观光过三宝公庙的酬神盛典, 描绘过鬼塔的神秘奇景, 憑弔过古城的荒凉遗迹, 甚至连博物院里的名贵珍宝也都欣赏过了. 如果不是 [ 人心不足 ] 的话, 今天的节目真可说丰富之極! 同时, 在这古王城废址, 大家都很得意的买了几件艺术品. 我;也化了泰币六十五铢(约合叻币十元)买了一个小佛头, 作为此行的纪念物. 於是大家都心满意足地向这泰国的古都 – 大城道声 [ 再会 ], 便踏上了回返曼谷的归程.

车子离开大城之后, 沿着东南面的公路疾驰, 经过了汪莲县, 再转向西南而驶行, 约走了十二英里左右, 就到达挽巴茵县. 这里有一个名闻遐迩的名胜地方 -- 挽巴茵行宫. 路经此地, 顺道一游, 难道不比另日再至, 来得更方便吗? 所以大家又再贪婪地鼓起了残余的游兴, 决定下车到此行宫一游了.

挽巴茵行宫的范围很大, 包括有好几座的巍峨宫殿, 卓立的高塔, 幽美的别墅, 雅致的楼台,弯曲的回廊,精巧的亭阁….等建筑物; 其中有暹罗的传统的建筑行式, 有西洋的建筑风格, 还有中国宫殿式的建筑风格. 真可说是集集东西艺术的大成, 而构成一座堂皇壮观的王城!

这挽巴茵行宫, 本来是大城皇朝的巴拉塞通王 (Prasart Tong) 於公元一六三二年所建的消暑行宫. 后来大城被缅军攻陷沦亡之后, 郑王虽力逐缅军出境, 暹罗得以复国, 但郑王已迁至南方的吞武里府. 这里更因交通不便的缘故, 已被荒置了八十年的悠长岁月. 到拉玛四世王登基, 才开始大规模的重新改建. 到拉玛五世王全部落成, 蔚为今日所见的亭榭楼阁的一大壮观, 成为闻名泰国的雅丽多姿的园林美景.

其中最惹人注目的, 就是那座称为 Phra Thinang Aiswan Ihipa-Aat 的湖心亭阁, 亭中有朱拉隆功的铜像一座. 亭阁的面积并不大, 它最的特色就是整座的建筑物屹立在一个长约四百公尺, 阔四十公尺的晶莹娴静的湖水之中, 以一道石桥直同彼岸. 在那红瓦绿边的暹式屋顶中央, 耸立着一个金光闪闪的塔尖, 直刺着上空, 与阳光交相辉映, 益发显出了辉煌夺目的色彩. 四周还围绕以白色的回廊, 从正面的墙栏中央, 有层层的石级直伸到水里. 这座瑰美的亭阁水榭, 倒映在那波漪的闪耀中, 交织成了一幅迷离恍惚的奇景, 使人不禁幻出了一种飘渺的情思来, 而迷醉在这别具韵致的妙境之中呢!


在挽巴茵行宫内, 还有一座完全中国宫殿式的建筑物 – 天明殿. 泰人称之为 Wehas Chamroon Hall, 是上下二层的建筑, 气概宏伟. 楼下的大厅, 满壁都是中国的对联, 在另一个角落的屏风上则悬挂着中国的木刻书法, 中央设有一张龙椅, 殿前有两根彫龙的大圆石柱, 县吊着中国式的灯龙, 真可谓是古色古香了. 楼下的后座则为暹王的寝宫, 楼上有祭坛和书房各一间. 书房里收藏有许多中国的线装书, 坐椅的靠背都彫上了精緻的通花金龙, 连楼梯的扶手也都彫刻着龙纹! 据说这座堂皇的中国式宫殿是由拉玛四世王创建, 到拉玛五世王才落成, 全部工程历时十余年. 当年是聘用中国的工匠到此来建造的, 采用的材料则全部由中国政府赠送. 我们暫且勿论这是否有历史的考据, 但是由那些彫樑画栋, 曲径回廊, 白色云石, 幽雅池亭, 却已十足地可以表现出中国的建筑艺术风味, 证明了中国文化对暹罗的影响是如何的深刻了!

我们沿着曲折的回廊, 做了一番巡礼之后, 打算步出行宫踏上归途. 走到桥边时, 看见了一个大理石纪念碑. 同行的一位泰籍朋友告诉我们说 : [这大理石纪念碑, 是拉玛五世王朱拉隆功为他王妃素兰陀而建的, 碑文也是五世王自撰的. 在公元一八八一年的时候, 五世王妃素兰陀到挽巴茵行宫消暑度假, 不知如何不慎, 竟翻船下水. 斯时河岸的居民都眼看着王妃在水中挣扎, 奈因格於 [ 平民触及王族之肤体者死 ] 的条例, 所以竟无人敢下水营救, 只好眼光光地看着王妃没顶而溺死. 后来五世王朱拉隆功为了哀悼王妃的意外惨死, 就在挽巴茵行宫内设立了这个纪念碑, 所以现在凡是游览过挽巴茵行宫的人, 无一不知道这个故事……..].

We've toured the splendid festival at the Three Kings Monument, captured the mysterious beauty of the Ghost Tower, paid our respects at the haunting ruins of the ancient city, and even marveled at the precious treasures in the museum. If it weren't for human nature's insatiable desires, today's itinerary could be considered incredibly fulfilling!

As we left the ancient city's ruins, everyone was delighted with their purchases of artworks. I myself spent 65 Thai Baht (equivalent to 10 Singaporean Dollars) to acquire a small Buddha head as a memento of this journey. With satisfied hearts, we bid farewell to Ayutthaya, Thailand's ancient capital, and embarked on our journey back to Bangkok.

After leaving Ayutthaya, our vehicle sped southeast along the highway, passing through Wang Noi District, and then turned southwest, covering approximately twelve miles to reach Bang Pa-In. Here lies a renowned attraction: the Bang Pa-In Palace. Since we were passing by, it made perfect sense to pay a visit today rather than waiting for another opportunity. So, driven by our lingering sense of adventure, we decided to make a stop at this magnificent palace.

The Bang Pa-In Palace covers an extensive area and includes several grand palaces, towering pagodas, charming villas, elegant pavilions, winding galleries, and exquisite gazebos, among other architectural marvels. These structures encompass a fusion of various architectural styles, including traditional Siamese, Western, and even Chinese palace styles, creating a grand and splendid royal residence.

Originally built as a summer retreat by King Prasat Thong of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1632, the palace remained neglected for about eighty years after Ayutthaya fell to Burmese invaders. It was King Rama IV who initiated major renovations, and by the reign of King Rama V, the palace had been expanded to its current magnificent state, becoming one of Thailand's most enchanting garden landscapes.

One of the most striking features is the Phra Thinang Aiswan Thipaya, also known as the Divine Seat of Personal Freedom. This pavilion, with a glistening golden spire towering above its elegant red and green roof, stands majestically in the middle of a shimmering lake. A stone bridge leads directly to the pavilion from the bank. The white colonnades surrounding the pavilion reflect in the tranquil waters, creating a breathtaking scene. This serene and beautiful sight almost seems like an otherworldly wonder, captivating our hearts and transporting us to a dreamlike realm.

Within the Bang Pa-In Palace complex, there is also a stunning two-story Chinese-style building known as the Wehart Chamrun Hall. The ground floor features a hall adorned with Chinese couplets, while another corner showcases Chinese woodblock calligraphy. In the center of the hall stands a dragon throne, flanked by two massive stone columns adorned with dragon carvings. The hall's ceiling is adorned with a Chinese-style dragon lantern, completing the ancient ambiance. The rear part of the ground floor serves as the royal bedroom, while the upper floor houses an altar and study. The study contains numerous Chinese thread-bound books, and even the chair backs and stairway handrails are intricately carved with dragon motifs. Though the historical accuracy of the Chinese influence on this palace is debated, the craftsmanship, architecture, and ambiance undoubtedly echo Chinese architectural styles.

After strolling through the labyrinthine galleries, we planned to leave the palace and resume our journey homeward. As we approached the bridge, we noticed a marble monument. A Thai friend traveling with us explained, "This marble monument was erected by King Rama V, Chulalongkorn, in memory of his queen, Sunanda Kumariratana. In 1881, Queen Sunanda visited Bang Pa-In Palace for a summer retreat, but unfortunately, she met with a tragic accident. While boating on the lake, she fell into the water, and due to the strict rule of not touching a royal person's body, no one dared to rescue her. Helplessly, she drowned in full view of the palace residents. In mourning for the untimely death of his queen, King Rama V established this memorial monument within the Bang Pa-In Palace. That's why anyone who visits Bang Pa-In Palace today will hear this story..."

With this poignant story in mind, we reluctantly left the palace and continued on our journey, heading back to Bangkok.