Day 3, Part 2 - 9th September - Bangkok National Museum
Some building
Buddhaisawan Chapel
Unfortunately the signage was not as good outside of the first gallery, like in the Red House.
Bed of Queen Sri Suriyenthra
Red House
Next was the Buddhaisawan Chapel.
Vishnu holding weapon
Chapel entrance
Inside the chapel
Mural
Altar
Window in chapel
Rooms in the museum
Pavilion
Next was a gallery with various royal stuff.
Clothes "made under the suggestion of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit"
Masks
Khon Mask
Box, cassettes
Monk's fan
Carved Wooden Door Guardian
Bussabok Kroen Throne
Throne detail
"Replica of combat aircraft" (there was no model indicated, but I think it was an F-16)
Overall, more than half the museum was non-airconditioned with stuff just in cabinets (sadly - the 19th century museum model).
Though the museum's approach to Thai history left much to be desired, I was very impressed that they had, not just non-Thai Asian stuff, but non-Asian stuff.
Roman jars
Sino-Thai Bencharong covered jars
The Sino-Thai stuff was not as nice as the Chinese stuff
On the jars
Guardian (davarapal) fragment
Tang Dynasty tomb relief
Tang tomb ware
Very ugly Chinese tomb figurine
Wood carvings
Mythical bird Kinnari
Crouching elephant
Monkey, Demon and unlabelled item
Wood carvings
Sadly the Mother-of-Pearl gallery was closed. The ivory room was closed for lunch (2 hours from 11:30-1:30 - how French) so I had to return later.
There was a room for kids.
Ladies of the palace
Fashions of Siamese courtesans
Someone should point out to them that courtesans are not the same as ladies of the court
Window
"Please take off your shoes and carry them with you to prevent the loss"
This was sad. People steal shoes in museums?!
Saweta Chatra Throne
Tang ceramics
Guardian Lion - possibly plundered from Angkor!
Buddha on Naga
Buddha under Naga
9 Deities
Birth of Buddha
Nagapasa scene
Lion
Metope with Elephant
Lion
Lion
There was some Chinese stuff (some from the Royal Collection, but not all) and some Indian stuff (some presented by India or excavated by the Musée Guimet - perhaps there had been a swap). There was also a Byzantine oil lamp from the Israeli ambassador. There were also Japanese and Chinese Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. So there was some form of Pan-Asian perspective. Notably, not all the foreign stuff had been given by foreign dignitaries (this ties in to museums in the Third World being used for political purposes rather than educational ones).
Standing Buddha (from India). Notice the long, disproportionate arm
Meditating Buddha (from India)
"Indian Arts, Gandhara Style"
I wonder if they didn't label it as a Buddha because it was Greco-Buddhist art (i.e. it didn't conform to their idea of what Buddha should look like)
Kannon
Clay Plaque with (?) Minotaurs
I found the Burmese stuff the most interesting, because I'd not seen much of it elsewhere. The proportion was off, but that added to its charm somehow
Crowned Buddha (Burmese)
Votive stupa
Crowned Buddha (Burmese)
Crowned Buddha (Burmese)
Image of Buddha in Bhumisparasa Mudra
Even though this was 19th century the proportion was still off. Ironically the 1st-4th century Greco-Buddhist Buddha was a lot more lifelike.
Votive tablets in "pagan style" (hah!)
Buddha in 8 episodes
Stucco fragment of the image of Buddha. Greco-Buddhist art, 1st-4th centuries, escavated in Afghanistan by the Musée Guimet (!)
Standing Buddha
Lokesvara Bodhisattva (Indian)
Rubbing of a bas relief "depicting the Buddha and Hindu God"
Ganesa (from Java)
There was some other Javanese stuff - I wonder how they got it.
Agastya (Shiva in the form of Maha Guru) obtained via exchange with the Dutch
Apsara
Buddha sheltered by Naga Hoods. Despite being from 1183 this was very well preserved.
Avalokitesvara
Padmapan
Interestingly though this was from Thailand it had Javanese influence
Vishnu
Vishnu
Singha (who says hi)
Shiva and Parvati
Dvarapala
Musicians
Brahma on Swan
Flying Deity, Relief of Human or Deity
Sketch of reconstruction of stucco fragments
"Divine of Bodhisattva"
High ranking woman (ahh, the days when high ranking women went around topless!)
Sima with Buddha descending from Tavatimsa heaven
Avalokitesvara
Buddha descending, showing the great miracle
Deity
Buddha meditating
Deer crouching
Buddha
Wheel of Law
Votive tablets. 9th-21st century
This was very useful dating
Face of Singha
Wheel of Law and Deer
On "Dvaravati Arts"
Wheel of Law, Crouching Deer
I was surprised by this critical evaluation of the Dvaravati period: whether it was a "Kingdom, State or Urban Community". In fact this was the first critical commentary I'd seen in the museum.
Brahma
Female figure. Nice figure, and topless too.
Apsara
Standing Buddha
Radiating avalokitesvara
Prajnaparamita
Avalokitesvara
Buddha Descending from Tavatimsa Heaven
Pilaster
Lintel
Lintel
Lintel with Krisna killing Naga
The prehistory section was closed for lunch, but I didn't care.
Shiva Linga
Base for a sculpture (yoni)
I love the description of it as a "base". And how "linga" and "yoni" were not translated.
Vishnu
Vishnu
Surya (sun god)
Maitreya Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva head
Singha
Garuda holding Naga
Ornaments
More Ornaments
I don't know why I took this
Palanquin parts
Building roof
Naga head
Garuda seizing naga
Buddha subduing Mara
Buddhist pedestal
Pedestal of a Buddha subduing Mara
Pediment
Annoying, the whole northern wing with art from the 13th century on was closed.
Naga head
Spirit house of the front palace
I then adjourned to the museum restaurant for lunch.
The ever-important Thai iced tea. It was small though.
Fried noodle with pork, chilies and hot basil leaves (Pad Kimao). Cheap at 35B
This was the closest to the true street price I'd ever see
It was great, but quite fiery even though I'd picked out the chili. It was an exception to the "Murals in restaurants are on a par with the food in museums" rule
I was tempted to order fried rice also (the portion wasn't that big) but it'd have been too much, so I decided to eat more mystery street food on the way back
One white guy came in and ordered pad thai. Hey, I like pad thai and I'm sure it'd have been very good, but I didn't go to Thailand for pad thai.
Next was some royal vehicles.
Royal Chariot of Great Victory
There was a "lesser-type" chariot, but it was as grand as the main chariot (this one)
Mechanical hoist. Apparently 1811 is "the ancient era"
???
I suppose non-Thais would not have been interested
Yellow nipples? The previous night all the ones I'd seen had been brown. I suppose this is a divine creature, so that's the difference.
Meanwhile the male figure had no nipples
The various royal things (building, chariots with very tall lightning rods etc) were hard to snap in their entirety.
???
Phra Ti Nang Rachendrayan State Palanquin
Top
I then returned to the ivory room. I was glad that I had, despite the lack of English. Maybe this was to deter CITES inspectors.
Ivory room
On elepehants
Sleeping Buddhas
Buddhas
Tusks
Tusk detail
Tusk detail
Tusk detail
Boys
Pond fascinating: German girls playing with flowers
A principled museum would've announced at the entrance that part of the collection was unavailable for viewing (I think there was some water damage to the roof). This one didn't. I didn't expect a reduced entrance fee, but at least a disclaimer would've been nice.
There was a bilingual book in the bookshop: "les messagers divins / divine messengers".
A tuk tuk driver offered me 100B to get back to the hotel. I said that was expensive. He then offered 20B, which shocked me, but he said I needed to make 2 stops at his sponsors. So I took the water taxi again.
Mysterious drink. 2 hawkers quoted me 20B. A third one further away quoted me 15B - I managed to apply economic principles to get the invisible hand to undermine the cartel due to imperfect information!
It was possibly a grass drink, and had an indescribable taste
Thai Cap cai png (mixed rice)
Curry puffs
"Be careful. Don't believe outside people which give you false information"
Temple beside navy HQ
Pagoda
There was a house with a huge portrait of the King and Queen above its door - facing the water.
There was a Holy Rosary Church built in Neo-Gothic style.
There was a "Happy Air" airlines.
"Passengers who would like to take Durian into the aircraft, please contact airline staffs at check-in counter"
"Passengers who would like to load firearms into the aircraft, please contact airline staffs at check-in counter"
Durians are as bad as guns
"Suggestion"
"Reception room for Buddhist monks"
Note also that there is a prayer room for Muslims - but not others (Buddhists?)
Muslim prayer room: "No: smoking, eating, drinking, talking, sleeping, littering"
Avis: "Please ask AVIS Counter for Special Rate. You'll get discount"
If everyone gets a discount, no one gets a discount
We then went to the food court, which was like the staff canteen.
"No pork"
Kway zhap, teochew style porridge (rice in water)
Green papaya salad with crispy chicken skin, crispy papaya salad. For some reason there was corn in the dip for the latter.
Amusingly more than half the food in the airport food court was Chinese.
Nestea does Thai Iced Tea. Hah.
I don't know why I took the meal tickets.
Tom yam with pork! Or "any kind of balls"
Sauces galore. And sugar
This was probably Tom Yam with pork ribs. The chili was a timebomb which only hit later.
I was told: "Most Thais dress like HDB people in their 60s... not just any HDB. Must be Queenstown, Redhill, Outram Park". I ws of the opinion that the age group was more like the 40s.
More delicious pork dishes
Hainanese Chicken Rice. I believe there was a mutton option. And the sauces were suspicious.
My note for this is : "Emirates - business class perks?"
There was a liquid disposal bin (for you to drain liquids into) - after security screening. They should've put it before so no one would throw away their bottles pre-emptively. I swear, it's all a scam with budget airlines involved so they can sell drinks.
On exiting the country, we again got our photos taken (like on entry). One UAE woman lifted her face veil. And you cannot wear a hat, but her head was still covered. I wonder what would happen if you went in with no hat but a tudung. Arab men also have headgear which is like a hat - must they remove it?
There was a counter where one could pay fines for overstaying. Hah.
One of the eternal mysteries: what is the smoke that airplanes blow into the cabin? I have added this question to Quora and one answer says "It's just condensation (water vapor). Think of it as fog."
Chewing gum was not on the list of articles prohibited in Singapore, perpetuating the myth that it is alright to bring chewing gum in for personal use. Also it's a bit late to ask people to "Please do not bring these items into Singapore" (they are already in Singapore)
I was amused that even the Budget Terminal got free phone calls.
Redundant Carl's Jr opening hours sign
Something that struck me: I didn't see pineapple fried rice, olive fried rice, pandan chicken or Thai fish cake. And I think the only green/red curry I'd seen was in Thai mixed rice.