Erawan Museum and Thai Village, Bangkok, Thailand

Bud and I booked a cab for the day and headed off to do some sight-seeing. First stop was the Erawan Museum, which is both a museum and a budhist temple, housed in what has to be the largest statue of an elephant I've ever seen - with three heads no less. The building underneath the elephant housed various Thai pottery and antiquties that were informatively displayed. Gradually making your way up through the structure it slowly changes from Museum to Temple, ending right at the top with a 'Room amongst the Stars' prayer room in the head of the elephant.

The stair cases and stained-glass windows were intricately decorated, some of the structures built entirely from plates and spoons and other common objects, themselves intricately detailed and inlayed with gold or painted with bright decorations.

Next stop was a theme park of sorts. Essentially the Thai government has collected period buildings from all over Thailand and relocated them to this one place in order to preserve the unique architecture of Thailand. Pergodas and Temples, Statues and Bridges all make an appearance. Some made of wood, some of stone. The park is about 350 acres and its only possible to see it all by car or a bike.

There was a riverside village re-created, complete with its own floating markets, food vendors, crafts and so on. Just walking around and smelling the waft of delightful things being cooked just out of sight was enough to make you dribble.

Sun 07 Aug 2005 | /Trips/Thailand | permalink

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