Chao Praya (River of Kings):

Bet you didn't know that the Thai flag is red, white and blue.


My return trip from Ayutthaya Province was via a boat on the Chao Praya River, the main artery and lifeline of Thailand that runs north and south and meanders through Bangkok itself. This river was how folks got around in the old days--and it remains a chief form of transportation, allowing one to avoid the vastly over-crowded streets of the city that is home to 12 million people.

Government buildings, wats, and mansions for the mega-rich line its banks--standing shoulder to shoulder with shacks built on stilts to accommodate the rise and fall of the river waters. I ate lunch aboard the boat in the company of a woman from France and a young couple from Malaysia. It took us a couple of hours to make our way downstream from Ayutthaya. The photos are a smattering of what I was able to capture from the moving deck of the boat.







Don't ask me why this was leaning over so far.



Boat interior.









The Royal Barges currently in use are stored here. Somewhere in Bangkok is an entire museum where barges from the past are kept.



The spires of the Grand Palace gleam in the background as we pass the heart of Bangkok.



This distinctive spire belongs to Wat Arun, a Bangkok landmark

This little tugboat was puling three huge barges chained together.



We docked soon after this shot was taken.