17th Feb - Ayutthaya

Monday 17th Feb (full day Ayytuhaya)

Got a (relatively speaking!) good nights sleep on train - although the guy woke us all up at like 5 / 5.15am even though it wasn't due in until 6.05 and as it left late was obviously gonna be later than that (ended up being 6.25am). We had a quick turn around but got a bargain of a train to Ayutthaya for 20 baht each leaving at 06.40 form platform 7. Got a taxi to our accomodation for 40 baht between us, the lady is quite full on but I reckon a good buisness woman. The girls like the mod cons but personally Im quite happy without TV hot water and fridge. Swings and roundabouts.

Got out 11ish after having refreshing showers.

Wow what a hot hot hot day. We managed to rent bikes for 30 baht each from round the corner (until 9pm) and we cycled in the unbearable humidity to the main temples within the river circumfrnce in Ayyuthaya. They are all pretty cool. I'd say the most striking image was the gold buddha in the Grand Palace which was like 16 metres high and also the buddha encased in tree roots. We visited Wat Phra Ratburana, Wat Phra Mahathat, Wat Thamikarrat, cycled past Phra Ram, and then finally Wkihaan Mongkhon Bophit and the most photographed site in Ayytuhaya, Wat Phra Si Sanphret. Amonst the rubble there is a strong sense of history with all temples largely been burnt or looted by the Burmese. There was however a funny smell in the air...BO? Wasnt pleasant anyway! Reminded me a bit of the first time i went to Venice. Was hot and smelling but cool none the less.

We spent a long time in the cafe by the Grand Palace. Coming home we cycled through the park and pretended we were in the sound of music. Sad but true!
I spent a lot of money on fluids today.

In this heat Im not sure if I can be bothered going off by myself with my big fat backpack to Lompuri and Sukothai. I will decide later once having done some research.

The girls came back from their late lunch (which I didnt do partly as I wasn't that hungry, partly for budget and partly so I could go on the internet) and I went back out on my bike. I found a really cool temple which wasn't even in the lonely planet guide. It was very modern so probably didn't have the history to warrant a place amongst the great sites of antiquity that Ayyuthaya is best know for. It was called Wat Suwandararam and it was a great privaledge to witness monks chanting and meditating in the temple. At first I thought I was intruding, spotting them through the open doorway and and so I made to tip-toe away, but a monk beckoned me to go in. It was kind of mesmerising. They all knelt on the floor in their mustard coloured robes draped over the one shoulder. All had shaved heads, brown weathered skin and looked in their 50's. The temple inside was as beautiful as it was outside. I stayed for maybe 10 / 15 minutes before slinking away intending to get to another temple beofre it shut at 6. But I didn't actually get there in the end - navigating by bike on those crazy streets is not that easy! I nearly came off once as thier idea of concreting the floors is not the same as ours!

Back in the room, I showered and changed and we caught a tuk tuk to a night market where I bought a couple of cheapo earings and we browsed the clothes rails. It seems standard here for 3 pounds for a t shirt or 5 or even 7 pounds for a thin dress. I wonder if places like new look sales are now on a par with such places or these are overpriced by Thai standards. It is sometimes difficult to tell, in your quest to not be ripped off as a foreigner you do not want to rip them off in return by bartering too low.

We sat on a table by the river (we had absolutely no idea where we were which for me was unusual - I like to know EXACTLY whats going on!!) - and I had a very decent sized meal of fried chicken and rice which was also rather tasty. We realised it was approaching 9pm and we grabbed a tuk tuk in the hope that we could see some of the ruins lit at night (apparantly a sight to behold) before they got turned off. Alas, we didnt make it and I am quite annoyed at myself as its one of the main sites of Ayytuthaya and probably my only chance. But c'est la vie.

We went back to the room and went to sleep after doing a spot of reading and internet browsing. Its actually a 3 bed room which you can add a mattress to. I offered to sleep on the floor as two of the girls had offered the best beds in the train (lower bunk is better than higher as there is less light) and all seemed to have slept worse than me - a first if ever there was one!

Money spent: Train Bankok to Ayutthaya (commuter 3rd class, 1 1/2 hours) 20 baht, taxi 10 baht, breakfast / early lunch (ham, egg on toast and orange juice) 95 baht, 150 baht entrance to 3 temples, coconut juice 10 baht, coke 20 baht, fanta 16 baht, 2 large water and green pepsi (a mistake!) lunch snack and tomorrows breakfast 83 baht. 13 baht each wireless for all day until 11pm. Accomodation 200 baht (but TV fridge hot water and damn in air con!!) 30 baht 2 tuck tucks, 18 baht iced tea drink, 50 baht chicken and rice at night market, 50 baht on two pairs of earings. TOTAL: 765 / 15.30

Best thing:Seeing the ruins
Worst thing: Missing them lit up at night.