We took a bus tour to the Ayutthaya (north of Bangkok) to see the royal palace of the kings, Bang Pa-In. This palace was built by King Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua, or Rama IV. Foreigners would know him as King Mongkut (18 October 1804 – 1 October 1868), ruling as the fourth monarch of Siam, reigning from 1851-1868.
But, I know him as the King from the musical film "The King and I" with Deborah Kerr and Yul Brenner.
During his reign, the pressure of Western expansionism was felt for the first time in Siam. Mongkut embraced Western innovations and initiated the modernization of Siam, both in technology and culture—earning him the nickname "The Father of Science and Technology" in Siam. Having been to Europe, he had built a palace that was similar to those building he saw in Vienna, Paris, and London.
The throne room is definitely Asian, however. The throne room's architecture is of the Chinese-style, with the ornate engravings, the porcelain screens, and bright red and gold colors. The other facilities include vast gardens and landscaping; the Warophat Phiman (Excellent and Shining Heavenly Abode), the royal residence, where Jen and I had to put on skirts over our trousers; Ho Withun Thasana (Sages' Lookout), a brightly-painted lookout tower and observatory; and the Aisawan Thiphya-Art (Divine Seat of Personal Freedom), a pavilion constructed in the middle of a pond, that has the statue of King Rama IV.
The whole time we wandered about the grounds and in and out of the royal residence and throne room, I was humming to myself. Can you imagine what that song was?
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| King Rama IV throne room |
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| The throne room |
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| Aisawan Thiphya-Art, floating pavilion. |
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| Does he look like Yul? |
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| Observatory |
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| Elephants in the garden |
Shall we dance? (1, 2, 3)
On a bright cloud of music shall we fly?
Shall we dance?
Shall we then say "Goodnight" and mean "Goodbye"?
Or perchance,
When the last little star has left the sky,
Shall we still be together
With are arms around each other
And shall you be my new romance?
On the clear understanding
That this kind of thing can happen,
Shall we dance?
Shall we dance?
Shall we Dance?
On a bright cloud of music shall we fly?
Shall we dance?
Shall we then say "Goodnight" and mean "Goodbye"?
Or perchance,
When the last little star has left the sky,
Shall we still be together
With are arms around each other
And shall you be my new romance?
On the clear understanding
That this kind of thing can happen,
Shall we dance?
Shall we dance?
Shall we Dance?
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