12th March
I tried to go early to avoid the hoards of Chinese, but didn't get there until 9.30 am - I'm becoming terrible at getting up early these days - and it was packed!
Now you may think I'm being rude or racist against Chinese people as I've mentioned them negatively - though more in jest - in a few of my posts. I have nothing against Chinese people. Chinese people are great. There are good people and bad people in every place. Its just when you get a large group of Chinese tourists they behave in a certain way, i.e. Shout extremely loud to each other, push past you, and jostle you about - regardless of what you may be looking at - and are obsessed with taking photographs of themselves in various positions, which can take forever!
The museum was OK. Obviously rammed with people and it was so hard to look at things. It was a bit like visiting Blenheim palace, in that there were rooms and cabinets decked out with things belonging to past Royals and gifts donated from other Kings and rulers around the world, but not very much historic information. Some of the rooms were exquisitely decorated which I liked, but the three things I found fascinating were,
firstly - a mural covering the entire wall of the first room (the King's reception room) as you enter the palace. It was painted by a French artist called Alix Aymé in 1930 - 31, during the French colonial era, and shows scenes of traditional Lao village life at different times of the day. The time of each scene matches with the movement of the sunlight around the room during the day. It was beautiful. You weren't allowed to take photos inside the museum but I found a couple online:
Then - around the walls of the corridor - there is a series of framed pictures telling the story of Prince Wetsantara or Vessantara Jātaka. He is the penultimate Buddha to 'The Buddha' and is an important figure in Lao Buddhism. I followed the story, making notes at each picture, but its probably easier to read it from Wikipedia - linked below - although the Lao version is a little different. (I'll write it up later from my notes when I get time)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vessantara_J%C4%81taka
His mother wanted to give birth to a Buddha and was granted 10 wishes - these tickled me as some of the wishes are so vain and superficial
According to the Vessantara Jataka (Chapter 1), the ten wishes she chose were:
• To live in Sivi's realm: To be born in the kingdom of Sivi.
• To be chief queen: To be the chief consort of King Sañjaya.
• To have dark eyes/eyebrows: To have dark eyes and dark eyebrows, specifically likened to a fawn.
• To be named Phusati: To retain her name, Phusati.
• To have a generous son: To have a son who loves giving and is righteous/renowned (the Bodhisatta).
• To keep her figure: To maintain a slim, graceful figure, often described as not having her belly protrude excessively during pregnancy.
• To remain youthful: To remain youthful and maintain the king's affection.
• To have firm breasts: To have breasts that remain firm, not sagging, and not white-haired.
• Not to become grey: To not have white hair.
• To be able to save the condemned: To have the power to free those sentenced to death.
Indra granted all 10.
She certainly got the fifth wish - a generous son - he gave away everything in his life, (SPOILER ALERT) including his wife and children!
The third thing that was cool was a building housing all the Royal cars through the ages.
Again, you couldn't take photos so here they are on TripAdvisor:
There was a temple housing the most sacred Buddha in Laos
Traditional Lao clothing:
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