Bang Pa-In Palace

　　I came by Bang Pa-In Palace on the way back to Bangkok. At my first glance, I figured out its magnitude and rented a golf cart. According to the explanation of the tour guide: This palace was built in 1637 by the 24th king of the Ayutthaya Dynasty, and was utilized as the retreat for a long line of kings to spend the hot summer. After the collapse of the Dynasty by the invasion of Burma, it was left deserted for a long time, but the palace was renovated and redecorated as it appears today by the two kings of the Chakri Dynasty, the present dynasty.
　　There were several buildings, like the shining building flavoured with Thai culture in the center area of the pond, a Chinese-like house, and a series of Renaissance buildings. I didn't have enough time to enter those buildings and just saw them from outside. Additionally, the garden was really peaceful and beautiful. I knew that the garden wasn't Japanese, but was that a Thai garden? Then I climbed up the tower in the middle of the palace and viewed around. The whole world around was flat as far as I could see.

バン・パイン宮殿

アユタヤからの帰途、バン・パイン宮殿に立ち寄った。一見して広そうだったので躊躇なくカートを利用した。ガイドの説明に寄れば、１６３７年、アユタヤ王朝２４代目のプラサート・トォン王が建てた宮殿で、歴代の国王たちが夏を過ごす別荘として利用されていた。１７６７年のビルマ軍攻略以降、しばらく放置されていたが、チャクリ王朝（現王朝）のラーマ４世と５世によって、現在のように再興された。

離宮には、いくつかの建物があった。湖の中央には華やかな光を放つタイ風建築建物。他にも中国風建築やルネッサンス風の建物などがあったが、全て見るには十分な時間がなかった。また緑が美しい庭園も素晴らしかった。これはタイ風の庭園なのかな？中央にあるタワーに登ると周辺が見渡せた。見渡す限り山を認めず。