Ayutthaya
- In lovely Phranakhonsringutthaya ayah
- In lovely Phranakhonsringutthaya ayah
Walking the streets night or day one finds people lying on the walkways unconscious, sleeping, or in at least one case, dead and covered with flies. No one seems to notice. The pace is hectic and the fumes are terrible. Many people wear masks. Often, traffic policemen wear actual gas masks.
Walking the streets night or day one finds people lying on the walkways unconscious, sleeping, or in at least one case, dead and covered with flies. No one seems to notice. The pace is hectic and the fumes are terrible. Many people wear masks. Often, traffic policemen wear actual gas masks.
By the next morning, I had enough of Bangkok, and we fled. Taking a bus for 40 minutes, we boarded a rickety old train and paid our fare of a few cents for a journey north to Ayutthaya, in the province of Phranakhonsringutthaya ayah. It made good sense since it is historically significant, away from the city and its 8 million people, and is on the rail line which can take us to the airport on Sunday morning quite easily. The train engine actually had a direct drive with gear changes rather than the diesel electric locomotive systems we know. I watched, fascinated, through the open window of the passenger car.
By the next morning, I had enough of Bangkok, and we fled. Taking a bus for 40 minutes, we boarded a rickety old train and paid our fare of a few cents for a journey north to Ayutthaya, in the province of Phranakhonsringutthaya ayah. It made good sense since it is historically significant, away from the city and its 8 million people, and is on the rail line which can take us to the airport on Sunday morning quite easily. The train engine actually had a direct drive with gear changes rather than the diesel electric locomotive systems we know. I watched, fascinated, through the open window of the passenger car.
One peasant woman walked alone in the canal, knee-deep, sifting through the reeds, finding here and there a precious rice stalk, washed down from a rice paddy somewhere nearby. She gently removed the stalk and lay it in a v-shaped piece of cardboard she holds in her left hand, where a dozen or so other stalks are cradled. Then she wades slowly on, searching for the precious, life-sustaining grains, oblivious to the new highway and the crush of traffic roaring by only yards away.
One peasant woman walked alone in the canal, knee-deep, sifting through the reeds, finding here and there a precious rice stalk, washed down from a rice paddy somewhere nearby. She gently removed the stalk and lay it in a v-shaped piece of cardboard she holds in her left hand, where a dozen or so other stalks are cradled. Then she wades slowly on, searching for the precious, life-sustaining grains, oblivious to the new highway and the crush of traffic roaring by only yards away.
We left the train around noon and John led me down a street to a river with steep banks, paid one Bat each for us to climb down a ladder to a boat which took us over to the island fortress capital of the Siamese king until it was overrun in the 17th Century. Looking at the hundreds of bug bites on the back of John's arms and elbows, I booked the hotel. We decided to find lunch before exploring the island and walk in an open air backpackers place called "No Worries". As we walked into the tropical shed, a chorus rang out, "Hey John!" It reminded me of Norm on Cheers. "You are back, play the guitar for us." John played some classical pieces as several locals crept near to listen and watch.
We left the train around noon and John led me down a street to a river with steep banks, paid one Bat each for us to climb down a ladder to a boat which took us over to the island fortress capital of the Siamese king until it was overrun in the 17th Century. Looking at the hundreds of bug bites on the back of John's arms and elbows, I booked the hotel. We decided to find lunch before exploring the island and walk in an open air backpackers place called "No Worries". As we walked into the tropical shed, a chorus rang out, "Hey John!" It reminded me of Norm on Cheers. "You are back, play the guitar for us." John played some classical pieces as several locals crept near to listen and watch.
The next morning, we saw the guitar with most strings broken. "Japanese", said the owner, sadly, as if that were explanation enough. Walking around the corner, I became aware of a black lump of something at my feet and heard a picking sound. There huddled a leper, picking scabs off the stumps of his legs with the only finger left to him. He kept his face down. I silently thanked him for that and moved on. There was no begging, no cup of pencils, no asking for help, for which there is none; only resignation, and waiting.
The next morning, we saw the guitar with most strings broken. "Japanese", said the owner, sadly, as if that were explanation enough. Walking around the corner, I became aware of a black lump of something at my feet and heard a picking sound. There huddled a leper, picking scabs off the stumps of his legs with the only finger left to him. He kept his face down. I silently thanked him for that and moved on. There was no begging, no cup of pencils, no asking for help, for which there is none; only resignation, and waiting.
This island has hundreds of Siamese monuments built in the Cham and Burmese style somewhere around the 14th Century at the confluence of three rivers. It was the commercial, political, and religious capital of Siam until it was over run by the Burmese in the 17th Century. There are something like 200 towers here, most quite impressive. We rented bicycles on the 27th and traversed the roads of the island and the nearby mainland.
This island has hundreds of Siamese monuments built in the Cham and Burmese style somewhere around the 14th Century at the confluence of three rivers. It was the commercial, political, and religious capital of Siam until it was over run by the Burmese in the 17th Century. There are something like 200 towers here, most quite impressive. We rented bicycles on the 27th and traversed the roads of the island and the nearby mainland.
Temple green of Ayutthaya
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