Ruby Roams

Against my better judgment I went to see Siam Niramit, a musical and visual extravaganza on the art and cultural heritage of Thailand. It came highly recommended and it did live up to my reluctant expectations. Seating about 2000 it featured over 100 performers, 500 gorgeous costumes, two elephants and 7 goats 😄. The special effects and technology had me mesmerized from beginning to end. It told the history of the ancient kingdom of Lanna in the north, the integration of Chinese and other cultures into Thailand’s fabric as traders came over the south sea, the magnificence of the old capital of Ayudhya, and finished with captivating segments on heaven, hell and the festivals of Thailand.

I also loved visiting the Jim Thompson house and museum. Jim Thompson, an American fell in love with Thailand during a stint in the army and he devoted himself to reviving the Thai silk cottage industry. He also combined six 200 year old Thai teak homes into a traditional open air residence and on a spring day deemed auspicious by astrologers moved in 1959. The poor man did not enjoy its antique grandeur for long as he disappeared on a trip to the central highlands of Malaysia. Though they never found him it’s safe to presume he is not alive as he would be 108.
The silk is gorgeous and certainly of a different texture and feel than the countless scarves and sarongs sold in the local markets.

We took the mandatory canal trip off the Chao Phraya River but extremely high waters off the gulf of Thailand made it impossible to navigate the 200+ smaller canals that give Bangkok its moniker Venice of the east.

And of course the culinary delights continued with authentic Thai food though the latest feast at Apinara left the tastebuds scorched and on fire!

I have to comment on the total devotion to the Royal family and its King and Queen. King Bhumibol and Queen Sikrit are worshipped with such an intensity I am totally blown away. I had known about it from news reports but seeing it is a totally different experience. The King has reigned for 67 years since ascending the throne at 19 and is so beloved that every street and thoroughfare is plastered with huge portraits and photographs. However, he is ill and there is near paranoia about his fate. Our cultural show started with the 1000+ crowd standing for the Royal anthem which played against a backdrop of his life and service to his people. The adulation was palpable and sprang from the screen.

We leave early for Malaysia tomorrow and I leave this post with a better depiction of the emerald Buddha. His appearance changes three times a year when the royal family rotate his pure gold robes to mark the passage of the previous season and herald in the new one.

Adios till next time!!

It’s always been a source of amazement that in his Indian homeland Buddha never inspired the fervor and had the impact in matters affecting state and religion that he did and continues to do in south east Asia. He achieved enlightenment almost two and a half thousand years and is worshipped and loved ubiquitously in such a large part of the world.

That devotion was in compelling evidence as we walked in the hot sun of a late morning Bangkok around the Grand palace complex. It is a sparkling vision of gold, emerald, sapphire and ruby tiles, Chinese porcelain towers and gold leaf and ebony mosaics.!Fierce demons guard the entrances and the temple of the emerald Buddha strikes you stationary as he gazes benevolently from his high perch in his golden robes. The figure is carved from a single block of green jade and was discovered in 1434 in northern Thailand. Unfortunately no pictures are allowed so here is a grainy one from the brochure.

The Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 and it consists of the royal residence, throne, coronation and funerary halls and sprawls over a vast area. There are upper and lower terraces, the history of the Ramayana the Hindu sacred epic detailed in over 170 plus mosaics.

The layout of he Grand Palace below provides perspective of its size in the heart of this big traffic clogged city. A past haven for the royal family though they don’t really live here anymore.

I hope I do justice to the complex and its stunning array of colors with the following pictures.

The Reclining Buddha or Wat Pho is very impressive. It is representative of Buddha at the moment he achieved enlightenment and is very serene though the hordes of people trying to get their photo with the statue (mea culpa 😉) did ruin a little bit of the ambience.

Back to commercialism, the Floating and Train markets had their own charms. The floating market is a series of canals that one traverses as one shops, eats and watch silent monks provide benediction and collect alms.

And I end with the Train Market. What an amazing experience. The train market is conducted on the train tracks and 6 times a day in a well coordinated move between the market and railway authorities the tracks are cleared 5 minutes before the train arrives and resumes as soon as the train passes through. All it takes is a hoot of the whistle to signal the incoming train!

Normal market on train tracks.

Train approaching.

Train departing and resumption of market.

Bangkok certainly provided its fill of diverse sights and splendor. A unique city indeed.

Adios till next time!!!