I caught the river bus, a very crowded boat, down river to visit the grand palace.
The grand palace was built towards the end of the eighteenth century, in a severe European style, with pillars and balustrades and arched windows. On top of this someone in his infinite wisdom built a multitiered Thai roof, sparkling with gold leaf, golden nagas shooting their heads up into the sky. The whole effect is ridiculous.
The temple complex, within the grand palace walls, is a flashy, kitch confection of gold leaf, multicoloured mosaics, tiles painted in ice cream colours. A Stupa in the centre of the palace complex is completely covered in gold leaf. Thai devotees buy lotus flowers and incence sticks to give as offerings. Many buy small pieces of gold leaf to stick onto a small golden statue of Buddha.
The palace and temple gardens are adorned with trees, clipped and bonsaied to within an inch of their lives.
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