In my little debrief about Thailand, I forgot to mention how much the king and royal family are loved and respected, and how prevalent this love is. This beautiful blog reminded me. Almost everywhere you look, there are formal portraits and shrines dedicated to the king - even at the movies. On our third day in Bangkok, Carlos and I took a much needed (and air-conditioned) break from the bustling streets at the Paragon Cineplex. This was by far the most fantastic theater I've ever been in, complete with plush, reclining seats and intricate crown moldings. However, what I'll remember most was that after the previews, a message appeared on the screen reading "please pay respects to his majesty the king". Following this, everyone (including the baffled tourists) stood up and watched a montage of the royal family. It was all very bizarre, a bit bewildering, but ultimately quite touching.January 15, 2010
long live the king
In my little debrief about Thailand, I forgot to mention how much the king and royal family are loved and respected, and how prevalent this love is. This beautiful blog reminded me. Almost everywhere you look, there are formal portraits and shrines dedicated to the king - even at the movies. On our third day in Bangkok, Carlos and I took a much needed (and air-conditioned) break from the bustling streets at the Paragon Cineplex. This was by far the most fantastic theater I've ever been in, complete with plush, reclining seats and intricate crown moldings. However, what I'll remember most was that after the previews, a message appeared on the screen reading "please pay respects to his majesty the king". Following this, everyone (including the baffled tourists) stood up and watched a montage of the royal family. It was all very bizarre, a bit bewildering, but ultimately quite touching.
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touching? monarchies scare me.
ReplyDeletethe royal family definitely knows how to throw a party though. when we were in thailand, it was the prince's birthday, and there was a hell of a shin- dig going on at the Grand Palace.
PS: Katie, I have become an avid reader of your little blog here, it's awesome!
haha. well, at the time I was so baffled. oh my goodness, i can only imagine the party they would have thrown!
ReplyDeletep.s. thank you! I'm glad you like the blog - i love your comments!