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04/20/2006

Bangkok's Solid Gold Buddha

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Thai people are just as crazy over the top passionate about the Buddha as the rest of SE Asia.  But I think they come in second to the people of Myammar.  Maybe that is because in Myammar all they gots is the Buddha.   Above is a picture of Esmerelda in front of a 3.5 meter solid gold Buddha.  For many years it was thought this Buddha was a plain old plaster image, until one day while being moved it got a big whack, and LO, it was revealed that its plaster covering was merely a ruse to conceal the real value of its contents.   Apparently this was the thing to do back then to protect your best Buddhas from invading armies. 

We are not big fans of Thai Buddhas.  The Thai Buddha seems to have a sort of goofy look on his face.  Whenever I see one I think this is the way Walt Disney would have had him drawn. 

And here is Esmerelda by one really massive reclining Buddha.  This picture does not do justice to the size of this Buddha, nor does it capture the beautiful art work on the walls.

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Comments

I spent a summer in Bangkok in 1988 and they were covering the reclining Buddha (above) in thick gold plates. Those plates were stacked all over temple with no apparent security.

I loved the mother-of-pearl inlay work on the underside of Buddha's feet. I remember I was as big as one of Buddha's toes.

Posted by: anon | 04/28/2006

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