Random Rambles

Lopburi

Left Ayutthaya this morning by train for Lopburi. The train cost a more-than-reasonable 13 Baht (about 50 cents CAD, I believe).

This for a journey of slightly more than an hour, in relative fan-cooled, upholstered-seat comfort. Plenty of space for luggage. I’ll take it.

Lopburi was an important city during the (Western) dark-to-middle ages of about 500 AD to 1000 AD. It prospered by keeping its head low and playing nicely with the then-dominant Khmer empire centred on Angkor and the surrounding wannabe mini-imperialists, so there are a few ruins around.

It’s also infamous for its friggin’ monkeys.

These are more creepy than cute, like a small, furry version of Mara Salvatrucha. After visiting a fruit market, we were mugged by a gang on the sidewalk – the boldest member ran up and grabbed my flimsy plastic bag, spilling oranges everywhere and creating mayhem among the other gang members. We managed to salvage a few.

There were even more lying in wait at Phra Prang Sam Yod, which is known for its similarity to Angkor originals.

Another view of Phra Prang Sam Yod in a less-monkeycentric shot.

Sight or Insight of the Day for Lopburi

A feel-good story – after reading about how ‘small and accessible’ Lopburi is, we  booked a room in a hotel, location-unseen. It turns out this hotel was waaaay far from the center of town and its sites. Like, a 250 Baht taxi ride away. (See above for what we paid in train fare.) In a thoroughly depressing suburban neighbourhood. When the employee of the hotel understood our plight, he not only cancelled our reservation at his hotel, he drove us back to the main road a few KMs away on his motorcycle (took two trips – one for Maria and her luggage, one for me and mine). He waited with us while he flagged down public transport that got us both back to the center of town for 20 Baht.

He then refused all offers of money. I guess this is Dharma’s wheel turning in reaction to my minor whinge about the rapaciousness of tuk-tuk drivers in a previous post.

 

Ayutthaya

Took a train from BKK north to Ayutthaya.

This was the capital of an earlier Thai kingdom from the 14th century until 1767, when a rampaging Burmese army burnt it to the ground. Looking for a better neighbourhood, everyone moved south and founded Bangkok further down the river.

Left behind were scores – no, hundreds – of temple ruins.

Most with unpronounceable names, like Wat Lokayasutharam or Wat Phutthaisawan or Wat Chaiwatthanaram.

It’s easy to rent a bike to visit these, especially as the alternative is going by tuk-tuk. It’s disheartening dealing with the constant petty larceny of tuk-tuk drivers; they always want to overcharge foreign visitors. You’d think in a Buddhist country, they’d be wary of reincarnating as something yucky, but they can’t seem to help themselves.

Sight or Insight of the Day in Ayutthaya

Hey, I saw an elephant in the back of a truck today! Maria had gone off to find a pharmacy, I was waiting by the side of the road when a couple of trucks go by with an elephant in the back of each, trunk extended and ears flapping in the breeze. Turns out there is a place in town offering elephant rides: the elephants commute into town every morning. That’s not something you see every day.

Bangkok

Went for a walk in Chinatown. Lots of gold shops, markets, shark fin restaurants (10,000 Baht/$CAD380 for a large portion). On the way from the boat pier, went through a market containing nothing but greasy old car parts. You could probably enter in one end and come out the other with a nice sedan.

Came across Wat Tramit, with the legendary Golden Buddha.

This was covered in plaster for centuries. Dropped from a crane during a move, the plaster cracked off to reveal a solid gold Buddha. Huh. Who knew?

At present gold prices, it’s worth over $240,000,000.  I’m already planning my helicopter-through-the-roof heist scenario.

Bangkok

Went to Wat Arun, across the river from the Royal Palace.

Made up largely of smashed-up crockery…

… but the result is pretty impressive.

Most markets and temples here have lots of resident cats. This one was sleeping on the lap of 2 other women. They arose and placed him on the bench. He made a beeline for my lap and went immediately back to sleep.

We crossed the river by ferry to Wat Pho (or Bo – Thai is pretty free and easy with transliteration). Marvelled at the reclining Buddha, 30-odd meters long.

Maria went for a Thai message in one of the premier massage schools in the country, which we discovered was located here. (Thank you, Google.)

More strolling though the grounds.

Bangkok
It’s been thirty years since I’ve been to Bangkok. Like all of us, it’s changed a lot. The skyline sprouts a lot more high-rises. The traffic is, if anything, worse. This is where the express water boats come in handy: a cheap, fast, and convenient way to zip up and down the Chao Phraya river, BKK’s main artery.

Man, it’s hot. And humid. We’re talking Turkish bath conditions. Good thing we’re both lovers of intense heat. We’ve been taking it easy for our first few days here.

Sight or Insight of the Day

We notice that Thais seemed to like the colour black as a clothing choice. Then it struck us both at the same time that this must be mourning attire for the death of King Bhumipol, the much-revered monarch who passed away nearly a year ago. Great preparations are underway for his upcoming cremation, including squads of black-clad citizens cleaning the streets.

Ottawa

All packed and ready to go. It’s hard to say goodbye to family and friends. But in this age, you’re never really out of touch, for better or worse.

After a routine flight, we had a lengthy layover in Istanbul. Interesting airport, Istanbul – it’s open 24 hours and has flights departing throughout the night to unusual places, like Tbilisi and Yerevan and Rostov.

Exhausted by the overnight leg from Ottawa, we stretched out on the airport benches and slept like a pair of aging hobos.

Left Istanbul at 1:25 AM for Bangkok.

Sight or Insight of the Day

We witnessed a Dostoyevskian scene in the main departure hall: twenty or more young men, lined up two by two, each pair manacled together by clunky handcuffs, each man clutching an identical duty free bag like children heading for a sleepover. Strange and kind of unsettling.

Actually, this journey begins with many steps, but the most important one was selling our house. We aren’t going anywhere before we slim down our possessions to what can fit in a storage locker and disencumber ourselves of our primary residence. It took months of work to prepare our house for sale. And of course, the day finally arrived when…

We’ve been happy living in our townhouse overlooking the park and river for about nineteen years. Many happy memories were made here.

But all good things come to an end.

We both enjoy travelling. After years of two-week and three-week trips, we imagine what it would be like to leave everything behind and amble at our own pace from place to place. This plan has been in the works for years.