One of the other requirements Sherena gave me was that she wanted to see the Buddha head in the tree so Ayutthaya here we come!
I took this tour with Viator Thailand two years ago and I enjoyed it so I booked it again
We were picked up at a local hotel and taken to a larger tour bus with mostly senior citizens... At least we can walk passed them faster... The tour includes bus, English speaking guide, entrance fees to 4 temples and river cuise lunch buffet
Ayutthaya was founded around 1350, it was the second capital of Thailand after Sukothai, until it's destruction by the by Burmese army in 1767. It is 85 km (53 miles) north of Bangkok and is considered an island surrounded by 3 rivers. In 1981 the Ayutthaya ruins were considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site so it's a frequent tourist spot
First stop is Bang Pa In summer palace... This is actually still a functioning summer getaway location for the royal family so it's kept very beautiful and ready for royal parties
Our tour guide was rocking one pant leg in his sock and I needed to photgraph it... He asked if anyone on this trip is Thai and I admitted... Wrong move, he chose to speak to me about everything! He was very nice, he just talked A LOT!!
This is the actual palace so we aren't allowed inside but you can see the interior from this window. The rest of the palace grounds is a huge garden and pond, a few other structures of interest
All the grounds people were currently refurbishing the structures and surroundings in anticipation for a Chinese holiday
This guard was on duty and I got him to give me a peace sign!! It was awesome!
The garden is very beautiful and peaceful but the fact that it was a billion degrees and humid really made it unbearable... This tree with the beautiful yellow flowers only bloom this time of year, it's my first time seeing it! They say you go to Japan for cherry blossoms but you come to Thailand for these... I don't know what they're called, sorry
The Chinese style palace, formerly used by previous kings generations ago
Today there were school field trips... These kids were so cute!
Beautiful detail work in the Chinese palace
Since I'd already done this tour two years ago, I was basically the tour guide for Sherena and Chris... We walked off from the rest of the group, like I said, the guide talked a lot! Once we were finished, I took Sherena and Chris to have some grilled chicken right in front of the palace gates. I remember having some last time and loving it!
I had a stick of chicken butts and a leg... They also got legs and sticky rice
We went back in to the palace grounds and shared the rice... The chicken was so moist and juicy... The mop was amazingly sweet and spicy. It's been the best grilled chicken I've had in my time in Thailand ever! If you've never had a chicken tail, do it... Only one comes on a chicken so you can be the one who knows the secret! But be careful, there's a bone in the center... Eat the juicy meaty fat around the bone
The city of Ayutthaya was attempted to be taken over by Burma centuries ago and during that process the Burmese burned down most of the city and looted many temples in the process
These ruins are pretty similar to that of Angkor Wat... But having seen Angkor Wat and coming to see Wat Mahathat, it doesn't even compare
This is the highlight of the temple... The Buddha head in the tree... We snuck away from the group and got our pictures before the rush
The Buddha head isn't that big but it was left there at some point and the tree grew around it. During the Great Flood of 2012 the water went up to the Buddha's eyes!
The rest of the temple looks like a ruin... It's really beautiful and magnificent but it was just too hot to enjoy
Many of the Buddha heads were decapitated by the Burmese
Outside of the temple there are vendors selling all the things you think you need... But if you see this lady, you need this! Fish Maw soup!
It's one of my favorite soups only becuase it's rarely found outside of funerals... Seriously, it's a dish normally served at funerals
Fish maw (or fish intestine) boiled with thickened chicken broth, chicken, bamboo shoots, quail eggs, and blood cakes. Accompanied with white pepper, cilantro and chili in vinegar... So comforting! The fish maw has the texture of a spongy tempeh to tofu sheet
Unfortunately I didn't get any cause we already had chicken and we woukd have lunch soon
The next stop is a temple with an interesting history... I don't recall the name of the temple though, sorry... When Burma was looking to take over Thailand, they believed that people will follow what they worship so if they took what the Thai people worshiped, Thai people would follow it to their country
The Burmese army attempted to move this 30ft Buddha statue to their country so that people will follow... Unfortunately for them the rainy season came early that year and got flooded so they had to leave the statue behind... Years later people found this random Buddha statue hanging out in the middle of no where and built a temple around it
The monk in the bottom right corner was accepting donations and offering blessing with holy water and blessed bracelets
New Buddha in the new temple adjacent to the old Buddha that was being taken to Burma
Refurbishment is an endless job
Now to Wat Lokaya Sutha, known for its bronze reclining Buddha, one of 3 largest reclining Buddhas
The Buddha measures 37 meters long and 8 m tall (121 ft long and 26 ft tall). All the toes are of equal length, it sits running north and south and faces west... Why this is, I don't really know but I know that things faces certain directions (Buddhas, beds, doors...) all have meaning... Feng Shui I guess
Now part of the tour includes a river cruise down the Chao Praya river back to Bangkok and buffet lunch... The boat was nice and we sat with some old Australian people (Chris pointed out that he would hate to be their age and try to travel cause this temperature and the activities are quite demanding so it would suck to be old and come here... True)
The lunch was fine... Nice enough and filling (beverages other than water, tea and coffee are not inlcuded)... There's an outdoor viewing deck and two indoor levels you can enjoy after lunch but it threatend to rain and it was way too muggy outside so we hung out by the AC machine
There are many things to observe on the trip and many landkmarks in passing to admire
We arrived at the River Front mall/hotel just south of the Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha around 4pm, the van that picked us up was waiting to take our group back to our hotels but we decided we would stay in the area to hang out. The tour is a nice tour but since I've now done it twice, I don't really desire to do it again (unless it's just to get the chicken in front of Summer Palace)... The tour price depends on season, but starts at $72... Ours was $76 per person not including tip... If it's your first time in Bangkok, I think it's a good deal... You just have to put up with the talkative tour guide who occasionally sings for you
After the tour we walked to Silom Street, about 20 mins south of the river front. It's a pretty well known street for shopping, hotels, bars, nightlife... You'll find lots of foreigners here
We took the street east and walked all the way to Lumphini Park where the mob has relocated... I took Sherena and Chris to "walk the mob"
They thought it was going to be tons of people fighting and picketing... It's quite peaceful... They pray, they have concerts and they talk about a better goverment... They ask for donations and they sell lots of food and stuff... It gets crazy because the people who are for the current goverment try to break their spirits or discourage them
The mob area is very close to the red-light district known as Patpong so I took them to walk there too... Anything you may need fulfilled by your curiosity, male, female, used to be one or the other can be done here... As well as shopping! Prices here can get steep as it's geared towards tourists (weak gin and tonic went for 400B [$12.40]... For barely any gin you know that's expensive!), and vendors can get pretty aggressive so don't bargain unless you're really interested and don't ask the price if you don't feel like getting haggled to buy. If you walk along the sides, be ready to get stopped to see a "sex show" or invited in to a bar to see all too young girl or didn't come into this world as girls dance in next to nothing... It is after all, the red-light district
I've also taken Sherena and Chris to the Chatchuchak Weekend Market... The worlds largest weekend market... As the name implies, it's only open on the weekends... It's massive! Giant warehouse selling everything from clothes, accessories, housewares, pottery, pets, plants, food.... You can easily get lost here and you will never find the vendor you had an interest in again, so if you see something special you like, get it!
Various fried goodies
This guy was interesting... He had beads on this facial hair!
They sold bunnies in dresses... And many many other interesting, exotic, regular pets/animals
This guy was carrying a lot of stuff on his hand truck and as soon as I took this picture his rope broke!
On Sherena and Chris's last day I took them to see backpacker's district (they didn't want to wake up to see the Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha cause we've been waking up early everyday... But if you're intersted, go early to avoid crowds and the sun, also the grounds close at 2pm, foreigner entrance fee is 500B [$15.49], respective dress code is strictly enforced! We were told that you've never been to Bangkok if you don't visit the Grand Palace and a Emerald Buddha).
Backpacker's district, aka Soi Khao San, is famous for the amount of backpackers walking the street! Tons of hostels in the area! During the day there are sidewalk vendors but at night the street closes completely and tons of people are walking the streets eating, drinking, shopping, selling, dancing, people watching... Deals are pretty good here actually... Compared to Patpong... But food and drinks can get carried away if you're not smart (go 2 blocks over and it's cheaper!)
Once it got dark we took a taxi to Silom Street again, I wanted Sherena and Chris to check out a bar called Dome at le bua State Tower. Located on the 63rd floor, this bar has the best view of the city! It's situated close to the Chao Praya river so you get a 360 view of th entire city... Apparently Hangover movie was filmed here... I can see why they chose this place, it's beautiful!
It pretty breezy up that high in certain areas so be prepared... When you get off the elevators, there are beautiful hosts waiting to greet you and ask if you will have dinner or drinks (dinner is expensive!!) so we went for drinks... Drinks were pretty standard but their selection is quite sparse... My Manhattan was 650B ($20.13)... By Thailand standards, that's expensive. But it's a nice place with a nice view and that's what I would've paid in LA so I was fine with it
There's a stage for live music, but it was quite windy up there so they retired after a couple songs
I suggest getting to the hotel pre-sundown so you can catch it... Stay for a drink or two, the view is really great, then get dinner elsewhere
Sherena and Chris are leaving the next day... I've had such a blast with them! I'm really glad they joined me on this trip... It made traveling easier and so much fun!
Now I'll be on my own for most of the rest of this trip
Follow me on Instagram @vnesst
No comments:
Post a Comment