Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya was once the golden city, the jewel of Siam, the capital of the old kingdom. It had been founded in 1350 and was going along very nicely until the Burmese came along in 1767, defeated and looted the place. The capital moved to Bangkok. Ayutthaya is like an island – the rivers surround it like a moat. Even though the Burmese sacked it, alot of ruins still remain.

I had sorted out accommodation away from the backpacker street – alot closer to where some of the major temples are situated. I had booked on line with a new hotel. Thankfully the man who drove me from Kanchanuburi to Ayutthaya was not a typical minivan driver. Instead of dropping the passengers at the minivan stop – as he should have, he drove each of us to our hostels. I was dropped off last as we couldn’t find the place. It was not at the address given. We drove round the block where it should have been 3 times till eventually I noticed a tiny A4 sign on a window hidden by a huge awning. We had found it! But again, luckily for me Te (drivers name) insisted on carrying my rucksack to the door. The door was locked with a phone number written on it. I don’t have a phone. Te however heard someone working in a side street. It was the cleaner and he made her ring the manager. The manager who had the key was at the other side of town. Te waited with me until she turned up and I finally got into a room. Goodness knows what I would have done without him. Turns out the place was not a hotel as advertised but apartments. I expect when they start getting busy reception will be manned but I was left with the words, “If you have a problem – ring me”. My room however is amazing. I’ve got a tv???? (only Thai channels) but also a fridge! I can keep my drinks cold. And this place is hot. It appears to have its own microclimate. The hottest place in Thailand – come to Ayutthaya! By the way I could only afford this place because it was in a price promotion and even then its slightly more than I wanted to pay but it is a great location (now I can get in) and I do have a fridge. Yesterday I made a bottle of ice!

I have visited some of the major sites. Its not possible to rush due to the temperatures. Today was 36 degrees but according to the forecast it felt like 41. It certainly felt like 41 to me. I love how nature is trying to reclaim the old temples. This Buddha’s head has been completely enveloped by the tree and the two are now inseparable. Watching the sunset behind these ruins gives you a real feeling of awe and wonder. I simply cannot image what daily life here must have been like. I also took a boat ride around “the moat” to visit some of the outer lying temples. I defy anybody not to have a grin on their face when they are speeding up and down the waterways getting splashed by the river. As well as the old ruined temples, there are also Buddhist temples – these can be over a couple of hundred years old but they all look brand new, very sparkling and very much like Chinese Temples. Both sort of temples (ruins and Buddhist) are marked on the visitor map but they don’t differentiate which is which. Hence I walked round in a giant circle for nearly an hour trying to find the ruins when in fact I had past the temple (a Buddhist one) countless times! Just outside this particular temple I watched an old man make giant candles for the temple. He had a wok full of melted wax which he dripped into each of the 10 large candle moulds. I then observed locals doing the same thing with the wax. It is part of the Buddhist custom to offer a little wax into each candle. The chandler insisted I have a go too. I wasn’t as steady as the others. The chandler was not impressed with my original only half full ladle of molten wax and made me fill it full. I promptly then spilt some of it over my bare feet, then some more down my trousers. I did get wax into every candle though. Out of his pocket he produced some oil, dipped my fingers into it and indicated it was to remove the wax from my feet. My feet were fine but there is rather a large hole in my flipflops. The chandler was a lovely old man and he made my day.