Like many other kingdoms I’ve been to, the Kings are virtually everywhere—on the money notes in your wallet, on the postcards in souvenir shops, and on every streets and buildings. The same goes for Bangkok, only that I feel the influence of the Thai King is more invasive then anyone else.
Might be because of the Asian value, the King is larger than everything. (well, except for the Buddha in Thailand). The Royal Thai buildings are just grand. This even applies to those in other places of the world, like Thai embassies, Thai Air representatives…you always see golden pillars, palace-like buildings, dignified and overwhelming. Here in Bangkok, you see more.
Sometimes, I feel it’s hard to distinguish a Royal building from a Buddhist one. To me, they have similar style, equally nice and impressive. Like the famous Wat Phra Kaeo, where the Emerald Buddha is consecrated, is together with the Grand Palace. Sadly the experience was not that sacred to me due to large groups of Chinese tourists hovering around. But that place is nevertheless breathtakingly grand.
I personally prefer the Dusit Park where the Vimanmek Mansion, Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall and many other royal buildings are located. This huge park, built after Rama V’s European tour, is a combination of Thai and European style, with soft music playing on the big grass plaza, little canal flowing through, and elegant European architectures. It feels great in here, relaxed and amused. I only planned about 3 hours here, since it’s admission is included in the Grand Palace ticket, I thought it was only some extra out of place sites. But I ended up spending the whole day wondering in this big park, subduing to the power of His Majesty.
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