Mr Bean tuk tuks and thousands of chooks!

Last full day in Thailand and we thought we’d do a quick day trip to Ayutthaya.  Train up to Victory Monument and then a minibus (60baht each) to Ayutthaya – they go when full but we only waited about 10 minutes.

 

Ayutthaya used to be the capital of Siam but is now practically an outer suburb of Bangkok.  Minibus took about 50 minutes and the ‘mini-bus station’ is a plastic gazebo with a sign.  Just down the street was a nice looking restaurant/guesthouse called “Tony Place” so we got a quick coffee and checked the place out a bit.  We didn’t have much idea what to expect, but even just driving into town we could see that this place was going to need way more than just half a day.

 Tuk tuks are plentiful, but yet another design variation – these ones have a little cabin the driver sits in and a steering wheel – and a rather Mr Bean-esque nose cone.  Negotiated with a driver for 200baht/hour (had checked trip advisor for rates) and he took us on a quick spin to see a few temples.

We didn't get this groovy one but the driver was very proud of his shiny orange machine.

 

Most of the temples are built of little bricks (about the size of a clay paver or smaller) some obviously have been ‘rendered’ (which is now coming off) but the layout at each site is quite clear.

 
Ayutthaya had some flooding last week and the evidence was still ther for all to see – water laying round where it obviously should not have been, sticks & other debris banked up in path/wall corners etc and the ground quite soggy under foot.

 Wat Mahathat and Wat Rajaburana are side by side and quite similar.  Plenty of trees to grab some respite from the baking sun (it would be ferocious in March & April)

 

 

Wat Phrasisanpethi was lovely – three huge chedis in the middle with throne and ordination halls at either end.

 

Last stop was Wat Yai Chaimongkhon still has a working monestary as well as ruins.  It’s grounds are beautiful and it is one of the iconic Ayutthaya photo spots – 200 buddas sit along 4 sides of the huge chedi, all sashed in gold.
 

Then we found the  chooks .. well roosters to be accurate .... hundreds of them in all sizes from 15cm to 3m – lining a roadway near another building.  No idea why but it was the funnies thing to see.

 

I know three hours in a town with as much to see as Ayutthaya is almost as insulting as saying ‘go to Siem Reap for 3 hours’ but this tiny taste has put this place firmly on our ‘must return and explore more’ list.

 
Back to Tony’s place for a late lunch and an afternoon bus back to Bkk for some last minute shopping.