Unfortunately photos inside the pavilion are not permitted; but let me try to describe it. However opulent you think you can imagine it is more so.
Decoration is on every surface; and golden dragons and wyverns. I loved the 10' tall golden snaky dragons which were coiled to tuck the curtains into when they were drawn back. And for dragons I forgive a lot of excess ... vulgar? hell yes, but it is so over the top it almost works. When we left it was in a haze of bling overload. Though only one room was truly uncomfortable - the red reception room, which was so overwhelmingly scarlet that I fled through it in a hurry. what a way to depress pretensions of visitors you don't want!
Simon was amazed how small the grand piano was. I was blown away by the iron pillars in the kitchen topped with cast iron palm leaves, in the semblance of trees. I doubt servants appreciated dust catchers out of reach over where they were preparing food!
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| the riding house |
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| and this is the way in to the kitchen complex... |
And some details of the decoration
