama, as a dedication to the first three, along with events esoteric to their reigns. Many people were in this "corridor," either waiting for a tour to happen, or taking pictures of the Upper Terrace. I ventured back into one of the galleries, and later learned from our guide that the scenes which are painted on the walls are a depiction of the Ramakien, which is a tale of the triumph of good over evil. Since these were painted during the reign of the first King Rama, they’ve had to be restored several times. Nevertheless, they are incredibly beautiful, and give the spectator a sense of movement, as the then King wages wars against Thostsakan to rescue his wife, Sita (pronounced Shita).

The Chedi served as a shrine of sacred Buddha relics. It is not an original, as I had thought, but a copy of another stupa that can be found at Wat Phra Si Sanphet, in Thailand’s old capital of Ayutthaya. It was built on the order of King Rama IV in the mid 1800s and has a hollow interior where the relics are stored. When we were being briefed about it, there was a rope sealing-off access to the stairs. The Phra Si Rattana Chedi is said to contain a piece of the Buddha's breastbone.

Our guide informed us that the building originally had a glass exterior that the next king had completely covered with gold tiles imported from Italy. The Chedi is visible from several vantage points in Bangkok.

We then moved on to admire the sandstone replica of Angkor Wat that was apparently built here as a reminder that Cambodia was once part of Thai sovereignty. King Rama IV ordered it to be built as well.

The next thing to visit and learn about was the Mondop, which we were only allowed to see from the exterior (as with most of the buildings here). What is a mondop? In this assemblage of buildings, it is the Royal Library, where the sacred scriptures of Buddha are inscribed on palm leaves (Tripitaka) and stored in a cabinet adorned with mother of pearl.

We had great fun around the Royal Pantheon which houses statues of deceased kings of the Chakri Dynasty. Demons and monkeys seem to support the base of the stupa, making it a popular photograph point for most visitors, who like to be seen mimicking the poses of the demons. This structure is also known as the Prasart Phra Debidorn. Other mythological figures can be found nearby such as the kinari and kinara, the male and female counterparts of a half-human, half-bird creature; both are believed to be celestial beings that spread goodness in the world through music and are beloved symbols in both Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand.

We were left some free time to take photos of the Upper Terrace and dance with the demons.

I don't know how to write one journal on the Grand Palace. The enormity and majesty of the place defies all reason. So, I broke it up in sections of interest so as to avoid my own confusion. The places that I highlight may not necessarily be the most important, but from a personal standpoint, I found them outstanding either from an aesthetic or historical angle. The most celebrated and religiously meaningful of the structures was that which housed the Emerald Buddha , and the events which led to its final destination were fascinating. There are a couple of other segregated areas I’ll take you to, such as the Upper Terrace , the area immediately visible from the entrance to the Grand Palace, as well as the Chakri Maha Prasat Hall which is a magnificent example of a blend of western and eastern architectures.

Let’s take a walk over to the Wiharn Yod which is at ground level; it is important to note that the wiharn is the focal point of any temple complex, and is almost always larger than all the other structures which surround it. It is the repository of Buddhist learning, where one can find depictions of the Buddha’s life and teachings on the walls. Its primary function is to enshrine Buddhist images. As such, the Wiharn must be splendidly decorated so as to emphasize its importance in the complex.

This particular Wiharn was covered in porcelain tiles which were made into flowers from Chinese dishes--these were broken during transport. It’s most appreciated with photos (next to being there, of course) and I have tried to to convey the beauty of the dishes by selecting the best four out of quite a collection. The work is infinitely intricate, and great care must have been taken to cover every part with porcelain.

Typical of such a building is its roof and eaves which remind me of majestic birds in flight. The roof is multi-tiered with projecting eaves to facilitate drainage; the tiles on the roof are perfectly aligned and glint in the sunshine. Unlike other Wiharns in Thailand, this building does not hold any convocations or ceremonies. On either side of the steps leading to the structure stand a pair of birds with garuda heads; the garuda is a mythical bird which appears mostly in Hindu and Tibetan texts, but has religious implications in Buddhism. It is also the symbol of Indonesia’s international airline.

The Grand Palace is the home of the Emerald Buddha. It was very beautiful. The ornate detailing of the buildings was unbelievable, and the grounds were very clean despite the thousands of tourists crowding into them.

Lesson learned . . . Make sure you wear comfortable and CONSERVATIVE clothing. Shoes that cover your entire foot and are easy to slip on and off are a MUST. Bring bottled water and LOTS of film.

Rarely have I encountered a visual extravaganza as nearly-overwhelming as the inside courtyards of Bangkok’s Grand Palace.

Spires and icons of pure gold ... carved jade and marble ... a succession of temples and chapels each more opulent than the one before ... a grinning man/monkey icon guarding a door that only the faithful can enter. You need photographs --- not words --- to adequately describe this place,

The Grand Palace is more a center for Buddhist contemplation and worship than it is a Royal residence. Visitors can retain their shoes in the courtyards, but must remove them before entering many of the chapels. There are other protocols to observe. Though most Buddhists I’ve encountered don’t mind being photographed while at worship, it helps if non-Buddhists maintain an attitude of respect for their surroundings.

On my 1993 visit, I was met at the gate by a 30-something Thai man who spoke good English and insisted that I would need a guide for my tour. He’d be pleased to do that.

"I am a Thai kick-boxer," he added helpfully.

Though there’s a nominal admission fee, I doubt that the rules really required me to hire a guide. However, his honorarium was reasonable and he did, in my opinion, add considerable value to my experience. And, he made sure my shoes would be there when I returned.

Though the Grand Palace is walled, it has many open-air courtyards that provide a photographer’s paradise in mid-day sunlight. With a convenient water-taxi pier on the river, and being fairly easy to reach from upscale shopping and hotels, it’s a spectacle every visitor should budget at least an hour or two for.