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The
influence of the past
and the enduring threads
of the social fabric are
not limited to the static.
They continue to pervade
daily life. Files of saffron-robed
monks making their early
morning alms round, for
example, present an image
unaltered in essentials
by the passing of time.
Today’s backdrop of highrise
buildings serve only to
emphasize the exotic and
timeless scene, while
the city draws definition
from it.
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Indeed,
there is much to discover,
and in addition to the
city’s most famous monuments
there are numerous lesser
known sights of great
interest. The Chapel of
the Emerald Buddha, which
enshrines the national
palladium, rightly tops
the sightseeing list,
but Bangkok numbers more
than 400 temples, many
of which have their own
fascination.
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A similar
selection can be made
with museums. The National
Museum is excellent and
comprehensive, but as
impressive in their own
way are the Jim Thompson
House, Vimanmek Mansion
and Suan Pakkad Palace,
all of which house fine
art collections within
noteworthy settings.
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Not
least, cruising the Chao
Phraya river and the remaining
canals which once made
Bangkok the “Venice of
the East” offers a glimpse
of traditional riverine
lifestyles, affording
insights into the history
and character of this
wondrous city
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