(7) WAT ARUN (TEMPLE OF THE DOWN)

Perjalanan tour di sungai berakhir di Wat Arun, candi terbesar dan tertinggi kebanggaan rakyat Thailand. Beda banget sama candi-candi Budhha di Indonesia, Wat Arun ini berbentuk bangunan tinggi menjulang sekitar kurang lebih 70 meter tanpa ada ruangan. Di sekelilingnya dihiasi oleh potongan porselen warna-warni berbentuk bunga.

The river cruise ended at Wat Arun, the biggest and highest temple in Thailand. Thailand people are very proud of with the temple. The temple architecture is different compare with Indonesian temple. Wat arun build soared 70 meters without any rooms. All around the wall decorated by coloring flowers from porceilin.

Begitu turun dari boat, sebelum masuk areal candi, ada tempat penyewaan pakaian adat Thailand. Gue langsung exciting banget untuk nyoba pakaian tradisional itu dan berphoto ria di depan candi diikutin ama temen-temen satu group … he he he he …. Adduhh topi-nya beraaaattt banget di kepala.

There is a rental traditional shirt of Thailand before entrance gate of the Temple. I was exciting to wear the traditional shirt and take a picture. The other group members are following me … he he he he … Wow …the hat so heavy! :-)

Sementara gue exciting untuk naik ke atas candi yang tangganya curam minta ampun, yang laen lebih tertarik masuk pasar di sebelah candi buat shopping. Sedangkan David lebih seneng nunggu di bawah di tempat teduh. Gue jadi inget omongan Irene temen gue, dia bilang waktu jadi TL ke Wat Arun, baru aja guide-nya mau ngejelasin sejarah candi, orang-orang udah pada kabur ke pasar untuk shopping … he he he he … ternyata kejadian juga ama gue. He he he he …. Lagian menurut Awee orang Indonesia memang terkenal banget demen shopping :-)
Meanwhile I am exciting to climb up the steep stair temple, the others more interesting to go to the market beside of the temple for shopping. Then David more like take shelter under shaded place to wait. I remember what my friend Irene told to me. She was a Tour Leader in her group tour to Bangkok. While the guide explaint the history of the temple, no body stayed to listen. They went to shopping to the market … he he he he ….It’s happen also to me. …he he he he he …. Regarding Awee information, Indonesian people are very love to shopping.

Waktu naik tangga candi tadi emang cuma berasa ngos-ngosan, apalagi karena udara panasnya minta ampun. Tapi pada saat mau turun, gila … !!! ternyata tangganya bener-bener curam, sampai-sampai gue bolak-balik ngatur posisi mau turun menghadap ke depan atau ke belakang tangga. Pantesan aja banyak yang cuma berdiri di depan tangga karena pada pobhia ketakutan mau turun. Malah gue sempat liat anak remaja cewek yang turunnya sampai digendong karena ketakutan dan hidungnya keluar darah karena pusing dengan ketinggian. Tadinya kupikir tuh anak jatuh makanya hidungnya berdarah … ternyata dia mimisan.
I never think that went down from the top of temple more difficult than climb up. Wow crazy! …. The stairs are very steep. I tried to find comfortable position to walk down. That why many people only stand up in front of the stair due to phobia with high and feel scary to go down. I saw a man hang his doughter to go down. Her nose blooding and she was very scary. I though before her nose blooding because of she falled down …. But it’s because of her phobia.

Pemandangan di atas candi …. Ffuuuiiihh keren banget! Kita bisa liat sungai Chao Phraya membelah kota Bangkok, bangunan-bangunan grand palace yang megah, duuuhhh …. pokoknya rugi deh kalo sampai Wat Arun tapi nggak naik ke atas candi.

The view from the top of the temple …. Wow! So cool! We can see the Chao Phraya River devided Bangkok, glorious the Grand Palace building, ….aahhh your tired to climb the temple will be paid with the nice view from the top.

Sesampai gue di bawah, ternyata pada belum selesai belanja. Gila…!!! Apa aja yah yang dibeli?. Karena gue curious apa sih yang dibeli mereka sampai lama sekali, so akhirnya gue ajak David masuk pasar. Ternyata yang dijual barang-barang souvenir. Menurut Awee barang-barang yang dijual di pasar Wat Arun ini paling murah dibandingkan tempat-tempat yang lain karena mereka berasal dari sekitar kuil ini dan mereka mengambil keuntungan nggak terlalu besar untuk keperluan disumbangkan juga ke Wat Arun. Seperti tshirt yang ada tulisan Thailand dan bergambar gajah bisa dapat 10 pieces untuk Bath 1000. Maka itu semua orang ngeborong souvenir untuk oleh-oleh disitu. Gue senyum geli aja sih ngeliatin semua pada kalap belanja, yah mungkin style gue udah terpengaruh ama turis-turis bule di Bali atau paket-paket tour yang dikemas oleh company gue. “Always put shopping schedule on the last day otherwise you will lose your holiday”.

They are not finish yet when I arrived down from temple. Crazy! … What shooping they are? Due to curious why they take so long for shopping and what are they buying, so I ask David to go inside the market. Apperently the market is selling souvenir. Regarding Awee, the market here sell goods more cheapest than other places due to they are not taking big profit and the profit only for temple donation. Like a Thailand t-shirt with elephant picture can get 10 pieces for Bath 1,000. That’s why everybody became crazy to shop everything in there. I just smile watching their shopping activities. Yeaehh … may be my style influented already by foreigner tourist in Bali and tour package by my company. “Always put shopping schedule on the last day otherwise you will lose your holiday”.