Wat Wai Chai Mongkhon, Ayuthaya

Chiang Mai Wat

Well, we experienced another twist of the Bangkok taxi scams on our departure from the city on Saturday 27 November. The taxi we picked to take us to the train station agreed to put on the meter rather than charge an exorbitant rate, but as we got closer to the station we realized he was charging double time. I told him I knew what he was doing & paid him just what I thought was fair. He didn't even try to disagree. We took the train north to Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand prior to Bangkok. We traveled through very flat countryside passing by rice and lotus farms, watching flocks of herons & egrets take off and light in the fields.

We found ourselves a hotel from the Lonely Planet, as we do most places, and then hired a tuk tuk to take us on a tour of the many Wat ruins around the perimeter of the town. The driver spoke pretty good English and was quite knowledgeable, so it was very enjoyable. Most of the Wats, from 14th & 15th century, are very well kept with beautiful gardens and vary in architectural style, from Kmer (Cambodian) to the more traditional Thai style with the many layered roofs. Each Wat has at least 1 buddha, some gold, some gigantic. Some Wats are ringed in buddhas of various poses, but the most popular pose is the subduing Mara pose, seated cross legged with one hand on the knee & the other face upwards in his lap. After stopping for lunch we toured many of the ruins in the Historical Park in the center of town, this time by foot. We were glad we had gone by tuk tuk in the morning as the temperature was hotter than Bangkok. Stopped a man who was riding a bicycle near one of the Wats. He was from Holland and has been travelling for 3 years, starting in Calgary, then to Alaska & then across the ocean. He was bemoaning the Visa fees charged by each of the Asian countries, which can add up especially if you are on a tight budget. I guess this is still a good income and job provider in these countries.

Ayuthaya Wats

Restaurant in Phitsanulok

The next day we moved on by train again to the town of Phitsanulok, about a 6 hour trip. We had been travelling 3rd class and when we boarded the train, we thought we had made a mistake by not reserving a 2nd or 1st class seat as the train was already full and our packs are much too heavy. We ended up standing in quite tight quarters for the first hour, but luckily that was the end of the line for many of the passengers & Ray & I got to sit together. We have decided that Thailand is a nation of street vendors & that the national past time is eating. The train was no exception. There were several resident vendors squeezing past all the people standing in the aisles & at several of the whistle stops, other vendors would get on or try to sell goods through the windows. We were leary of some of the food, but did try a few things with no ill effects. The countryside was flat once again, but we started to see some hills to the east, some with Wats or Buddhas on the hillside or at the top. In Pitsanulok, we booked into the Youth Hostel, which was an interesting assortment of Teak pavilions set around a garden. The room was simple, but did have a private bathroom with shower, but no hot water. It is amazing how you can enjoy a cool shower when you feel grubby at the end of a warm travel day. One of the advantages of staying in less than 1st class establishments is sharing experiences with the other travelers. We get recommendations & ideas for each person.

That afternoon we walked around the town, which had little to recommend it, to find the local Tourism Association of Thailand (TAT) office, then took a pedicab back. This local vehicle is really build for 1 passenger so the driver put down his canopy & asked Ray to ride perched on the back while I sat between his legs on the seat. The driver earned his money as he had to get off and push at each stop light and each little incline. This with one good pedal & one with just the center bar left.

Monday we decided we were Wat-ed out, so we took a bus heading east up into the hills & got let off at the Rainforest Resort Hotel. This was a much simpler version of the Chitwan Tiger Tops Lodge, without the elephant rides. The cottages are in a jungle setting on the bank of a small river. Each cottage also has access to a small open sided pavilion to sit and enjoy the scenery. The one in front of our cottage had a good view of the Kaeng Sawng waterfall just down the river. Before lunch we stopped another local bus to go 30 K down the road to see the Kaeng Sopha falls, inside a national park. That bus didn't go all the way, so we got out & walked the last 3 K uphill to the park gates, then started walking into the falls. Luckily we got picked up by a truck carrying park workers to the falls as it was another 2 K. The falls consist of several levels of smaller falls & rapids and if the water level had been lower, we could have rock hopped across. Instead we succumbed to the entreaties of a young waitress who followed us from one of the several outdoor cafes right to the falls. We ordered lunch & it was delivered to us complete with straw mat to sit on and toilet paper roll for napkins. We decided to return to our cottage after that lunch & worked it off by walking the 2 K to the gates as no one picked us up on the way out. The return just meant hailing another passing bus that took us right back. Pretty good system & cheap too at 10 - 12 Baht each (40-50 cents). We stopped at the falls right next to our hotel & decided they were almost as nice. Apparently you can camp there for 4 0 Baht for a raised open sided platform with a low thatched roof. We watched several young boys swim and play in the waterfalls, but the river was a tad too muddy for my taste.

We were sad to leave, but we decided to take advantage of a drive back to Phitsanulok on Tuesday and take the 1 hour bus ride to Sukhothai. There is always a tuk tuk driver who says he has the best deal in a tour and we agreed to the pitch of the driver w ho took us to the hotel from the train. Old Sukhothai, where the Wats are located, was the original capital of the first Thai kingdom in the 13th & 14th century. This is now an extensive Historical Park 11 K from the town, which took us about 20 minutes in our tuk tuk, powered by a motorcycle engine, with the driver at the back and us in a canopied wagon with side seats in front of the driver. Most of the Wats were in various states of ruin but were still impressive, especially for their number and size, and are considered to be the most classic of Thai styles.

We arrived in Chiang Mai Wednesday, after taking an air conditioned bus for a 6 hour ride from Sukhothai. This time we left most of the lower plains behind and climbed through hills, travelling most of the way on a new super highway. We are staying in a small hotel right at the Tha Phae gate leading to the moat surrounding the inner city. This is quite a large town of 160,000 plus people, most of whom drive motorcycles. The main streets are busy and with no traffic lights, we are getting used to stopping traffic to cross the street. We decided we need a break again from Wat visiting & are investigating taking a short 3 day trek to one of the less traveled areas nearby. Since there are easily 100 agencies selling trekking packages, we are having some difficulty sorting them out. Our day today consisted of walking the streets of the inner city, visiting a few more Wats and checking out prices and itineraries for treks. We go tonight to meet the lady who has organized a trip for Ric & Joan Potter for their visit here after Xmas with Ric's brother Caryl & his wife Pam.