Flying back into Thailand I had 3 days before I headed to Bali to meet mum. I was meeting T (and super excited about it!) and heading to Ayutthaya, a former capital of Thailand and site of old city ruins.
(T and JJ on the train and ready to go)
(Hmm, spot the differences in the travellers…. I did warn T that I tend to explode!)
After being in Myanmar and seeing the temples of Bagan I wasn’t sure how I would go with more temples, but I loved it. Many of these temples were now in ruins, making it feel a lot more like Angkor Wat.
After being in Myanmar and seeing the temples of Bagan I wasn’t sure how I would go with more temples, but I loved it. Many of these temples were now in ruins, making it feel a lot more like Angkor Wat.
(Tina needing to practice her faces!)
Some of the ruins are in the old city, which is located on an island, while the rest are strewn around off the island. We were able to cycle around the old city easily enough, but needed to find another mode of transport for ruins further out. The ruins and temples, not quite as old as Bagan, were still very impressive. Leaning chedi towers in the style of Khmer and Buddha statues (everywhere) were the main features of these temples.
Interestingly many of the Buddhas at some of the really old temples were missing their heads. Seemed that the Thai’s had hidden gold and jewels inside the statues and during the time of the Burmese war the Burmese had looted the city and chopped the heads off to look for the treasures. Now headless Buddhas are scattered around as a reminder of what happened.
We also saw the famous site of a Buddha head in a tree. No one is really sure how it got there but the head is entangled in the roots, likely dropped by an invader as it was too heavy to carry.
Many of the temples are still working temples and had busloads of tourists visiting daily. We were lucky enough to be involved in a blessing ceremony at one, whereby orange sheets were spread out over the top of a group of people praying, and then these sheets were thrown up in the air and used to cover the Buddha statue. Basically after that blessing I’m almost a deity.
(Tossing the orange sheets up to be draped over Buddha)
(Locals shaking sticks to learn their fortune)
(The fusion of Chinese and Thai at a local temple)
As well as travelling by bike and boat, we also took the oddly shaped tuk tuk’s that scoot around the city. Clearly designed with Thai’s in mind it is easy to knock you head every time you get in and out.
As well as Tina and I, we had also brought along JJ, Tina and Graham’s wombat. Here are a few happy snaps of JJ getting around.
As well as Tina and I, we had also brought along JJ, Tina and Graham’s wombat. Here are a few happy snaps of JJ getting around.
