Category Archives: Architecture

Chao Phraya River Cruise (Thailand)

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After our Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit tour in Ayutthaya Historical Park, we all returned to our coach and were all brought to Potangtai Pier near Bangsai (the royal folk arts and handicrafts center) for the start of our 2.5 hr. Chao Phraya River cruise from Ayutthaya back to Bangkok on board the modern and luxurious cruiser Grand Pearl.  From Ayutthaya, we would be passing through Pathumthani and Nonthaburi provinces before arriving in Bangkok.

The Grand Pearl

On board, we were in for a late but delicious buffet lunch of mostly spicy Thai and international cuisine served within the luxurious confines of the cruise boat.  All 4 of us sat in a comfortable, u-shaped booth beside a large viewing window.

Dining, Buffet-Style, on Thai Cuisine

Throughout our lunch, we watched the scenery along the banks Chao Phraya River banks within the refreshing airconditioned cabin lounge.  By 3:30 PM, midway through our cruise,  a refreshing beverage of tea or coffee and cookies were also served to the guests.

The Airconditioned Cabin Lounge

After our filling lunch, some guests proceeded to lounge at the wooden sun deck  at the front of the cruiser while the majority, including us, opted to remain in airconditioned comfort at the cabin lounge.

The Sun Deck of the Grand Pearl

Sometimes, I would also go up the sun deck, amidst the fresh cool tropical air and warm, afternoon sun, to get an amazingly clearer view of the life of the inhabitants that dwell along the river and the unforgettable scenery of children as they greet the visitors going by.

Houses Mounted on Stilts

We would watch various kinds of river craft, from barges, smaller wooden pleasure cruise boats to traditional, long-tail boats, their engines invariably mounted on an inboard, turret-like pole which can rotate through 180 degrees, allowing steering by thrust vectoring.

Long-Tail Boats

The architectural scenery also varies; from simple houses on stilts to modern villas, to modern medium-rise (Mandarin Oriental Hotel) and high-rise (The Peninsula Bangkok) hotels, from traditional Thai temples (the graceful Wat Arun,  Wat Kanlayanamit, Wat Rakang Khosittaram, Wat Pathum Khongkha) to old Roman Catholic churches (Church of the Holy Cross) and from magnificent palaces (Grand Palace, Bang Khunprom Palace, etc.) to engineering marvels (King Rama VIII Bridge).

Royal Barge Museum

The Royal Barge Museum, on the banks of the Bangkok Noi Canal , is a huge boathouse that displays 8 finely-crafted Thai royal barges (including 4 for the king). The majestic Suphannahongsa (“golden swan,” the personal barge of the King, carved out of a single teak tree trunk, was completed in 1911.

King Rama VIII Bridge

The asymmetrical, cable-stayed, 2.45 km. long (including approach spans) Rama VII Bridge, opened on September 20, 2002, has a single, inverted Y-shaped tower, a sleek superstructure and gold-colored suspension cables arranged on single and double planes.

Bang Khun Phrom Palace (Bank of Thailand Museum)

The Baroque cum Art Nouveau Bang Khun Phrom Palace, the former residence (until 1932) of HRH Prince Paribatra Sukhumbhand, the 33rd son of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), now houses the Bank of Thailand (BOT) Museum. The museum has 14 rooms many of which display the history of Thai currency and the Bank of Thailand.

Wat Arun

Wat Arun, recognizable by its central, 66.8 m. high prang (Khmer-style tower) topped with a 7-pronged trident, was started in 1809.  It is called the “Temple of the Dawn” because the first light of morning reflects off the surface of the temple with a pearly iridescence.  By the side of the river are 6 Chinese-style pavilions made of green granite and containing landing bridges.

Wat Rakang Kosittaram

Wat Rakang Kosittaram (Temple of the Bells), built during the Ayutthaya period, was later reconstructed and upgraded as a Royal Temple by King Taksin. The main features of the temple is the bell tower whose bells gave the name temple the name “Rakang” (Thai for “bell”).

Wat Kalayanamit

The massive, mid-nineteenth century  Wat Kalayanamit is well known for its 15.45 m. high and 11.75 m. wide Phra Buddha Trai Rattana Nayok (Luang Po To), called Sum Po Hud Kong in Chinese, which is Bangkok’s biggest Buddha image.

Sunanthalai Building (Royal Seminary)

The elegant, century-old Neo-Classical Sunanthalai Building, within the compound of Rajini School (the first girl’s school operated by Thais, founded by Queen Saowapa), was built  by King Rama V in memory of Queen Sunantha Kumariratana who drowned in the Chao Phraya River  on May 31, 1880.  It was restored after a fire in 2005.

Church of the Holy Cross

Nestled among old houses on the river banks and newer buildings inland, recognizable by its reddish dome, is the Church of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz Church), one of Bangkok’s many old Catholic churches.  First built in wood in 1770 during the reign of King Taksin (1867–1782), it was rebuilt in 1835.  The present church, built in 1916, was designed by Italian architects Annibale Rigotti and Mario Tamagno.

River City Shopping Complex

Other sights along the river include  Thammasart University (Tha Prachan Center), Pom Pra Athit, and the Holy Rosary Church (the oldest Catholic Church in Thailand, also known as Wat Kalawar).  Our cruise ended when we docked at the River City Shopping Complex Pier, Si Phraya in Bangkok by 5 PM.  Altogether, it was a worthwhile experience.

Grand Pearl Cruises: 19/394 Chaovalitr Village, Rimklong Bangkor Rd., Chomthong, Bangkok, Thailand.  Tel: 084-1361199 and 081-9005429.

Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit (Ayutthaya, Thailand)

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From the ruins at the Ayutthaya Historical Park, we moved on to the Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit, southwest of Phra Si Sanphet and south of the Royal Palace ruins. As with any temple visit, we were required to remove our shoes.  What is remarkable here is the gigantic Phra Mongkhon Bophit (Buddha of the Holy and Supremely Auspicious Reverence), the Ayutthaya bronze Buddha installed in the viharn. It is similar to the Ayutthaya-style bronze Buddha in Wat  Phanan Choeng at the southeast corner of old Ayutthaya.

Phra Mongkhon Bophit Temple

The bronze Buddha, one of the largest in Thailand, was sculpted in 1538 during the reign of King Chairacha (r. 1534-1547) at Wat Chi Chiang Sai. It had previously been damaged by lightning and was restored in the Rama V period. The vihara building we see today was rebuilt during the rule of Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram in the early 20th century.”  Its Buddha was previously enshrine in a mandapa (square-roofed structure). However, during the reign of King Sua (r. 1703-1709), it was recorded that when lightning struck the spire of this building, the roof caved in and the bronze head broke off.

Phra Mongkhon Bophit

King Sua had the mandapa demolished and a new tall preaching hall built.  The vihara and the image were badly destroyed by fire during the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767. The roof of the vihara was damaged and the head and the right arm of the image were broken. In 1920, the broken head and right arm were repaired by Phraya Boran Rachathanin during the reign of King Rama VI. In 1931, another restoration took place with the financial support of Khunying Amares Sombat.  During restoration works on the statue in 1955, a quantity of Buddha images were found on the left shoulder of Phra Mongkhon Bophit. These images can now be seen at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.

The Prime Minister of Burma on official visit in Ayutthaya in 1956 gave a donation for the restoration of the vihara. The vihara was finalised in 1957, but not with the same beautiful craftsmanship of the former one.  The statue of Phra Mongkhon Bophit was covered with gold leaf in 1992 by the Mongkhon Bophit Foundation, in celebration of the 60th birthday of H.M. Queen Sirikit. The Phra Mongkhon Bophit, seated in the position of Subduing Mara, measures about 9.5 m. across the lap and a height of 12.5 m. (without the pedestal).

Wat Mahathat (Ayutthaya, Thailand)

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From Bang Pa-in Palace, our tourist bus next traveled, 10 kms., to the very heart of the city of Ayutthaya.  Here, we dropped off at Wat Mahathat (Temple of the Great Relics) in Ayutthaya World Heritage Historical Park, perhaps the most striking of all of the temples in the city. Wat Mahathat was said to have been built in 1384 by King Rachatirat as a symbolic center  to enshrine a relic of the Buddha although others say it was more likely built during the reign of King Boromaraja I (1370-88). The temple was also the residence of the Sangaraja, the Supreme Patriarch or leader of the Kamavasi (City Dwelling) sect of Thai Buddhist monks.

Wat Mahathat

During the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Wat Mahathat was set on fire by Burmese invaders. The monastery was restored and remodeled many times in the later Ayutthaya period, until it finally collapsed on May 25, 1904. Only the symmetrical laterite base of the main prang (Khmer-style tower), with staircases on the 4 sides, and some of its upper structure remains. There are rows of headless Buddhas and traces of rows of columns that once supported the roof structure of the verandah that enclosed the chedi.

The Much-Photographed Buddha in a Tree

Scattered around the temple are some important remains of variously-shaped prangs and chedis, in particular an octagonal chedi with a truncated spire in the Ceylonese style. Nearby, the head of a still much-revered statue of the Buddha lies on the ground. The much photographed stone head of one Buddha is entwined in the roots of a Banyan tree.  Although only partially restored, the existing ruins are still vast and imposing, giving us an insight into what was once a most important religious center.

Octagonal Chedi

As in most architecture of the early period of Ayutthaya, Wat Maha That consisted basically of a large, 46 m. (150 ft. ) high central prang surrounded by 4 subsidiary prangs at the 4 inter-cardinal points, standing on a raised square platform. Around 1625, the top portion of the main central prang collapsed, but was restored and heightened by some 4 m. (13 ft.) in 1633. In 1911, the main prang collapsed again and only the foundation of the main prang remains at present.

Base of Central Prang

East of the main prang is the rectangular, 40 m. by 20 m. Wihan Luang (Royal Assembly Hall), orientated towards Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak. The vihara had a front porch (east) which could be reached by 3 staircases. There was also an entry into the hall from both sides. Behind the main pedestal were two exits leading down to the gallery. The multi-tiered roof of the viharn was supported by 2 rows of columns. The hall contained mural paintings of the Vessantara Jataka. Wihan Luang has undergone several restorations in the past as well as in recent times.

Wihan Luang (Royal Assembly Hall)

West of the main prang is the rectangular Phra Ubosot (Ordination Hall).  The hall had a double entry to the west and two exits on the sides, near the main pedestal which contained the presiding Buddha image. The hall was surrounded by an inner wall called kamphaeng kaew (literally “crystal wall”), forming an inner court which gave access to the, gallery. Outside and around the ubosot were 8 boundary stones or marker slabs (bai sema) at the 8 cardinal points in order to demarcate the sacred area of the Sangkha (Buddhist brotherhood).

Phra Ubosot

In 1956, a secret chamber was uncovered in the ruins; among the treasures found inside were a solid gold lion sitting in a fish-shaped container decorated with a gilded motif and filled with other gold accessories, gold jewelry, a gold casket containing a relic of the Buddha, and fine tableware.

Wat Mahathat: cor. Chikun Road and Naresuan Road, Tha Wasukri sub-district, Ayutthaya, Thailand.

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace (Ayutthaya, Thailand)

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On our second day in Thailand, we decide to go out of the city and visit the old Thai capital of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We made our travel arrangements with a  travel agency based near our hotel lobby at the ground floor. The 60-km. trip, via an airconditioned tourist bus, took just 1 hr.  Our first stop, upon reaching Ayutthaya, was the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, also known as the Summer Palace.

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

This palace complex, located along the bank of the Chao Phraya River, was originally constructed by King Prasat Thong  in 1632 but, after the sack of Ayutthaya in 1767, it lay empty and overgrown throughout the late 18th century and early 19th century.  King Mongkut (Rama IV) began to partially restore the site in the 1850s. Most of the present European-style buildings were constructed between 1872 and 1889 by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).

Entry Promenade

Today, the palace remains largely open to visitors, as King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his family uses it only rarely for banquets and special occasions. However, as at all royal sites, proper dress was required and Grace and Cheska had to rent colored polo shirts to cover their shoulders. The grounds are not too large to be covered on foot. From the entrance, we walked along a formal entry promenade.

Ho Haem Montien Devaraj (Golden Palace of the God King)

The buildings, very European in design, are laid out along a long rectangular, artificial and ornamental lake lined with formal landscaping. The lake serves to divide the “public” outer area of the palace from the inner private areas. Along the route, we passed the Ho Haem Montien Devaraj (Golden Palace of the God King) or King Pasart Thong Shrine. This Khmer-style, stone prasat (residence of a king or god with a corncob-shaped super-structure ), under a banyan tree, was built by King Rama V in 1879 to replace an old shrine built by villagers as an offering to King Prasart Thong of the Ayutthaya period.

Saphakhan Ratchaprayun (Exhibition Hall)

On the left bank of the lake is the colonial-style, 1-storey, Neo-Classical style  Saphakhan Ratchaprayun (Exhibition Hall).  Originally built for the King’s brothers, it now houses a small museum covering the history of the palace.

Warophat Phiman (Excellent and Shining Heavenly Abode)

The one-storey Warophat Phiman (Excellent and Shining Heavenly Abode) was King Chulalongkorn’s residence and throne hall. It is richly decorated in turn-of-the-century European aristocratic style, with quirky Thai touches here and there.  Its audience chambers and anterooms are decorated with oil paintings, commissioned by King Chulalongkorn in 1888, depicting significant events in Thai history and scenes from Thai literature.  The private apartments of this building are still used by the king and his family whenever they reside in the palace.

Phra Thinang Utthayan Phumisathian (Garden of the Secured Land) Residential Hall

Opposite the lake, to the east, is the 2-storey, elaborately-constructed Phra Thinang Utthayan Phumisathian (Garden of the Secured Land) Residential Hall, considered the principal building in the palace complex.  Completed in 1877, this  building  was built from wood and decorated with mahogany furniture ordered directly from Europe. However, it was destroyed by fire during the restoration in 1938. Its modern reconstruction, tinted alternately in dark and light green, has a more “Paris Metro” Art-Deco feel to it. Its balcony is similar in design to that of a Swiss chalet. The building is still occasionally used by the royal family and is not open to the public.

Krajome Trae

At the end of the promenade, the lake took on a more natural shape and, from a circular Spanish-style pavilion (Krajome Trae), we saw the “signature piece” of Bang Pa-In, the gracefully elegant Aisawan-Dhipaya-Asana Pavilion (The Divine Seat of Personal Freedom) in the middle of the lake. The only example of classical Thai architecture within the palace, it was built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1876 and has 4 porches and a spired roof. From Krajome Trae, we fed the fishes with pieces from a previously paid for loaf of bread.

Aisawan-Dhipaya-Asana Pavilion (The Divine Seat of Personal Freedom)

Opposite the Krajome Trae is the Devaraj-Kunlai (The God King Goes Forth) Gate, the principal entrance to the Inner Palace.  It is connected to the Varobhas Bimarn Mansion (located in the Outer Palace) by a covered bridge with a louvered wall from which the court ladies could look out without being seen themselves.

Devaraj-Kunlai (The God King Goes Forth) Gate

The highlight of our visit was the opulent, Chinese-style Phra Thinang (Royal Residence) Wehart Chamrun (Heavenly Light), the only royal residence open to the public.  Constructed in the Chinese Emperor style and made entirely of materials imported from China, it took 10 years to build and was completed in 1889.

Phra Thinang (Royal Residence) Wehart Chamrun (Heavenly Light)

It was a royal offering to King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce represented by Chinese merchant Phraya Choduk Ratchasetthi (Fak) as a token of the long-lasting brotherly relationship between the Thai and Chinese peoples. King Chulachomklao usually made a royal visit here during the cool season.

Phra Thinang – Interior

Here, we had to remove your shoes to enter.  Full of red, gold, dark woods and inlaid mother of pearl, it has a stupendous dragon sculpture inside carved from camel bone and a Chinese-style throne room at the ground floor. the upper storey houses an altar enshrining the name plates of King Mongkut and King Chulalongkorn with their respective queens.

Before returning, we climbed the 112-step spiral staircase up the 30 m. high, 3-storey and brightly painted Ho Withun Thasana (Sage’s Lookout), built in 1881, following in the footsteps of King Rama V who, when residing in Bang Pa-In Palace, used this hall as the place to get the bird’s eye view of the surrounding area. This hall was constructed in the form of a tower between Utthayan Phumisathian and Wehat Chamrun.  Only the first two floors are open to the public.

Ho Withun Thasana (The Sages Lookout)

Back at the entrance, we returned the shirts and bought some soft drinks and snacks (10-20 baht) before boarding our bus.

Bang Pa-In Palace: Bang Pa-In District, Ayutthaya, Thailand. Open daily, 8 AM-4 PM.

Jim Thompson House (Bangkok, Thailand)

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After our Bangkok city tour, we asked our guide to to drop us off at Jim Thompson’s House, another of the city’s popular tourist destinations. We alighted at a non-descript lane, at the end of which was the entrance of the Jim Thompson House, standing on 1 rai (about half an acre) of land beside Klong Maha Nag and enveloped by verdant and beautifully landscaped gardens.

Entrance of the Jim Thompson House

Its jungle landscape (palm trees, ficus, flowering bananas, the flame of the forest, golden bamboo, rain trees and a myriad of other flowering and non-flowering plants, shrubs and bushes), in the midst of the city, gives the house its unique appeal.

Jim Thompson Museum Garden

Upon entering, we first paid the entrance fee and decided to view an exhibit of Thai silk at the Jim Thompson Art Center.  The art center also had a running video presentation of the life of Jim Thompson which we viewed.

Exhibit of Thai Silk at the Art Center

Self-made American entrepreneur James Harrison Wilson Thompson, born in Greenville, Delaware in 1906, studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and was a practicing architect in New York City until 1940.  During the Second World War, Thompson was assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a move which offered him an opportunity to see more of the world.  In 1946, he assumed the duties of OSS station chief in Thailand and had developed a certain fondness for the country and its people. He later settled down in Bangkok and went into business in Thailand, founding the world renowned Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company.  Jim mysteriously disappeared in the jungles of the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia in 1967 while on an Easter weekend holiday with friends.

After our visit to the art center, we decided to have lunch at its coffee shop and check out the souvenir shop. We then availed of a guided tour of his charming complex of six traditional Thai-style, teak houses  as well as its showcase collection of Southeast Asian objets d’art.  Before doing so, we were required to leave our bags in lockers to prevent their knocking off many of the valuable antiques in the house.  We were also not allowed to take pictures inside the house.

Jim Thompson House – Exterior

The teak structures were purchased by Jim from several owners from various parts of Thailand, knocked down, brought to the site, re-assembled again and completed in 1959.  The house’s supporting columns and walls lean slightly inward, adding to the illusion of height and grace. The relatively few, purely decorative elements are largely confined to panels carved in Chinese designs under the windows and sometimes over the doors, and the curved, stylized ends of the steep roof (characteristic of traditional Thai houses), probably adaptations of naga (serpent) motifs that adorn Khmer temples.

Jim Thompson House – Interior

The houses are elevated to facilitate the circulation of air, offer a more comfortable living space and protect the home from the risk of floods, in the monsoon season, as well as from hostile wildlife.  The open space was also used as a living area in the hot season, as storage for the season’s harvest, and as a place to keep livestock.

There were a great number of windows and doors, all carefully aligned to facilitate an uninterrupted flow and aid the circulation of air. The walls, though generally left unpainted, were sometimes oiled. The broad overhangs of its roof protect the interior from both sun and rain.

Jim Thompson House: 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok, Thailand.  Tel: (662) 216-7368 Fax: (662) 612-3744.   Open daily, 9 AM-5 PM.  Last guided tour at 5 PM.  Website: www.jimthompsonhouse.com.

Wat (Bangkok, Thailand)

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After our short visit to Wat Traimit, we all returned to our van and moved on to our next stop, the 80,000-sq. m. (20-acre) Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn), the largest in Bangkok and, technically, the oldest wat, being built around 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand’s capital.

Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn)

However, the present temple bears virtually no resemblance to its original structure as it was almost entirely rebuilt by King Rama I when the capital was moved to Bangkok. Wat Pho also holds the dual honors of having Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha image and having the most number of Buddha images.

One of Wat Pho’s 4 Entrances

The temple complex, with more than 20 buildings and structures, is walled in on 4 sides with entrances at each side. We entered the complex via the entrance at Chetuphon Road which  splits the grounds of the temple into 2, the northern section generally being the only one most people go to.

Gate Guardians at the Sheltered Gateha

Standing on both sides of the sheltered entrance gate are the gate guardians lan than nai tvarapala, fierce-face Thai-Chinese style rock giants wearing a tight suit of armor and holding a weapon in one hand. Several Chinese statues also line the outside of temple buildings, a reflection of the Chinese influence during the reign of King Rama III.

Inner Wall of the Vihara of the Reclining Buddha

After paying the admission fee, we first visited the Vihara of the Reclining Buddha or Phra Buddhasaiyas (Viharn Phranorn).  We had to remove our shoes and sandals before doing so.  The inner wall of this vihara is decorated of the mural paintings of “Mahawong” (Historical annals of Ceylon) above the windows; and the “13 Savida Atadagga Disciples (Priestess),” “10 Upasaka Atadagga Disciples” and “10 Upasika Atadagga Disciples” between each window.

Detail of Mural Painting at Inner Wall

Inside, we were highly impressed by the gold-plated Reclining Buddha (Phra Buddhasaiyas), made of stuccoed bricks gilded with gold leaves and designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana.  Its dimensions were indeed huge,  being 46 m. long and 15 m. high. The soles of the 3 m. wide and 5 m. long feet and the eyes are exquisitely engraved with mother-of-pearl decoration of 108 auspicious lakshanas (characteristics) of the true Buddha.

Reclining Buddha

We also visited the Phra Uposatha, the ubosot (main chapel or assembly hall) and the heart of the temple.  It was built, in Ayutthaya style, during the reign of King Rama I and reconstructed and enlarged during the reign of King Rama III.  All the hardwood windows and doors have crown–like spires and colored glazed tiles.  Double marble boundary walls (kampaengkaew), surrounding the main chapel, have 8 sheltered gates and 8 sculpted boundary stones (bai sema). The outer side of the kampaengkaew is decorated with carved stones portraying natural scenes of mountains, trees and animals.
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Phra Uposatha (Main Chapel))

Inlays of mother–of–pearl, on the outer side of the entrance door panels, depict episodes from the Ramakien (the Thai version of the world famous Ramayana Indian epic) while, on the inner side, are painted specimens of ecclesiastical fans of rank which are presented to the monk sovereigns.

Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn

It is enclosed by 394 bronze Buddha images. Outside the ubosot, there are 152 marble slabs depicting the second half of the epic Ramakian story.  Inside is the Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn, a seated Buddha image on a 3-tiered pedestal called Phra Pang Smadha (Lord Buddha in the posture of concentration).  Some of the ashes of King Rama I are kept under the pedestal.

Row of Buddha Images at Phra Rabiang

We also took time to explore the large grounds of the temple which contains more than 1000 Buddha images, most taken from the ruins of deserted temples of the former capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. The Phra Rabiang is a double cloister surrounding the courtyard of the chapel.  Connected by 4 main direction viharas, its gallery is lined with hundreds of Buddha images.

Phra Buddha Lokanart Sartsadajarn

The image of Pang Marnvichai (Enlightened Lord Buddha under the Bodhi Tree) and the 10 m. high bronze Buddha image, Pra Buddha Lokanart Satsadajarn, which was brought from Wat Phra Sri Sanpej in Ayutthaya, is in the East Vihara. The inscription of Wat Pho’s establishment is also kept here.

Pang Nak Prok (Buddha Under the Naga’s Hood)

The image of “Lord Buddha Preaching the First Sermon to the Five Disciples” is in the South Vihara, the image of Phra Paleylai in the North Vihara and the image of Pang Nak Prok (Buddha Under the Naga’s Hood) in the West Vihara.  The inner side cloister contains 150 Buddha images while another 244 images are located on the outer side, all brought from the northern provinces during the reign of King Rama I. Today, all Buddha images are covered with gold leaves and provided with large glass frames to protect them from birds, bats and dirt. Posted on all columns along the cloister are Thai prosody framed in 100 stone inscriptions by the order of King Rama III.

Phra Mondob (Scripture Hall)

Nearby is the Phra Mondob (Scripture Hall), built during the reign of King Rama III.  It is walled in and has displays of Buddha statues, old ceramics and glassware, tripitaka (teachings of Buddha) and traditional Thai books written on palm leaf manuscripts. It is crowned with a gabled tetrahedron decorated with multicolored Chinese ceramic bowls.  There are porticoes at the 3 directions of the Mondob. The library is also impressively decorated with figures and pagodas made of porcelain, in much the same way as Wat Arun, across the Chao Phraya River.

The 4 Chedis of Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn

Also near here is the Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn, a group of 4 huge, 42 m. high chedis (round pagodas), constructed to honor the reigns of the first 3  Chakri kings (2 for King Rama III): King Rama I (Phra Maha Chedi Sri Sanpetdayarn, green), King Rama II (Phra Maha Chedi Dilok Dhammakaroknitarn, white), King Rama III (Phra Maha Chedi Muni Batborikharn, yellow) and King Rama IV ( Phra Maha Chedi Song Phra Srisuriyothai, dark blue).

Bell Tower

Also around the grounds are 91 massive chedis, of varying sizes, along with chapels, rock gardens, an array of different types of statues, inscriptions, bell towers and resident fortune tellers.

Wat Pho: Chetuphon Rd., Phra Nakhon (Rattanakosin) District, Bangkok, Thailand.Tel: 662-226-0335  and 662-226-0369. Open daily, 8 AM-5 PM.

How to Get There: airconditioned buses 6, 8 and 12 all stop near Wat Pho.  The Tha Tien express boat pier is also very near. Ordinary buses 1, 25, 44, 47, 62 and 91 stop along Maharat Rd.; and bus 44, 47 and 91 along  Thaiwang Rd. on the north side of Wat Pho, south of Wat Phra Kaew. Wat Pho is also just a short river crossing away from Wat Arun.

Merdeka Square (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

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Part of our city tour itinerary and a “must see” is the 8.2-hectare Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square), actually a large grassy field used for cricket. Here, thousands of Malaysians celebrated 50 years of nationhood on August 31, 2007.  It is surrounded by many buildings of historical interest.

Kuala Lumpur’s Tallest Flagpole

A 95-m. high flagpole, one of the tallest in the world, marks the spot (with a flat, round black marble plaque) where the British Union Jack flag was lowered and the  Malayan flag was first hoisted at midnight of August 31, 1957. It is located at the southern end of the square.

Royal Selangor Club

On one side of the square is the Royal Selangor Club‘s (founded in 1884) quasi-Tudor-style building.  Originally designed by British architect A.C. Norman and built in 1890, it was later redesigned by architect Arthur Benison Hubback and rebuilt in 1910, with 2 additional wings on either side of the main building.  The club is a place to watch a game of cricket on a Sunday afternoon.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building

In stark contrast across the square is the Mughal-styled Sultan Abdul Samad Building. A famous landmark for Malaysia and KL prior to the building of the Petronas Twin Towers, this unique, Indian Mughal-style  building, designed by British architect A.C Norman, was completed in 1897. Once serving as the Selangor State Secretariat and, later, the Supreme Court during the British era before being abandoned for a number of years, it is now home to Ministry of Heritage, Culture and Arts.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building Clock Tower

This much photographed building also has a 40 m. high clock tower (affectionately dubbed “Big Ben”) topped with a gleaming copper dome and flanked on both sides by two domed towers. Next to it is the original Kuala Lumpur Railway Station built in 1910.

Merdeka Square and Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin

St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral, an Early English Gothic style building, was built in 1895. Other notable structures include the National History Museum (formerly the Chartered Bank Building), the Memorial Library (formerly the Government Printer Building, built in 1899), and the Sanitary Board Fountain (built in 1897).

National History Museum

National Shrine of St. Anne (Hagonoy, Bulacan)

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National Shrine of St. Anne

First built of stone and brick from 1731 to 1734 by Fr. Juan Albarran, this church was burned down on August 12, 1748. In 1749, it was rebuilt on its present site by Fr. Eusebio Polo  and completed in 1752 by Fr. Buenaventura Roldan. 

It was replaced with a stone church by Fr. Juan Coronado from 1815 to 1836, damaged by fire (which also damaged 30 houses in the town center) in 1856 and enlarged in 1862 by Fr. Manuel Alvarez.  The church was again damaged by during the 1871 earthquake and was repaired in 1872 by Fr. Ignacio Manzanares who strengthened the choir loft’s supporting arches.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Institute in 1981

It was intermittently restored in 1936, 1961 (a monumental porte-cochere was added by Fr. Celestino Rodriguez) and from 1968 to 1970 (under Monsignor Jose B. Aguinaldo) which changed much of the design of the façade (the wood trusses and galvanized iron roofing were replaced, roof and main altar painted and the facade coated white and decorated with images placed above pilasters).

Statue of St. Anne

In 1981, a marker bearing a brief history of the church was installed on the church by the National Historical Institute (precursor of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines). In 1991, it was declared a National Shrine.

Statues of Augustinian saints

The church’s Baroque façade, bare of ornamentation (save for volutes founds on the end of the imaginary triangular pediment, circular reliefs and buttress-like pilasters capped with roof tiles), is pierced with 5 windows: three semicircular arched ones and two rectangular ones on the first level.

Main wooden entrance door carved with bas reliefs

A porte-cochere, with a balustraded top, mars the view of the bottom part of the façade. . The façade also sports three semicircular arched entrances (one main and two smaller flanking ones), all featuring antique hardwood doors carved with bas-reliefs.

One of two smaller wooden doors

Four sets of superimposed pilasters, incorporated with Tuscan capitals, divide the facade into two levels (the first smaller than the second) and ending up in a triangular pediment with huge contemporary statues of Augustinian saints flanking that of St. Anne.

Cross with two cherubs

The second level, dominated by a rose window and a tableau of St. Anne and the Virgin Mary in the center, has windows corresponding to the choir loft and partly hidden by the portico.  The entire façade is capped off with a cross held by two cherubs.

The six storey bell tower

The convent beside the church is now the main building of St. Anne’s Catholic School.  The six-storey rectangular  bell tower (originally with five levels , a sixth level and a cupola was added during the latest reconstruction of the church) is also bare of detailed ornamentation except for the balustraded semicircular arch openings and buttresses placed at the corners of the tower.

St. Anne Catholic School

National Shrine of St. Anne: Brgy. Sto. Niño, Hagonoy, Bulacan. Tel: (044) 793-2829. Feast of St. Anne: July 26.

How to Get There: Hagonoy is located 55.6 kms. (a 1.5-hour drive) from Manila an 15.5 kms. (a 40-min. drive) from Malolos City.

Olympic Park and Pangu 7 Star Hotel (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After our Badaling Great Wall visit, we decided to capped this rainy day with a short visit, though not part of our itinerary, to the Beijing Olympic Park, its structures built for the 2008 Summer Olympics.  Brittany dropped us off at the Ruyi Bridge (over the Pangu Gardens) where, from this vantage point, we had a great view of the “Bird’s Nest” National Indoor Stadium and “Water Cube” Aquatic Center of the Olympic Park on one side and the Pangu 7 Star Hotel on the other.

Beijing National Indoor Stadium

The 18,000-pax Beijing National Indoor Stadium, also known as the National Indoor Stadium, is an indoor arena nicknamed as the Fan due to its design resembling a traditional Chinese folding fan. Opened on November 26, 2007, it hosted, at the 2008 Olympics, the artistic gymnastics, trampolining and handball events. After the Olympics, the stadium was used for sports competition, cultural and entertaining purposes, and as a multi-functional exercise center for local residents.

Bird’s Nest – Beijing National Stadium

The US$423 million Beijing National Stadium, also known as the National Stadium or, colloquially, as the “Bird’s Nest,” was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Its design was awarded to a submission from the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in April 2003, after a bidding process that included 13 final submissions. The design, which originated from the study of Chinese ceramics, implemented steel beams in order to hide supports for the retractable roof; giving the stadium the appearance of a “bird’s nest.” Leading Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was the artistic consultant on the project. The retractable roof was later removed from the design after inspiring the stadium’s most recognizable aspect. Ground was broken in December 2003 and the stadium officially opened in June 2008.

Water Cube – Beijing National Aquatics Center

The Beijing National Aquatics Center, also known as the National Aquatics Center and nicknamed the “Water Cube,” is an aquatics center that was built alongside Beijing National Stadium in the Olympic Green for the swimming competitions of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Despite its nickname, the building is not an actual cube, but a cuboid (a rectangular box). Ground was broken on December 24, 2003, and the Center was completed and handed over for use on January 28, 2008. During the Olympics, swimmers here broke 25 world records.  After the Olympics, the building underwent a RMB 200 million revamp to turn the inside into a water park.

Pangu 7-Star Hotel

The Pangu 7 Star Hotel,  with its jaw-dropping views of the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium and “Water Cube” Aquatic Centre, offers 234 guest rooms, including 140 suites. Ten room categories range in size from 45 to 488 sq. m. and all have 3.5-m. high ceilings. It is the only hotel to have been granted permission from the Palace Museum to reproduce priceless artworks from the Forbidden City. The masterworks were recreated on burnished copper panels in Italy.

Ruyi Bridge

On our last night in Beijing, we decided to go shopping at the San Li Tun Commercial Complex.  Our last day was uneventful as our flight left Beijing for Manila at 12 noon.  What an end to summer and a welcome for the rainy season.

Summer Palace (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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From the Asian Games Panda House, we next proceeded to the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China.  The Summer Palace, located on the western edge of Beijing, between the fourth and fifth ring roads, 12 kms. from central Beijing, was, as its name implies, used as a summer residence by China’s imperial rulers. A pleasure ground in the countryside, yet near to the city, it is virtually a museum of traditional Chinese gardening that uses rocks, plants, pavilions, ponds, cobble paths and other garden styles to create a poetic effect between different scenes.  Points of interest here are the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity and Kunming Lake.

Hall of Benevolence and Longevity

The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the main hall of the Summer Palace, was first built in 1750 and was then called the Hall of Industrious Government, but the building was burnt down by the Allied Anglo-French Force in 1860. The present building was reconstructed in 1890 and the name of the hall was given by Emperor Guanxu. This is the most important hail for political activities in the Palace as it was the place for Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Ci’xi to handle state affairs and receive foreign envoys.

Kunming Lake

Kunming Lake, covering ¾ of the area of the Summer Palace, is the most attractive water area in Beijing. Originally, it was a natural lake formed by a number of springs in the northwestern district in Beijing. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), people grew lotus flowers in the lake and planted rice around the lake. Its picturesque beauty was often compared with the charming scenery around the West Lake. Even the emperors were fascinated with it and made boat trips on the lake. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), in order to build Qingyi Garden, the Emperor Qianlong he had the lake expanded. He named it Kunming Lake in a way to praise its incomparable beauty.

Seventeen Arch Bridge

The 150 m. long and 8 m. wide Seventeen-Arch Bridge, built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799), is the longest bridge in the Summer Palace.  It connects the eastern shore of the lake and Nanhu Island in the west.  Nanhu Island lies southeast of Kunming Lake opposite Longevity Hill. With an area of about 1 hectare (2.47 acres), it is the largest island in the Summer Palace. When Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) enlarged Kunming Lake, he ordered workers to save the temples and buildings but to excavate the earth; thus creating Nanhu Island.

Nanhu Island

The octagonal, 3-storied and quadruple-eaved wood-constructed Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance (FoXiangGe) is the highest and largest grand architecture in the Summer Palace. The 40-m. high tower is built on a 20-m. high stone terrace half way up the hill – hence it seems to touch the clouds and looks graceful and beautiful. This symbol of the Summer Palace can be seen for miles around.

Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance

A highlight of our visit here was our (Gil, Jandy, Gibson and me) photo ops dressed in complete and colorful Chinese emperor attire (RMB 10 each).  Azon, on the other hand, dressed up as a frowning concubine.  She did the same thing again at Kunming Lake, this time smiling. Our visit to the Summer Palace capped our day.

Azon Dressed as a Chinese Princess or Concubine