Adi Lady's Adventures: The Grand Palace

Apologies readers as this blog will be rushed and therefore badly written and thrown together. I completed it whilst in PP airport and the bugger didn't save. Starting from scratchio and a tad peed off...

Yesterday morning I surfaced early to go and see the Grand Palace, I'm really glad I did as I very nearly rolled straight over to go back to sleepsville.

I decided to pay for a guide otherwise I would have no idea what the hell I was looking at. This is Sothearith and like all the Cambodians I have met he was humble, honest and spoke excellent English.

Abridged history of the Palace as follows, although the accuracy of my memory may be circumspect.

1 AD to 6 AD; the Kings of Khmer had their palaces in the mountains and were known as mountain kings.
From 6AD influences from India brought Hinduism. The Khmer King wanted to build his Palace at the centre of the universe so that he had a direct path to the gods; even this early they had sussed out the world was round and were searching for a pathway from the earth's core to the heavens. Angkor was chosen as there were no shadows; they believed this meant they had found the centre. Angkor remained the seat of power until the 16th century.
Wars with Thailand meant Angkor was vulnerable so the seat of power was moved to a more central location.
The Grand Palace of today was built in 18 hundred and something. Cambodia was under threat from Thailand and Vietnam and there were many wars. The king looked to Napoleon to restore peace and there was a great friendship between the countries.

Other interesting facts. Pol Pot lived in the palace as a small boy, his sister was the concubine of the king. This enabled him to be sent to France to study electrical engineering and it was here he developed his beliefs in Marxism, Maoism and communism. When the Khmer Rouge first came to power and emptied the cities the families of Pol Pot's cadres lived in the grounds of the palace. When paranoia set in and he suspected them of spying they were sent with their families to S21 to be killed. The only royals to survive the KR were those studying abroad. The king was kept alive to rubber stamp policy and to make the regime seem more acceptable to the west.

The palace is incredibly ornate inside but unfortunately photographs were not permitted. Check out the intricate carvings on this door...

The royal crest.

This is where the king resides, flag's up so he is at home. He is 60 and single (gay?) Sothearith offered to pass on my details... Just imagine, me as Cambodia's answer to Kate Middleton. I believe she's had a baby (big dealio). I swear to God, now I'm travelling as far as news is concerned I may as well be living in a cave!

I think this is where they housed the elephants before cars were invented.

The king addresses his subjects from here, it backs on to the street.

Royal robes, either wedding or coronation, can't quite remember.

The ancient Khymers believed there were 7 planets and 7 mountains and rivers to cross to get to the centre of the universe. That is why they have 7 days of the week and all palace employees have to wear a set colour for each day. Yesterday was Tuesday so all the guides wore purple shirts.

The Silver Pagoda was a joy to behold in all its splendour. The emerald Buddha is genuinely made from emerald and not jade. It resides in a golden, diamond encrusted case. The silver floor is made from French colonial coins and there is a life sized statue of the 5th Buddha who has not yet been or gone. I hadn't realised this 5th Buddha is going to be female; Cheryl Cole after all?