What's Wat?

When you visit Bangkok you will see wats all over the place.  Now a good question to ask is "what is a wat?" 

The beautiful (and famous) Wat Arun Ratcha Wararam.

Like so many structures that I have visited on my journey around the world, a wat is a special religious building.  Wats are Buddhist temples and they are very important in Thai culture.  Not only do Buddhists come and worship in wats, but these temples are used as schools, monasteries and even as community centers.  On special days you can see entire communities gathered in the garden of the temple sharing a meal together.

Doors and windows decorated with gold at Wat Chana Songkram.

Just take a look at a map of Bangkok and you will see wats scattered all over the city.  There is Wat Noi Nang Hong, Wat Mongkrut Krasat Thiyaram and Wat Sam Praya just to name three...but there are over 50 wats that you can visit while you are in Bangkok. 

Can you think of some of the other religious buildings that I have visited already on my journey?  How are they different and the same from the wats in Bangkok?

Offerings of flowers, incense and food are made to Buddha in temples across Bangkok.