Konni & Matt - Perpetual Travellers: 01 May

Southeast Asia

Kingdom of Thailand aka The Land of Conditional Smiles

Ayuthaya

Old BJ Guest House +6635251526

Very basic double room for only THB 150.- or US$ 4.65 per night.
Friendly host family.

Click below for an interactive road map of the family-run Old BJ Guest House in Ayuthaya and for directions:

N 14° 21.64' E 100° 34.61'

Visiting Ayuthaya’s historic temple ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which are scattered through-out this once magnificent city and along the encircling rivers: (i) Wat Phra Mahathat (admission for foreigners: THB 50,- per person) with its famous Buddha head embedded in twisted tree roots, (ii) Wat Phra Si Sanphet (admission for foreigners: THB 50,- per person) which is known for the line of three impressive chedi (stupas) which are a prime example of the quintessential Ayuthaya style, which has been identified with Thai art more than any other single style in its time, and (iii) Wat Ratburana (admission for foreigners: THB 50,- per person) whose tall prang is preserved with many nagas, garudas and other statues beautifully rendered in stucco and which was built to hold the ashes of King Boromaraja II, who killed his older brother in battle - on elephant back - fighting over the throne.

Watching many Buddhist pilgrims from Bangkok who come to Ayuthaya’s Wat Phanan Choeng, purchase shoals of lengthy strips of saffron-coloured cloth from the local vendors and drape it over the shoulder of the 19m-high sitting Buddha image in the main wíhăan (called Sam Po Kong by the Thai Chinese, after the highly revered Chinese explorer who visited Ayuthaya in 1407 CE).

"Ancestor worship must be an appealing idea to those who are about to become ancestors."

(Steven Pinter)

Taking the Baw Khaw Saw bus from Ayuthaya back to Bangkok’s well-organised Northern and Northeastern Bus Terminal aka Mow Chit 2 (c. 75 km, 2 hours, THB 50.- or c. US$ 1.50 per person) and thereafter the air-con TTT bus in 1st-class from Bangkok to Trat (c. 300 km, 4 1/2 hours through heavy monsoonal downpours, THB 248.- or c. 7.70 per person).

Click below for more blog posts about northern Thailand
25 Feb - 26 Feb 2010 Chiang Rai
24 Feb - 25 Feb 2010 Tha Ton
22 Feb - 24 Feb 2010 Chiang Dao
09 Feb - 22 Feb 2010 Chiang Mai
05 Feb - 09 Feb 2010 Chiang Mai

Click below for a summary of this year's travels

2010 Map Konni & Matt

Visit the Konni & Matt Online Albums and order high-res travel photos

Konni & Matt Travel Photos

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