Ayutthaya, Thailand - Sunday 4 September to Monday 5 September

I decided to try something quite different and headed to Ayutthaya for a couple of days. Ayutthaya was the capital of old Siam before it was sacked by the Burmese many years ago. It's just over an hour from Bangkok by car.

I checked in to the Iudia Hotel which is right on the river. My room was very nice and even had some historic artifacts...

It was right on the river and looked across to an interesting temple on the other side...

I loved the view across the river...

The next day I rode around the river to take a closer look at these temples. It was far!

That afternoon, I walked around the streets near my hotel. These shops were everywhere. One vendor even gave me a free sample. It was like a sweet pancake...

I will come back to all the ruins tomorrow...

That night I tried the bar in the Sala Hotel which was a few doors up from mine. It was pouring so I spent a couple of hours updating my blog.

Had some satay and a cocktail...

I really love this view...

On returning to the hotel, I could hear some live music. So I headed a couple of doors down the other way and found a restaurant called Thanam View right on the river. So I sat there and listened to the band who were not good, but their song list was great. I was the only non-local there and they noticed me singing along and struck up a conversation. I met some locals at the next table.

The next morning I had breakfast in the hotel then borrowed a bike and headed on my tour of the temples. First stop was a market as I needed to buy a cap. This stall looked amazing...

Found a cap for A$3 :-)

Bought a milk tea...

First stop was this temple...

Next to it was this one, called Wat Phra Si Sanphet...

Then I headed to Wat Phra Ram which was very close...

Next stop was Wat Maha That...

This wat is famous for the statue of a buddha's head growing in the tree for hundred of years...

Next one was Wat Ratcha Burana...

I was done with the temples now but wanted to try to get to the ones over the river from my hotel. It was a loong ride through very rural countryside. Made it! It's called Samphao Lom...

There's a buddha inside but photo doesn't show it...

Looking back across the river. Pratu Chai...

On my way back I found one more. I'm templed out now...

Had a rest in the hotel and then headed back to the bar I was at last night for dinner...

 

It's a reasonably busy river. These two tugs were pulling a number of barges...

I had Tom Yum soup with river prawns which is a specialty of the area...

It's a lovely night...

The next morning I was up early. Had breakfast and picked up my car for trip to Don Muang Airport.

Really enjoyed my time in Ayutthaya.