Day 38 of my no-fly trip from Italy to Papua New Guinea: I only have a few hours to spend in Bangkok before my train to the far south of Thailand departs at 3 p.m. In this precious time visit Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. It is every bit as impressive as the Royal Palace and Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. I must say that I am torn between the magnificence of the place (the stupas are covered with countless pieces of uniquely crafted ceramics) and the awareness of the immense economic and political concentration of power that the construction of this temple must have meant. From time to time, I simply try to let myself be carried away by the beauty of the colours and the philosophical meaning of approaching the central stupa... I also try not to think that Bangkok is at the top of the list of capitals at risk of being submerged by sea water within this century. All cities at the confluence of large rivers share this common fate, and the excessive use of aquifers by the expanding population contributes to this bleak future. The colours of the Chao Phraya River blend beautifully with the soft tones of the temple, but it won't be long before these same waters could bring this temple to ruin, unless we stop our mad rush towards fossil fuels, deforestation, and cementification.

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