Category Archives: Temples

Wat Traimit (Bangkok, Thailand)

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The next day, we were scheduled for our half day city tour. After breakfast at the hotel, we were picked up by our Thai lady guide at the hotel lobby and we boarded our tourist van at the driveway.  Our first stop, at the end of Chinatown’s Yaowarat Rd. (near Hualampong Railway Station), past the Odeon Circle (dominated by the huge, symbolic Chinese gate), is the relatively plain looking Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha. This was the second such visit for me and Grace and a first for Jandy and Cheska.

Chinatown Gate

After paying the 40 baht admission fee for the4 of us, we climbed a flight of steps to get to the third level of its impressive chapel which was just opened last year (February 14, 2010). Here, perched high atop a 4-storey, marble-clad ziggurat and in the mara conquering attitude, is the 5.5-ton, 10-ft. (15.75 ft. from the base to the top of the crown) high  Golden Buddha, the largest, solid gold (about 83%) Buddha image in the world.

Wat Traimit

On the second level of the chapel is a museum on the history of the Golden Buddha and the method of casting golden Buddha statues. The first level houses the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Center which preserves the history of the Chinese immigrants in Bangkok and Thailand.

The Chapel Housing the Golden Buddha

The Golden Buddha, an excellent example of the gracious Sukhothai style, has an unusual and colorful history.  It was cast sometime in the 13th century and was, at some point,  covered in plaster lacquer and stucco to hide the valuable icon from the besieging Burmese. Apparently everyone forgot about what was hidden beneath. A member of King Rama III’s court had the statue moved to Bangkok and installed inWat Phraya Krai along Charoen Krung Rd., Yannawa district near the Taksin Bridge and where the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is today. That temple fell into disuse, was completely abandoned around 1931 and demolished in 1957.

Golden Buddha

In 1955, when the image was being hoisted by a crane to its present location at into its new home at Wat Traimit, the cable broke, dropping the statue into the mud and chipping off some of the plaster, thus revealing the gold underneath. Bits of the plaster as well as the old pulley and rope used to hoist the Buddha are on display in the interpretive center below the chapel.

Wat Traimit: Traimit Rd., Samphanthawong District, Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand.  Tel : 0 2225 9775. Open daily, 9 AM-5 PM.

How to Get There: Take the Metro to Hua Lamphong MRT Station.  From there, the temple is just 300 m. away. You can also take Bus No. 4, 7, 21, 25 and 501.

Bukit China (Melaka, Malaysia)

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From St. Peter’s Church, our tourist bus proceeded next to Bukit China (“Chinese Hill”). Bukit China is believed to be the largest Chinese cemetery outside China, filled with 5,000 to 12,000 small and big graves with many tombs dating back to the Ming Dynasty.

Chinese Cemetery at Bukit China

During the peak of the Malacca Sultanate, the Chinese Emperor gifted Sultan Mansur Shah with a princess named Hang Li Poh, the great granddaughter of the Yongle Emperor, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Her vast entourage of 500 sons of ministers and a few hundred handmaidens settled here.

Poh San Teng Temple

At the southwestern foot of Bukit China is beautiful Poh San Teng Temple (translated as “Precious Hill”), built in 1795 by her ancestor Chua Su Cheong. The temple is dedicated to Tua Pek Kong (also called Fu De Zheng Shen), the guardian deity of the land and of the 12,500 graves on the nearby Bukit China. Because of its other name San Poh Kong Temple, it is often incorrectly assumed that the temple is associated with Admiral Cheng Ho (Zheng He), a Ming-dynasty navigator. In fact, there is no evidence of Cheng Ho’s involvement in the history of the temple.

Founding Stelae

An inscription on a stela commemorating the founding of the temple reads: “Bukit China is the place where early traders from China were buried. Many Chinese traders came to this country with high expectations of success. Sadly, some died before fulfilling their dreams. Without a family with them, there was no one to pray for their souls. As such, the Chinese Kapitans initiated prayers on their behalf. However, these were always hampered by strong winds and heavy rainfalls because there was no proper shelter. So in 1795, after Chua Su Cheong had been appointed the Chinese Kapitan, he looked into this problem faced by the community and initiated the building of a temple at the foot of Bukit China, to ensure that the prayers for those buried in Bukit China would not be interrupted.”

Perigi Rajah (King’s Well)

Hang Li Poh’s followers also built, adjacent to the temple’s entrance, a well in 1459 that is said to have never dried up, even during droughts. Called Perigi Rajah (“King’s Well”) or Hang Li Poh’s Well, it is believed to be the oldest existing well in Malaysia and was the main source of fresh water for the city from the 15th century onward. The well was later poisoned by the Sultan of Malacca causing the death of 200 Portuguese soldiers. This was repeated in 1606 by the Dutch and in 1628 by the Acheenese.  Today, the well was turned into a wishing well and many believe those who toss coins into the well will return again to Melaka.

Chin Swee Caves Temple (Genting Highlands, Malaysia)

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After our long stopover at Batu Caves, we returned to our van and continue along the ascending road up to Genting Highlands. Along the way, we made a toilet stopover at the mist-shrouded Chin Swee Caves Temple. Cheska and I decided to make a short 15-min. tour of the temple, wrapping ourselves in our jackets as it was very cold outside.

Chin Swee Caves Temple

This 28-acre Taoist temple was built from 1976 to 1994 (at a cost of RM12 million) by the late Genting Berhad founder and gambling magnate Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lim Goh Tong.  He discovered this serene site (similar to the Chin Swee Crag back in Penglai Village, where Tan Sri Lim was born in Fujian, China) when he started building the first hotel in Genting Highlands.  Taking 18 years to complete, it was officially opened on March 29, 1994.

Nine-Color Dragon Wall of Luck

Just after the entrance gate is the Nine-Color Dragon Wall of Luck.  It has 9 dragons, in different dispositions and shades of colors, painted on the wall.  In Feng Shui, 9 dragons represent longevity. Each dragon, representing different kinds of luck, can bestow blessings on people and symbolized good fortune, vitality and strength.

Statue of Kuan Yin

The sprawling temple complex, surrounded by lush emerald green jungle, has huge statues of a serenely sitting Buddha and a standing Kuan Yin and a smaller statue of the standing Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong.

The 9-Storey Pagoda

The 9-storey pagoda, overlooks the 5-storey, ornately decorated Buddhist Temple, is decorated with thousands of Buddhas covering the entire inner wall, from the ground floor to the top. There are thousands of “blessing lamps” for temple devotees to dedicate to those they want blessed by the Buddha.

The 5-Storey Buddha Temple

The aptly named Sky Terrace (Place for Heavenly Offering), a large, 35,000 sq. ft. square at the base of the statue of Kuan Yin, has an excellent panoramic view of the cloud-sheathed valley below and the layers of hills beyond from its observation deck.

View of the Cloud-Sheathed Valley Below

How to Get There: The temple is accessible by shuttle buses from Genting Highlands Resort or by taking the Awana Skyway cable car to the Temple Station at the bottom of the hill.

Batu Caves (Selangor, Malaysia)

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From the Royal Selangor Pewter Factory, we returned to our van and moved on to nearby Batu Caves, a series of caves and cave temples within a limestone hill. One of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, the caves, discovered in 1892, are located 13 kms. (7 miles) from Kuala Lumpur.

Lord Murugan Statue

Outside the main cave is the world’s tallest statue of Lord Murugan (a Hindu deity for whom the temple is dedicated), standing at 42.7 m. (140.09 ft.) high. Costing nearly 24 million rupees, it is made of 1,550 cu. m. of concrete, 250 tons of steel bars and 300 liters (800 gallons) of gold paint brought in from neighboring Thailand.

The Magnificent but Quite Steep, 272-step Stairway

Me, Grace and my kids Jandy and Cheska all gamely climbed the magnificent but quite steep 272 steps (luckily there were landings along the way where we can catch our breath and admire the view at the same time) leading up to the 100 m. high and 400 m. long Cathedral Cave (or Temple Cave), the main cave (there are 2 others) where the Murugan Temple is located.  The huge chamber is lighted by daylight from several holes in the ceiling.

Cathedral Cave (or Temple Cave)

Along the steps and within the cave are numerous, naughty, playful and sometimes aggressive long-tailed macaque monkeys. The temple is the focal point of the colorful Thaipusam (on a full moon day between January 15 and February 14), the annual Hindu festival of repentance.

Lord Murugan Temple

Batu Caves: Gombak District, Selangor, Malaysia.  Tel:  +60 3 2287 9422.

How to Get There: The easiest way to get to Batu Caves is by Komuter train (RM2.00, one way) from KL Sentral station. You can also take a taxi (RM20.00-25.00) from KL Sentral, the Bus 11/11d from Bangkok Bank Terminus (Near to Pudu Raya Terminus) or Bus U6 from Titiwangsa.

The Temple of Heaven (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After our buffet lunch at the Sunshine Café at He Ping Li Hotel, we all returned to our airconditioned coach and proceeded, to the Temple of Heaven (literally the Altar of Heaven).  This 273-hectare, magnificent, grand and colorful complex of sacrificial buildings (the largest in the world), a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1998), was built from 1406-1420 AD and is situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing.  During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the complex was visited by the emperor for annual ceremonies of prayer to the God of Heaven for good harvest.

The Temple of Heaven

Upon alighting our coach, we entered the complex via the South Gate then walked along the Long Corridor (Chang Lang).  Walking along this covered walkway, with its 72 bays, took us past the Sacred Kitchen, Butcher House (Zaisheng Ting) and the Sacred Warehouse (ShenKu), where sacrificial animals (slaughtered at least 200 steps away from the altar) were kept and prepared before the rituals.

The Long Corridor

The temple’s most recognizable building, at the north end, was the majestic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an impressive 38-m. high and 30-m. diameter wooden building that sits on a large, circular 3-tiered white marble plinth (called the Altar for Grain Prayers). Its cone-shaped, blue roof is crowned with a gilded knob.  The magnificently decorated hall itself was built without using a single nail, truly a feat that required a high level of craftsmanship.

The Magnificent Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Inside the hall, with its large south facing ceremonial throne, are 28 tall pillars, each made from a single tree trunk.  The 4 pillars along the inner circle represent the 4 seasons, the 12 pillars along the middle circle the 12 months, and the other 12 pillars along the outer circle represent the 12 shichen, the ancient Chinese counting standard (1 shichen equals 2 hours, 1 day being divided into 12 shichen). The black, yellow and green colors of the inner roof represent, like everything in the altar, the Earth and the Heaven.

Interior of Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

We exited the park via the East Gate.

A-Ma Temple (Macau)

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A-Ma Temple, situated on the southwest tip of the Macau Peninsula, halfway up the western slope of Barra Hill, is one of the oldest and most famous Taoist temples in Macau. Also known as Barra Temple, Tianhou Temple, Juehai Temple, and Zhongjue Buddhist Temple, it is dedicated to A-Ma (meaning “Honored Mother”). Also called Mazu or Tin Hau, she is a much-revered Taoist goddess who is also the patron of seafarers and fishermen and the Queen of Heaven. In fact, the name Macau is thought to have been derived from A-Ma-Gau (meaning “Bay of A-Ma”).

A-Ma Temple

The temple was originally built in 1488 during the Ming Dynasty but the oldest surviving structures date to 1573. The temple was damaged by fire in 1974 and restored in 1975. It was once again restored in 1987, 1996 and 1997 by the Cultural Institute.  In 2005, the temple became one of the designated sites of the Historic Center of Macau enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The temple consists of a prayer hall, 4 pavilions (Hongren Hall, Zhansuo Hall, Zhengjue Hall and Kun Iam Hall) and courtyards built into the boulder-strewn hill and connected by winding paths through traditional moon gates and miniature  gardens. It is believed that the Hongren Hall has the longest history in the complex.  Across the temple is the Maritime Museum.

Three of the temple’s 4 pavilions are dedicated to A-Ma and contain some fine statues of the goddess together with a model of a junk with cannons, brass vessels and chapels to Buddhist and Taoist gods. On boulders are carved red characters invoking the gods or repeating a prayer.

Couplets Engraved in Stone

The temple’s main prayer hall, at the roadside, is also called First Palace of the Holy Mountain.  First built in 1605 and rebuilt in 1629,  this granite structure has lattice windows and up-pointing roof ridges. and there are other pavilions and altars ranging up the hillside and connected by a flight of steps.

Aside from us tourists, there were also a lot of devotees thronging to this temple, giving thanks to A-Ma and praying for good fortune by making offerings and burning lots of incense. We all entered the temple through the Memorial Arch.  At the entrance is a large boulder with a colored relief of a lorcha (a traditional sailing junk of the South China Sea).

Carved Red Characters

Winding paths connect the different shrines of the complex.  We first reached the Hongren Hall (the Great Mercy Hall or Hall of Benevolence), dedicated to A-Ma.  At its gate are couplets engraved on stone.  Believed to have been constructed in 1488, its 4 walls are made of granite and brick and the altar is placed under a roof covered with green glazed roof tiles and ornamental roof ridges. Some relief engravings, such as water monsters and fairies, are found on the wall beside the altar.

Burning Incense

Further ahead is the Hall of Avalokitesvara (Goddess of Mercy), constructed in a simple style using mainly using bricks and stone.  The Zhengjiao Chanlin, a Buddhist hall, is tastefully designed, both in  size and architectural style. Within it is a shrine to A Ma and a resting area with yingshan roofing.  The Kun Iam Hall, a plain brick structure distinguished by beautiful flush gable tiled roofing called yingshan, has spectacular views from the upper gardens.

The festival of A-Ma takes place on the 23rd day of the 3rd moon (April or May). Firecrackers, to scare away evil spirits, are exploded in the entrance courtyard to greet tour groups and lions dances are performed here on weekends.

A-Ma Temple: Rua de São Tiago da Barra. Open Mondays to Fridays, 10 AM-4 PM, and Saturdays, 10 AM-1 PM.  Closed on Sundays. Admission is free.

Bell Church (La Trinidad, Benguet)

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From the strawberry farms, Bernard, Rodel, Jandy and I proceeded to the Bell Church.  Right before the Welcome Arch of La Trinidad, we espied, on a hillside, a cluster of ornate Chinese-style temples and pagodas.  On the right, we entered a large arch with 2 dragons facing each other, then traversed a narrow alley leading up to the temple.  Once inside, we parked the Revo at a spacious parking lot alongside a terraced wall filled with Chinese prints.

Bell Church
The terraced wall filled with Chinese prints

Built by the early Chinese settlers in Baguio and Benguet, this temple is run by the Bell Church Inc. that believes in a amalgam of Buddhist, Taoist, Confusian and Christian doctrines.  The church, guarded by fu dogs, has ornate gateways topped by ephemeral dragons, a towering pagoda with curliqued roofing, windows guarded by stone Buddhas and bells.

Rodel and Jandy posing beside a Chinese deity

Posing beside a fu dog

Bell Church: Km. 3, Brgy. Balili, La Trinidad, Benguet. Open 6 AM-5 PM.

How to Get There: Take a jeepney at the corner of Magsaysay Ave. and Bonifacio St. in Baguio City. 

Ma-cho Temple (City of San Fernando, La Union)

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Finally, at the northern edge of the city , I drove my Toyota Revo up a promontory overlooking San Fernando Bay, to the impressive Ma-Cho Temple, said to be the largest Taoist temple outside of China.  Meaning “Heavenly Mother,” this ornate temple is a mélange of both Taoist and Catholic symbolism and decor and has 5 gates.  It was constructed in honor of Ma-cho, a Chinese deity of the Sung Dynasty.  

Ma-cho was born in 960 AD at Meizhou village in the scenic island of Moichow in the province of Fukien in southeastern China.  According to legend, she did not cry during the first month of her infancy.  Thus, she was first named Mo meaning “keeping silent.” Intelligent, she became a monk at the age of 10 and was said to be gifted with healing powers and the ability to predict the weather and sea conditions, even days ahead.  During typhoons, she actively participated in rescue operations for fishermen.  Locals called her the “Dragon Girl,” “Goddess of the Sea” or “Queen of Heaven.”  She died young, at age 27, but even today, local sailors and fishermen believed that her spirit, dressed in red, continues to  watch over and protected them.

Here in the country, Ma-cho is known as the Virgin of Caysasay, patroness of the Filipino-Chinese faithful.  The temple houses a replica of the image, a parting gift of love given by Taiwanese fishermen in 1968.  The distinctive features of the temple were inspirations of Ma-cho through buyong sessions  held every other week.  Here, temple elders read or interpret Ma Cho’s message to the faithful.

Ma-Cho Temple

The temple, designed by Arch. Tomas Diokno, sits on a 9,000-sq. m. lot at an elevation of 70 ft..  Groundbreaking began on September 11, 1975 and actual construction began on December 2, 1976.  The Virgin’s image was enshrined on July 3, 1978 and the temple was finally inaugurated on December 6 that same year.  Devotees believe that Ma Cho and the Virgin of Caysasay are one and the same.  From September 21 to 26, devotees gather for the annual celebration of the image’s enshrinement.  From the Basilica of St. Martin of Tours in Taal, Batangas, the devotees, together with the image of Ma Cho, will travel back to San Fernando City.  Once in the city, it is borne in a procession around the city’s business district, accompanied by the traditional Dragon Dance.  It is then culminated by a cultural presentation.

The temple’s  meditation room

The temple’s entrance wall is adorned with beautifully-carved, imported stone statues of the “Chinese 18 Saints,” in different poses.  Its circular courtyard, made with brick, has a centrally-located pond with water lilies and goldfish.  Beside it is a small structure where one can burn offerings for the gods.  On the other side are statues of animals, believed by the Chinese to be good luck charms.  The temple’s towering arch has a panoramic view of the South China Sea.  The meditation room has a grand staircase and red kneelers.  Ma Cho’s 8″ high wooden image is adorned with a traditional Chinese headdress and richly-colored robe.  Her oriental eyes are closed while her hands are clasped together at her chest. Aside from incense, devotees also offer food and money at the shrine.  Also housed in the sacred temple is Tho Ti Kong (God on Earth) while in another garden stands the statue of Kuan Yi Ma (God of Mercy), another important Chinese deity.

Ma-Cho Temple: Ma-Cho Temple Driveway, Brgy. II, City of San Fernando, La Union.

Macau City Tour

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The next day, after breakfast at the hotel, Grace and I decided to go on a day tour of the nearby Portuguese enclave of Macau via fast ferry from Hong Kong.  This would our first visit to this city renowned for its gambling and annual Macau Grand Prix.

On December 20, 1999, the People’s Republic of China assumed formal sovereignty over Macau from Portugal and it is now one of its 2 Special Administrative Regions (SAR), the other being Hong Kong.

From the hotel, we proceeded to Jordan MRT Station and took the MRT to Sheung Wan Station.  From there, we walked to the HK-Macau Ferry Terminal. High-speed Jetfoils leave here every 30 mins. or so and the trip took an hour.

Macau

Upon arrival at the Macau-Hongkong Ferry Terminal, we proceeded to the terminal’s tourist information desk to inquire on how to tour the city.  We were surprised to find the desk being manned by a Filipino.  He suggested we hire a taxi to go around the city and soon a taxi driver appeared. We placed our trust in our kababayan as he dictated an itinerary to our designated “tour guide.”

Our leisurely taxi ride first took us past  Macau’s Casino on Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (the main street), to the Fortress of Our Lady of Guia, the highest point on Macau.  Here, we had a good view of the city, the outlying islands, the harbor and the Macau-Taipa Bridge.

Macau-Taipa Bridge

Guia Fortress was designed to defend the border with China but because of its position overlooking the entire city, its chief value has been as an observation post. Built from 1637 to 1638 by Captain of the Artillery, Antonio Ribeiro, Guia fort has 10-ft. high masonry walls, 2 brickwork turrets and occupies 8,600 sq. ft. in a rough pentagon as dictated by the rough terrain.  Its dominating feature is the 52.5-ft. high lighthouse, built in 1865 and the oldest on the China coast.  Its light could be seen for 20 miles in clear weather.

We also had a short walking tour at postcard-pretty Leal Senado Square with its European-inspired architecture of the Leal Senado, shops and pretty fountain.

Leal Senado Square

A substantial part our itinerary were churches and we visited a couple of them.  When Macau was established by the Portuguese, it was expected to be a bastion of Christianity as well as trading post, and they called it “City of the Name of God, Macau.”  Macau became an early center for Jesuit missionary activity.  In 1580, the Bishopric of Macau (which included the Indonesian island of Timor and the Christians of Malacca and Singapore) was created. The first settlers included priests and some of the first buildings were churches, initially constructed with wood and matting.  Later, they were made with taipa (rammed clay) and from the mid-17th century, of stone and plaster.  They were built by Jesuits and other monastic orders with funds provided by the city and the Portuguese crown.

Over the centuries fires and storms have devastated Macau’s churches, but almost all have been restored or rebuilt.  Macau’s multi-colored churches, all named after popular saints (St. Joseph, St. Augustine, St. Paul, St. James, St. Francis Xavier, etc.) as well as the Blessed Virgin (Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Guia, Our Lady of Carmel, etc.), has a predominantly European Baroque flavor with Oriental and tropical features incorporated.  These can be seen in roofs of Chinese tiles, panels of terra cotta and Eastern motifs carved on some facades.

Chapel of Our Lady of Penha

The Chapel of Our Lady of Penha, atop Penha Hill, was founded in 1622 by the crew and passengers which narrowly escaped capture by the Dutch.  The chapel served as a point of pilgrimage for sailors embarking on a hazardous journey.  It was completely rebuilt, along with the Bishop’s Palace, in 1837.

Chapel of Our Lady of Penha

St. Paul’s (Rua de Sao Paolo), the greatest of Macau’s churches and the major landmark of Macau, was built in 1602 and adjoins the Jesuit College of St.Paul’s.  After the expulsion of the Jesuits, the college was used as an army barracks and in 1835 a fire started in the kitchens and destroyed the college and the body of the church.  Now in ruins, all that remained was the magnificent carved stone façade (built from 1620 to 1627 by Japanese Christian exiles and local craftsmen under the direction of Italian Jesuit Father Carlo Spinola) and the grand staircase.

The façade rises in four collonaded tiers and is covered with the statues of the Virgin and saints and carvings of the Garden of Eden, the Crucifixion, the angel, the devil, a Chinese dragon, a Portuguese sailing ship, a Japanese chrysanthenum and pious warnings inscribed in Chinese.

We also visited the Temple of A-Ma.  As with many others in Macau, the temple combines both the Buddhist and Taoist beliefs.  A-Ma (meaning “Honored Mother”) is a much-revered Taoist goddess, the patron of seafarers and the Queen of Heaven.

The history of the goddess goes back to around 1044 AD when in Fukien province (about 350 miles north of Macau), a poor fisherman named Lin gave birth to a baby girl.  At the time of birth a red glow was seen over the house. She grew to be a most remarkable child, never crying, hardworking, obedient and devout.

One day, when the girl was sleeping, she dreamt that two junks carrying here father and brothers were caught in the storm.  In the dream, she stretch out her arms and clenched the masts of the vessels with her fists.  Her alarmed mother, fearing that her child was suffering a fit, shook her by her arm to wake her up, causing her to let go of one of the boats.  Later, when her brothers returned, they told the story of a vision of a beautiful girl that reached out to save them but was unable to hold unto the father’s boat and thus he perished.

Lin died tragically in her early 20’s but stories of miraculous rescues at sea, with the lovely woman calming the waves and bringing the sailors to safety.  Two centuries later, during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1643 AD), she was canonized as the First Lady Attendant in Heaven and Protector of Seafarers.  In the years that followed, she was elevated with more titles till finally, in 1683, she was promoted to Tien Hau (Queen of Heaven).

A-Ma has taken on the mantle of the protector of Macau as a whole and people from all walks of life pay homage to her.  Childless women believe that, in her capacity as Honored Mother, prayers to her will help them conceive the child that they long for.

A-Ma Temple was the last item in our itinerary and our guide brought us back to the ferry terminal where we took another high-speed ferry back to Hong Kong.

Grand Palace and Wat Phra (Bangkok, Thailand)

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We were now on my fourth and last day in Bangkok, with my whole morning free prior to my evening return to Manila, I decided to go at it alone, taking a tuktuk (the Thai equivalent of our tricycle) to get to the fabulous Grand Palace (Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) and its adjoining Wat Phra Kaew. I just brought along my camera and portable tripod. Incidentally, today was also the Songkran Festival, the Thai New Year.

Grand Palace Complex

This complex of buildings is just walking distance from the previously visited Wat Pho and sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. It being a holiday, many Thais were in the temple to pray and give food to monks.  Many were also cleansingBuddha images by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them (believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year).

Wat Phra Kaew

Despite being in one compound, the Golden Palace and Wat Phra Kaew have a distinct difference in architectural style, except for the traditional Thai roof.   Except for the Wat Phra Kaew (I had to remove my shoes before entering), the interiors of most of the buildings remain closed to the public.

Wat Phra Kaew - Porch

Wat Phra Kaew (Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha), Thailand’s most important temple, houses the small (45 cm. tall), beautiful, gold-clothed and greatly revered Emerald Buddha, carved from a block of green jade (instead of emerald) and said to have been created in India in 43 BC. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures inside.

The Galleries

The temple’s grounds are enclosed by galleries with beautiful, vivid and colorful murals which depict the story of the  Indian epic Ramayama (Ramakien in Thai) of the first reign version.  The European-inspired Grand Palace, the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century, is nowadays used only for occasional ceremonial purposes.

Chakri Maha Prasat Hall

It has 2 groups of residences: the Dusit Maha Prasat (built in a style influenced by the Italian Renaissance, it has a spacious, European-style reception room decorated with galleries of portraiture) and the Phra Maha Monthian (consists of the Amarin Winitchai Audience Hall and the Paisal Taksin Hall where coronations take place).

Amarin Winitchai Audience Hall

Construction of the palace complex began in 1782, during the reign of Rama I.  After the death of King Ananda Mahidolin the Baromphiman Palace, the much-revered King Bhumibol (Rama IX), the present king, moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace (closed to tourists).

Viseschaisri Gate

My Grand Palace tour should have included Vimanmek Mansion along Rajavithee Road, also a former royal residence.  The biggest wooden building made from golden teak in the world, it was built by King Chulalongkorn (of the “King and I” fame).  Regrettably, I had to forego this visit as it was time to go and pack for home.

Don Muang International Airport

I returned to the hotel, joined the others in checking out of the hotel and left, via coach, for Don Muang International Airport, arriving there by noon.  By 2:30 PM, we left Bangkok on a Thai Airways International flight (TG-624) back to Manila.

Golden Palace: Na Phra Lan Road, Bangkok, Thailand.